The Maldives is a unique and extraordinary place, in particular due to the main protagonist of its ocean, the coral reef. It is mainly thanks to this fundamental component of all oceans that visitors to the Maldives can enjoy the incredible beauty of the reef.
Coral reefs are rigid and resistant structures that withstand the force of waves and ocean currents. These structures are built by living organisms that have a limestone skeleton. Thus, it is always important to emphasize that corals are not stones, much less plants.
They are ecosystems rich in biodiversity, serving as a breeding and feeding place for many species of fish and crustaceans. In these coral reefs, there is a complex food web, many mutualistic relationships and, of course, competition between the organisms that live there.
Its importance is vital for the species that live there and is the reason why several projects in the region have focused on protecting it and all its inhabitants.
The main objective of these projects is the preservation of coral reefs, through the creation and encouragement of responsible tourism. Several marine biologists residing on the islands, who have long been dedicated to explaining and describing the uniqueness of coral reefs, have increasingly been participating in various activities to raise awareness among tourists to promote conservation and regeneration of the reefs.
These are important projects whose objective is to make the Maldives even more attractive and help in the preservation of coral reefs.
In 2016, 60% of the Maldives corals were lost due to bleaching caused by rising sea temperatures. And with global warming, these temperature spikes can occur more often.
However, currently, due to various environmental efforts, it is already possible to observe slow signs of recovery on the Maldives reefs, but it is extremely important that everyone does their part at home, even if they do not live in the Maldives, to be more sustainable and ecologically correct.
