400-800-Year-Old Coral Colony Found in Amaala, Red Sea
Red Sea Global (RSG) announced on Sunday the significant discovery of a giant coral colony of the Pavona species within the waters of AMAALA in the Red Sea on the northwestern coast of Saudi Arabia. The coral cluster is estimated to be between 400 and 800 years old.
Rivalling the size of the current world record holder — a 32-by-34-meter colony found in the Pacific — this remarkable new find is the largest coral colony of this type documented in the Red Sea to date.
According to a press release issued by the RSG, this natural wonder could become a key highlight for tourists at AMAALA on diving excursions, offering a unique and unforgettable experience. Access would be permitted in line with RSG's responsible tourism ethos, minimizing any potential impact while allowing visitors to witness the breathtaking beauty of the Red Sea's underwater world.
Ahmed Alansari, head of RSG's Environmental Protection and Regeneration, said that the discovery of a coral of such extraordinary dimensions demonstrates the ecological significance as well as the pristine beauty of the Red Sea. 'At RSG, we believe it is critically important to protect our coral reefs. In particular, these giants represent a time capsule of information, providing the ideal tools for tracing past oceanographic transformations that can help us model responses to future environmental changes. Understanding how this coral has survived for so long will be crucial for protecting other reefs in the Red Sea and potentially all over the world, for generations to come,' he said.
According to the statement, determining the age of these giant corals with minimal impact is challenging due to the invasive nature of accurate dating techniques and the absence of published growth rates for this particular species of coral in the Red Sea. However, estimations have been made based on the coral's size, growth rates of this species found in the Pacific, and results from photogrammetry efforts. Using these tools, the coral cluster is estimated to be between 400 and 800 years old.
Upcoming studies by researchers from RSG and King Abdullah University of Science and Technology (KAUST) will help pinpoint the coral's age more accurately and provide insights into the environmental conditions in which it has thrived. Coral in the Red Sea is known for its particular resilience, adapting genetically to naturally warmer waters and higher salinity levels. This colony will be subject to ongoing monitoring and research to understand what makes these giants so resilient to multiple stressors over long time periods and to help inform conservation efforts for other reefs in the Red Sea and around the world.
The two RSG scientists who discovered the giant coral colony, Rhonda Suka and Sylvia Jagerroos, are now leading its mapping and documentation. Suka said: 'Finding such an invaluable specimen was a truly mind-boggling experience. This colony's resilience gives us hope for the continued success of corals in the Red Sea, particularly in the face of increasing environmental and anthropogenic stress.'
Jagerroos said: 'A coral of this massive size is incredibly rare. Mapping these giants is an important part of conserving them, something the 'Map the Giants' project is doing on a global scale by identifying and documenting these vital giant coral structures, which it classes as anything larger than five meters. This is the second colony RSG has submitted to the project in the last few months.'
It is noteworthy that AMAALA is set to welcome its first guests later this year with the ambitious goal of becoming the world's most comprehensive health and wellness destination. Launching with more than 1,400 hotel rooms across eight luxury resorts, it will welcome some of the most renowned wellness operators globally, offering a wide array of programs tailored to diverse lifestyles and well-being needs.
