Status update on Singapore's coral nursery

Some extracts from the media today ...

Singapore's first coral nursery welcomed new inhabitants yesterday. Collected from reefs around the Southern Islands, some 10 species of coral were added.
The coral fragments - pieces that had naturally broken off from live coral - were collected by volunteer divers from the National University of Singapore (NUS) and transplanted to specially designed 'tables' in the nursery at Pulau Semakau, near Sentosa.
Once deemed healthy, the corals will then be transplanted to other reefs around Singapore, where the hope is that they will continue growing and spawning more colonies.

The $500,000 project is expected to produce up to 600 coral fragments by next year, when it ends. If successful, it could be expanded into a long-term mission to save coral reefs here.

There are over 250 different species of coral in the reefs around Singapore, said Professor Chou Loke Ming of NUS' department of biological sciences.

'If we do nothing, Singapore's reefs could be gone in the next 30 years.'

Experts said they aim to move the cultivated corals to their new home in six months’ time. This will revive sea beds that once thrived with corals.

full articles on wildsingapore news

Related articles

full articles on wildsingapore

Coral nursery off Semakau
Broken fragments to be re-grown close to dumping grounds
Nazry Bahrawi Today Online 31 Jul 07

Coral nursery for garbage island
By Shobana Kesava Straits Times 31 Jul 07

Job vacancies at the coral nursery
NParks website 27 Jul 07

Singapore unveils first coral nursery to conserve underwater habitat
Channel NewsAsia 30 Jul 07