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Face helpless Coral Bleaching

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Last three years Putu Suastawa diligently to assist scientific research diving eco-tourism or just below the sea in the waters of Wakatobi in Southeast Sulawesi. During that period Putu have never come across coral reefs turn white and he had never hoped to see it.

However, lately he started to see the coral reef bleaching. This is a sign of damage, maybe even to the death of this animal of the order Scleractinia.

"In three months (March) this year I accompany divers coral expert from the UK. There was no coral bleaching, but he says, will occur (bleaching). And, it really happened," said Putu, a member of the Park Forest Police Wakatobi, Wednesday, June 2 last.

Putu said that when the teams take part in dives with the Coordination Agency for Surveys and Mapping (Bakosurtanal) in the strait island-scented Fragrant and Kapota in Wakatobi. Tim Price of the Field of Natural Resources Inventory is continuing the preparation of the Sea mapping of small islands.

Wakatobi an area of approximately 1.39 million hectares with 97 percent of aquatic biodiversity of coral reefs belonging to the highest in the world.

The name Wa-ka-to-bi is an acronym for the names of four main islands, namely Perfume-scented, Kaledupa, Tomia, and Binongko. The rest, there are still 35 other small islands that most are uninhabited.

When we dive, very easy to find various species of coral. From exposure Regent Hugua Wakatobi, in Wakatobi there are about 750 species of corals from the total 850 species in the world.

The phenomenon of coral bleaching or fading triggered drastic changes in environmental conditions. Cause, among others, is the change in sea temperature, sedimentation, and the use of poison or bombs to catch fish.

According to the Head of Research Center for Oceanography Indonesian Institute of Sciences (LIPI) Suharsono, coral bleaching is hard to dodge attack from the dead. "Approximately 60-90 percent of coral bleaching affected will die," said Suharsono.

Currently the center is suspected of mass coral bleaching occurred early in some parts of Indonesian waters. Stretching from the waters of Pulau Weh, Aceh, East Nusa Tenggara to start experiencing bleaching corals.

Global Warming

Head of Marine Natural Resources Inventory Bakosurtanal Yulianto said, among the most important coastal ecosystems, coral reef ecosystems are the worst.

He said, lately found in nature's erratic temperament, an indication of the impact of global warming. Yulianto meitike mentions local terms, in the waters of Southeast Maluku, which is now receding sea condition was longer than usual.

"Meitike can be up to six hours. When that happens, part of the dry seabed and fishing communities can pick up the fish caught on the sidelines of coral reefs," said Yulianto.

If it is considered as the impact of global warming, according to Yulianto, comparative data are needed. At least 30 years of data.

Meitike, recognized Yulianto, causing some damage coral reefs. However, bleaching of coral reefs in the Wakatobi not yet determined the cause.

Hugua, Wakatobi Regents, said the bleaching of coral reefs are very rare there. Some time ago, when diving in a range of 200 meters, he saw the white coral reefs, the extent of approximately 20 cm x 30 cm.

Atoll's longest

Wakatobi with a population of about 100,000 people are now increasingly known as a maritime tourism destination and the activities of coral reef research. Tourists come from a number of countries.

According Hugua, June to August are usually as many as 600-1000 people coming from abroad. Most of them studied in the Wakatobi marine environment. "Until I ask, where researchers in the country? Why researching exactly who came from abroad, "said Hugua.

According Hugua, Wakatobi has the world's longest single atoll. Length up to 48 kilometers near the island Kaledupa. Great Barrier Reef, Australia, whose length is approximately 2237.4 miles not a single atoll, but the form of clusters.

I was so diverse and spread of coral reefs in the Wakatobi waters, the local government wrote slogans draw at various locations. One of them, "Goodbye from the earth-a real paradise in the heart of the underwater world of coral triangle Wakatobi." This is shown in one of the entrance to the port in the island Wanci-scented fragrance.

The slogan was not always understand the society. One village head in Kapota Island, La Hasirun (55), said the community was never able to use scuba equipment to determine whether or not the so-called "underwater paradise." "How can people love the underwater paradise if you do not ever know him?" Hasirun said.

Age-old Hasirun submarines have not used tools like the visitors in the Wakatobi. Diving to see coral reefs just too rare.

Like other communities, the importance of life at sea to catch fish. They do not care about the term "paradise under the sea" to refer to the beauty of coral reefs.

And, when coral bleaching occurs as now, they were unable to know: they have to do.


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