Bleaching Point: The Great Barrier Reef's Desperate Warning Sign The Great Barrier Reef, a 2,300 kilometer long ecosystem off Australia's northeast coast, teeters on the brink of disaster.
A record strength El Niño threatens to unleash catastrophic coral bleaching, potentially pushing parts of the reef into collapse.
Coral bleaching occurs when water temperatures surge, causing corals to expel their life sustaining algae and turn white. This is not a cosmetic change; repeated events can be fatal for these delicate creatures.