“There is an overall decline in the distribution of Acropora in Gujarat, and live Acropora have not been sighted here for several decades now,” said Pradeep Khanna, Principal Chief Conservator of Forests, Gujarat. “Success of this effort will begin a new era in conservation of marine biodiversity.”

Coral reefs are marine ecosystems that support a rich and colourful array of aquatic flora and fauna. “Coral reefs are called the ‘rainforests-of-the-seas’ because like terrestrial rainforests, they are among the richest ecosystems supporting unimaginably extensive food webs. However, human activities are causing undue damage to this ecosystem too and if we ignore them we risk losing this unique natural heritage,” said Satish K Goyal, Chief Wildlife Warden, Gujarat, stressing that the reefs play a crucial role in protecting coastlines from harsh ocean currents.

Coral reefs are created by soft-bodied marine animals called ‘coral polyps’ that range in length from a pin-head up to a foot. The calcium carbonate exoskeleton of millions of these polyps fused together result in the formation of coral reefs.

Being sensitive to changes in water conditions, corals are indicators of health of the ecosystem. Unfavourable changes cause stress to corals, resulting in coral bleaching (whitening of corals) and even eventual death.

In India, four major coral reef ecosystems exist in Andaman & Nicobar islands, Lakshadweep islands, Gulf of Mannar – Tamil Nadu and Gulf of Kachchh – Gujarat.

“Marine National Park has a good coral diversity with about 49 species. Acropora used to be present here, about four decades ago, but now only dead remnants are found in most of the intertidal zone of the Park. This effort of reintroducing the species of Acropora in Marine NP is  highly commendable provided this species survives. We will be observing to keep track of how the transplanted fragments fare,” said RD Kamboj, Chief Conservator of Forests, Marine NP.

“In a nutshell, the reintroduction involved collecting fragments from Lakshadweep, transporting them to Gujarat and implanting them in Mithapur and Marine NP. However, the actual process is anything but simple,” said Subburaman S, Field Officer, WTI.

“Transport of live corals over such a distance has never been tried before. The challenge lied in keeping the fragments alive out of its natural surrounding for such a long time and with disturbances including vibrations, change in temperature and light conditions, oxygen content among others,” he added.

Before the actual move, experiments were carried out in Lakshadweep to devise best protocols to move the corals safely.

“We observed stress in some of the fragments but these were revived and transplanted as planned. Of the 22 fragments brought from Lakshadweep, 80% survived. We are now carrying out observations to see how they fare in their new surrounding. So far the fragments are healthy,” added Goutham S, Assistant Field Officer, WTI, who was a part of the team handling the preparations in Mithapur.

“TCL has been supporting marine conservation initiatives undertaken in collaboration with WTI assisting Gujarat Forest Department for years. Together we have implemented several pioneering initiatives that have not only benefited the species on ground but also brought much awareness among the general masses. This is crucial, as India’s natural heritage is much more than only terrestrial flagship species. The coral reef securitisation project under our Dharti ko Arpan Program is a pioneering effort to map, understand, conserve and secure the reef near the Mithapur town. We feel that this effort is bringing together and synergising the efforts of various stakeholders in a true PPP mode,” said Alka Talwar, Head – Community Development, TCL.