One of the Seven Wonders of the World Sees Its Biggest Growth in Decades!

The latest reef monitoring results show that Australia’s Great Barrier Reef experienced the most substantial coral growth in 36 years, proof that the world’s natural heritage site is recovering faster than expected.

“These latest results show that the reef can also recover during periods without major disturbances,” explains Australian Institute for Marine Sciences director Paul Hardisty.

The latest survey – conducted as part of a long-term monitoring program – was made between August 2021 and May 2022 on 87 representative reefs. The most impressive improvement occurred North of Cooktown where hard coral cover went from 27 percent to 36 percent last year, and in the central area, where it grew from 27 percent to 33 percent. Following the mass bleaching events of 2016 and 2017, these unexpected, positive results are promising. The Great Barrier Reef is large enough to be seen from space and is one of the seven world wonders.