Great Barrier Reef Shows Highest Coral Cover in 36 Years

The Great Barrier Reef is making a stunning comeback. New survey data from the Australian Institute of Marine Science reveals that coral cover across the reef's northern and central sections has reached its highest levels since monitoring began in 1986. The recovery is attributed to a combination of factors: cooler ocean temperatures over the past two years, successful crown-of-thorns starfish control programs, and innovative coral gardening projects that have planted over 2 million new coral fragments. 'We're seeing species return that we thought were locally extinct,' said Dr. Maya Torres, lead marine ecologist. 'The reef has an incredible capacity to heal when we give it a chance.' Local Indigenous communities have been central to the recovery effort, applying traditional land and sea management practices alongside modern science.