We are happy to share that baby corals in our Adopt-a-Coral site in Ped Village, Nusa Penida have exhibited healthy growth rates! In the 5 months since we started the program in December 2020, we’ve seen rapid growth for the baby corals. The growth can be attributed to good water quality in our nursery and the absence of sediments and nutrient deposits that cause algae to grow. Additionally, our community partners Nuansa Pulau Community Group are taking good care of them by conducting weekly cleaning and monitoring on the site.

Click this link to watch the video that shows the growth of baby corals!

CTC has been working with the Bali MPA Management Unit and the Nuansa Pulau Community Group to set up the coral rehabilitation site near Ped Village, with the aim to help rehabilitate damaged reefs in the Nusa Penida Marine Protected Area (MPA). This site is also where baby corals in our Adopt-a-Coral Program are transplanted. To ensure that this new site is effective and sustainable, CTC is following coral transplantation best-practice guidelines and methods under the Mars Assisted Reef Restoration System (MARRS). This method uses a star or spider web-like structure as an artificial substrate which makes the coral stable and well connected. It has been effective in increasing the number of natural coral recruits in Bali and Indonesia, enabling corals to grow faster and allowing reef-building species to live and form new habitats for other marine animals.

Through the Adopt-a-Coral program, anyone can adopt their own coral, and we will help take care of it on your behalf to make sure they grow healthy. Coral adopters can also write their name or message on a special tag made of lontar leaves that are then attached to the baby corals or coral fragments!

Let’s join the Adopt-a-Coral movement to show your love to the coral reefs! Adopt your baby coral now through this link: https://www.coraltrianglecenter.org/adopt-a-coral/

Photos and Video by Kasman/CTC