The exploration mission 1 Ocean, conducted under the auspices of UNESCO and in partnership with CRIOBE, aims to study an immense coral reef in perfect health more than 30 meters deep in Tahitian waters. A rare and precious site!
Its depth, its extent, its state of health… all these data make it an exceptional site! While the vast majority of known reefs in the world are generally located before 25 meters deep, this coral field extends between 30 and 65 meters. It is therefore irrefutable proof that corals can develop in this deep zone and forebodes the presence of many other coral formations of this type throughout the world.
Indeed, it is not just a few isolated corals… This reef is one of the largest ever observed in our oceans. It measures 3 km long by 30 to 60 meters wide. It is composed of large corals reminiscent of flower shapes, each reaching up to 2 meters in diameter: « It’s magical to be able to observe these magnificent giant rose-shaped corals stretching as far as the eye can see. They remind me of the work of a great couturier, » describes photographer Alexis Rosenfeld, founder of the campaign 1 Ocean.
Healthy corals
Beyond their impressive size, it is the state of health of these corals that interested the researchers. Until now, very few scientists have been able to locate, examine, and study coral reefs beyond 30 meters deep. They have thus spent nearly 200 hours underwater, in rebreather, studying this magnificent reef, even witnessing the spawning of the corals!
These studies could provide a wealth of valuable information on the organisms living in this environment, its role in protecting coasts from erosion, medical research… But this reef is above all an indicator of the health of the oceans and a source of hope: « French Polynesia suffered a significant bleaching event in 2019, but this reef does not seem to have been significantly affected. Also, the discovery of these corals in perfect condition is good news. We think that deeper reefs might be better protected from climate change, » indicates Dr. Laetitia Hedouin, member of the CNRS/CRIOBE, who participated in the mission.
A 10-year program
This discovery was made as part of the campaign 1 Ocean, the great testimony on the ocean, a project by photographer Alexis Rosenfeld in partnership with UNESCO. The teams of this campaign, over 10 years, will explore the world to testify to its beauty, the dangers that threaten it, and meet scientists working to better understand and preserve it.
This program is part of the framework of the United Nations Decade of Ocean Science for Sustainable Development, from 2021 to 2030. During this period, major international summits will also be conducted, UNESCO will continue its coordinating role in many global programs such as ocean mapping, the tsunami warning system, and, of course, expeditions like this one!
Further dives are planned in the coming months around this great Polynesian reef that certainly still has many secrets to reveal.
opening image © Alexis Rosenfeld