We knew Ningaloo’s coral bleaching was severe. But what we found 6 months later was still a shock

We knew Ningaloo’s coral bleaching was severe. But what we found 6 months later was still a shock

The heatwave in Western Australia last summer broke records. As marine scientists, we were deeply concerned about whether Ningaloo’s corals would survive. We were prepared for the worst, but what my colleague and I found when we returned to assess the damage months later was still a shock. It was the longest-lasting, largest and most intense underwater heatwave ever recorded in WA. And it hammered the coral at Ningaloo Reef, part of the World He…