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What Coral Bleaching on the Great Barrier Reef means

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Dr Anjani Ganase, coral reef ecologist, looks at the bleak picture through the lens of the degradation of coral reefs worldwide, and what we must do to reverse the trend towards an unsustainable existence.   El NiƱo climate conditions aggravated by man-made global heating caused mass bleaching on coral reefs in the northern hemisphere during the summer of 2023, and brought devastation and mortality to reefs throughout the Caribbean. In Tobago, above average temperatures persisted for three months (September to November 2023). Over the past month, these conditions have delivered a deadly blow to the Great Barrier Reef in Australia. Anomalously high ocean temperatures have been washing over the reefs for at least ten weeks, similar to the heat waves experienced in Caribbean.   Initial reports from the Australian Institute of Marine Science who conducted aerial surveys state that broadscale mass bleaching has occurred along the shallow reefs in the impacted regi

Venturing into the Eco-Zone

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Faraaz Abdool advocates eco-tourism – using the example of Costa Rica – as the way to preserve Trinidad and Tobago’s natural diversity and create a people-based economy. Could the people of Trinidad and Tobago get behind such a bold initiative?   Life is a dynamic, fluid experience, and we could do ourselves a tremendous favour by ensuring that the process of learning – and therefore growth – is continuous. This holds true for the individual, as well as for the collective. The word “ecotourism” is gaining traction in conversations throughout the region, and while it may be new ground for us, there are many countries that have been sustainably utilizing their natural wealth for economic gain.   Within the discussion of nature-based tourism, few places are mentioned as frequently as Costa Rica. Often hailed as the gold standard of ecotourism, Costa Rica is the most visited nation in Central America and one of the most popular destinations in the world. Visitors flock to the relat

ASJA Boys Dive on the Tobago Coral Reefs

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Dr Anjani Ganase advocates diving education for everyone who lives by the sea or wants to be in the sea. The sea makes islands liveable. She dives the Tobago coral reefs at Speyside with San Fernando's ASJA Boys.   We arrived at Speyside around 9 am, the sun was out, and the conditions were perfect for diving. Aquamarine water wrapped around Goat Island and Little Tobago. There was a bustling excitement at the Dive Shop. Dive suits were being fitted, forms were being signed and eager parents were on the sidelines watching on. This weekend, I was going out diving for the first time with the ASJA Boys Scuba Diving and Reef Conservation Club. As a coral reef scientist in Trinidad and Tobago, I’m always keen to show students what I do and excited to foster interest in the fields of marine science. Life on islands requires us to see the ocean as part of our territory, our responsibility and culture.   We only had a couple days to prepare, two lectures in the w

Coral Reefs and Sea Bird Allies

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Dr Anjani Ganase, coral reef ecologist, discusses studies that show the land and sea relationships affecting coral reefs   Mapping coral reefs Coral reef research has expanded our understanding of coral reefs, their distribution and the extent of biodiversity that utilises the reef habitats. However, the more we discover, it also reveals just how vulnerable these ecosystems are and how much more we need to do to protect them. New satellite technology is revealing more coral reefs to us than ever before.   Scientists from the University of Queensland, Australia have been able to map over 348,000 km 2 of shallow coral reefs around the world. This is an area that includes reefs that extend to depths of 30 m. This new map has also identified at least 80,000 km 2 of potential hard bottom habitats, suitable for coral establishment. This global map is an incredibly useful tool for research, management and conservation. Beyond 30 m down, understanding the deeper

Penguins, penguins and more penguins!

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Anjani Ganase continues her Antarctic adventures remembering encounters with these most remarkable flightless birds. All photos by Anjani Ganase   Gentoo penguins photo by Anjani Ganase The Antarctic continent is a massive icescape where only the most adaptable organisms can survive. Marine animals are abundant around Antarctica, and everywhere there are the penguins. Sharing a common ancestor with the albatrosses and petrels, penguins have ditched flying for stealthy swimming and gentlemanly walking. The earliest known penguins came about ~ 60 million years after the mass-extinction event that took out the dinosaurs. Today, penguins have refined their adaptations as they continue to occupy the most extreme and coldest continent of the planet, carving out their niche for survival. They have incredibly thick layers of densely packed and waterproof feather, thick skin and fat. Their vision is adapted for the icy water and they are masters of polar oceans. Because of the Avian flu epi

Antarctica Series: Remembering Shackleton in Antarctica

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Anjani Ganase continues her account of the Homeward Bound (2023) expedition to Antarctica with these reflections on the attempts by explorer Ernest Shackleton to cross the white continent. By far, my favourite story of courage and leadership is the story of the Irish explorer, Ernest Shackleton, and his attempted Imperial Trans-Antarctic Expedition (1914-1917) that became a journey of perseverance. By this time, Shackleton was smitten by the white continent having completed two expeditions on the Antarctic continent from New Zealand, via the Ross Sea. The first was the Discovery Expedition (1901–1903) as part of the British National Antarctic Expedition Team where Shackleton was the Third Officer. The team aimed to establish safe trekking routes in McMurdo Sound and penetrate the Ross Ice Shelf, and achieved the farthest south latitude ever crossed at the time. Shackleton’s leadership was already highly regarded by this time. Shackleton then led a British National Antarctic Expedition