Protect Coral Reefs in Malaysia

Recently, Reef Check Malaysia has collaborated with Tengah Island Conservation and Department of Fisheries Malaysia in Coral Rehabilitation Project in Tengah Island. Based on Tengah Island Conservation, Tengah Island has high level of damaged corals. The high level of damaged corals is probably due to a combination of bleaching and tourism impacts. As a result, intervention has to be taken to increase Tengah Island’s coral cover.

Preliminary survey was conducted to find suitable location as the reef rehabilitation project site. The criteria are 1) accessibility – to conduct rehabilitation, monitoring and maintenance work, to source for corals of opportunity (corals that have been broken off the reefs but are still alive), 2) feasibility – to place reef rehabilitation structures, and 3) water conditions – suitable for corals to grow.

A total of 200 corals of opportunity were replanted onto two types of structures – metal frames and cement blocks. Monitoring will be conducted monthly to record the growth and health conditions of the replanted corals of opportunity. Maintenance will also be carried out monthly (and whenever it is needed).

We hope this project will increase the survival and growth rate of the corals of opportunity, by providing stable substrate to them. Otherwise, these corals of opportunity will be rolling on the reefs and eventually die if they do not manage to find suitable substrate to attach on.