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When you become a Coral Watch Volunteer one of the things you will learn is to distinguish between healthy coral, diseased coral and bleaching coral.   The key is to examine the coral color and note any deviations from the prominent shade on the entire colony.

Healthy Coral

Healthy coral comes in shades of olive green, brown, tan and pale yellow.    In a healthy coral colony no parts are affected by disease or bleaching.  Healthy coral provides shelter for many other species of tropical animals that rely on the structure provided by corals for their homes, and others find food that shelters in the crevices of stony corals.
Picture
Healthy colony of boulder star coral.

UNHEALTHY CORAL

​palE, part bleached, whole bleached

When corals become stressed and begin to bleach the first sign is paling, then part bleached, and then whole bleached when more than 90% of the coral colony is affected.  When corals begin to bleach and exhibit paling, the edge of the affected tissue blends from light to dark,  in comparison to disease where the contrast between healthy and diseased tissue is seen as a distinct line.

​coral disease

  • There are several diseases which make coral's lose their zooxanthellae causing them to become white.  These diseases include white band, white blotch, black band, coralophilia (which is caused by a snail) and others. However, coral disease can be distinguished from bleaching by examining the affected area.  In diseased coral tissue there is often a distinct line between the living/healthy coral tissue and the diseased portion,  in comparison to coral bleaching, the transition between healthy and bleached is more gradual.
Picture
Part bleached boulder star coral.
Picture
Whole bleached maze coral colony.
Picture
White blotch disease on boulder star coral.

Dead Coral

If coral colonies remain bleached for an extended period of time and do not regain their symbiotic zooxanthellae, they will die.  Stony coral that is no longer covered in coral tissue often becomes covered in algae giving it a grey or reddish tinge.  Over time other reef organisms may begin growing on the dead coral, but once the coral tissue has died it will not return.
Picture
A long dead boulder star coral colony.

Become a Coral Watch Volunteer Today!

If you are ready to learn more about coral reefs and how to distinguish healthy, diseased, bleached or dead coral visit the Belize Coral Watch page and sign up today and become a Coral Watch Volunteer! We need Coral Watch Volunteers to send us reports from  all over Belize.  Please Contact Us with any questions!
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ST GEORGE'S CAYE
Mailing Address: PO Box 1234, Belize City, Belize
TEL: + (501) 223-3022  Cel: + (501) 673-3022  Caye: + (501) 614-3483
Email:
info@ecomarbelize.org
Picture
Copyright © 2020
  • Welcome
    • About >
      • Site Map
      • COMMUNITIES
      • Partners
      • Blog
    • References >
      • Classroom Tools
    • Photos
    • Videos
  • Research Station
    • Research Trips
    • St George's Caye
    • Marine Research >
      • Conch
      • Dolphins
      • Fish
      • Manatees >
        • Manatees Research
        • Manatee ID >
          • Delfina
      • Sea Turtles >
        • Gallow's Point >
          • Turtles Gallows Pt
          • Rhody Hope Majil
          • Hope 4 Nature
        • Robinson Point
        • Hope 4 Freya
    • Archaeology Project >
      • SGCAP 2014
      • SGCAP 2015
      • SGCAP 2016
  • Turtle Watch
    • Sea Turtle Census >
      • Nesting Beach Observations
      • In-Water Observations >
        • Photo ID
        • Turtle Recaptures
      • Stranded Sea Turtles >
        • Stranded Turtles 2010-2012
      • Illegal Take
    • Sea Turtle 101 >
      • Legislation
      • Classification
      • Anatomy
      • Life History
      • Species
      • Threats
      • Historical Importance
    • Nesting Beaches
    • Satellite Telemetry >
      • Tracking NOW >
        • St Kitts SASSY
      • Historical Tracks >
        • Belize BSTCN >
          • Gallow's Point ECOMAR
          • Gales Point GPWS
          • Hol Chan
          • Lighthouse BAS
          • Lighthouse MAR Alliance
          • Glovers ECOMAR
          • Glovers WCS
          • Port Honduras TIDE
        • Barbados UWI
        • Cayman Islands DOE
        • Costa Rica STC
        • Jamaica NOAA
        • Mexico NOAA
        • Mexico UNAM
      • Education Resources
    • Outreach Materials >
      • Turtle Watch Newsletters
    • Operation Green Turtle
    • Turtle Network >
      • In-Water Surveys
      • Sea Turtle Rehab
      • BSTCN Members
  • Coral Watch
    • Coral Bleaching 101 >
      • Healthy vs. Unhealthy Coral
      • Remote Sensing
    • Coral Watch Publications
    • Coral Network >
      • Coral Members
  • Lionfish
    • Lionfish Served Here!
    • History in Belize >
      • GCFI Fisherman Exchange
      • COMPACT Lionfish Project
    • Lionfish Publications
    • Caribbean Strategies >
      • Culling Protocol
  • Reef 365
    • Reef 365 Reports
  • Ocean Watch
    • Manatee Deaths >
      • 2017 Manatee Deaths
      • Archives Manatees
      • Manatee Facts
    • Climate Change
    • Oil Exploration
    • Ciguatera
    • Haulover Creek
    • Wildlife Interactions
  • Marine Mammals
    • Sightings >
      • False Killer Whale
      • Humpback Whale Sightings
      • Killer Whales
    • Whale Stamps
    • Marine Mammal Workshop >
      • Management Considerations
      • Interaction Guidelines >
        • Vessels & Approaches
        • Swimming With
    • Marine Mammal Rescue
  • Get Involved
    • Adopt A Beach >
      • Adopt A Beach Sign Up
      • Adopted Beaches
    • Adopt A Reef >
      • Adopted Reefs
    • Volunteer
    • Reserve A Trip
  • Submit Report
    • Coral Watch
    • Lionfish Hunter
    • Oceans 365 Rare
    • Oceans 365 Report
    • Octopus
    • Turtle Watch In-Water
    • Turtle Watch Nesting Beach
    • Submit Report Nesting Beach Old
    • Turtle Shell 4 Sale
    • Turtle Watch Stranded
    • Marine Mammal Form
    • Abalone
  • Gift Shop
  • Donate
    • May 12 whale
  • Contact