“Finding this mega coral is like discovering the tallest tree on earth,” Enric Sala, founder of Pristine Seas, told National Geographic. “This discovery rekindles our sense of awe and wonder about the ocean.”
In size, it surpassed other corals that were previously thought to be the largest on the planet, including one in American Samoa that is affectionately known as Big Momma.
It was so large, the scientists say it can be seen from space.
“While Big Momma looked like a huge scoop of ice cream plopped down on the reef, this newly discovered coral is as if the ice cream started to melt, spreading forever along the seafloor,” said Molly Timmers, lead scientist on the expedition.
‘Coral oasis’
The researchers very nearly missed it altogether – it was found the evening before they were due to move to another area.
While a coral reef is made up of multiple coral colonies, this is a single coral colony, formed by a species called Pavona clavus.
The scientists believe it consists of up to a billion coral polyps — the tiny marine animals that form corals.
“While the nearby shallow reefs were degraded due to warmer seas, witnessing this large healthy coral oasis in slightly deeper waters is a beacon of hope,” said Eric Brown, coral scientist for the expedition.