Western Australia’s most pristine coral reefs, including Ningaloo, Rowley Shoals, and remote Kimberley reefs, have suffered unprecedented bleaching from the state’s longest, largest, and most intense marine heatwave.

Beginning in late 2024 and lasting until May 2025, ocean temperatures reached up to 4°C above average, with heat stress levels more than double typical bleaching thresholds — peaking at 30 degree heating weeks (DHW) in some Pilbara reefs.
Bleaching levels ranged from medium (11–30% of corals) to extreme (>90%), with surveys showing widespread coral death across multiple habitats and depths.

While some reefs escaped major damage, such as Shark Bay and the Houtman Abrolhos, the event is part of a global bleaching crisis affecting over 80% of the world’s reefs since 2023.
Scientists warn that without rapid cuts to greenhouse gas emissions and improved local management, recovery will be difficult as marine heatwaves become more frequent and severe.

Read full The Conversation article by James Paton Gilmour here: https://theconversation.com/safe-no-more-off-the-charts-marine-heat-has-severely-damaged-ningaloo-and-other-pristine-coral-reefs-263028