This follows RSG's other destination, The Red Sea, which began welcoming guests in 2023, and now has five hotels open.Also read: Saudi Arabia: Laheq Island Unveiled As The First Luxury Residential Destination At The Red Sea
Source Saudi Gazatte
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Saudi Arabia Discovers Largest Coral Colony In Red Sea, Rivaling Global Record
Red Sea Global (RSG) announced on Sunday the discovery of a massive coral colony off the northwestern coast of Saudi Arabia, within the waters of AMAALA. The colony, a member of the Pavona species, rivals the size of the world record holder, a 32-by-34-meter coral structure documented in the Pacific, and is the largest of its kind ever recorded in the Red Sea. AMAALA is a luxury tourism project being developed along the northwestern coast of Saudi Arabia, near the Red Sea. According to a statement issued by RSG, the newly discovered colony could become a major attraction for tourists visiting AMAALA, offering a rare diving experience. Visitor access will be permitted under strict guidelines aligned with RSG's responsible tourism policies, designed to minimize ecological impact while showcasing the Red Sea's unique underwater ecosystems. Ahmed Alansari, Head of Environmental Protection and Regeneration at RSG, described the find as a testament to the ecological richness and resilience of the Red Sea. 'The discovery of a coral of such extraordinary dimensions demonstrates the ecological significance as well as the pristine beauty of the Red Sea,' he said. 'These giant corals are time capsules of information, critical for tracing past oceanographic changes and modeling responses to future environmental shifts. Understanding how this coral has survived for so long will be crucial for protecting reefs across the Red Sea, and potentially around the world, for generations to come.' Determining the coral's exact age poses challenges, given the invasive nature of standard dating techniques and the lack of published growth rates for this particular species in the Red Sea. However, estimates based on the colony's size, growth rates observed in the Pacific, and photogrammetry suggest that the coral is between 400 and 800 years old. Further studies led by researchers from RSG and King Abdullah University of Science and Technology (KAUST) are underway to better determine the coral's age and understand the environmental conditions that have allowed it to thrive. Red Sea corals are recognised globally for their exceptional resilience, having adapted genetically to warmer waters and higher salinity levels. The colony was discovered by RSG scientists Rhonda Suka and Sylvia Jagerroos, who are now leading efforts to map and document the site. 'Finding such an invaluable specimen was truly a mind-boggling experience,' said Suka. 'This colony's resilience gives us hope for the continued survival of Red Sea corals in the face of rising environmental and human pressures.' Jagerroos added, 'A coral of this size is incredibly rare. Mapping these giants is crucial to conserving them, which is what the 'Map the Giants' project is working to achieve globally by documenting coral structures larger than five meters. This is the second giant colony RSG has submitted to the project in recent months.' AMAALA, set to welcome its first guests later this year, aims to become the world's most comprehensive health and wellness destination. The project will open with more than 1,400 hotel rooms across eight luxury resorts, offering a wide range of wellness programs led by internationally renowned operators.
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Red Sea Global (RSG) announced on Sunday the significant discovery of a giant coral colony of the Pavona species within the waters of AMAALA in the Red Sea on the northwestern coast of Saudi Arabia. The coral cluster is estimated to be between 400 and 800 years old. Rivalling the size of the current world record holder — a 32-by-34-meter colony found in the Pacific — this remarkable new find is the largest coral colony of this type documented in the Red Sea to date. According to a press release issued by the RSG, this natural wonder could become a key highlight for tourists at AMAALA on diving excursions, offering a unique and unforgettable experience. Access would be permitted in line with RSG's responsible tourism ethos, minimizing any potential impact while allowing visitors to witness the breathtaking beauty of the Red Sea's underwater world. Ahmed Alansari, head of RSG's Environmental Protection and Regeneration, said that the discovery of a coral of such extraordinary dimensions demonstrates the ecological significance as well as the pristine beauty of the Red Sea. 'At RSG, we believe it is critically important to protect our coral reefs. In particular, these giants represent a time capsule of information, providing the ideal tools for tracing past oceanographic transformations that can help us model responses to future environmental changes. Understanding how this coral has survived for so long will be crucial for protecting other reefs in the Red Sea and potentially all over the world, for generations to come,' he said. According to the statement, determining the age of these giant corals with minimal impact is challenging due to the invasive nature of accurate dating techniques and the absence of published growth rates for this particular species of coral in the Red Sea. However, estimations have been made based on the coral's size, growth rates of this species found in the Pacific, and results from photogrammetry efforts. Using these tools, the coral cluster is estimated to be between 400 and 800 years old. Upcoming studies by researchers from RSG and King Abdullah University of Science and Technology (KAUST) will help pinpoint the coral's age more accurately and provide insights into the environmental conditions in which it has thrived. Coral in the Red Sea is known for its particular resilience, adapting genetically to naturally warmer waters and higher salinity levels. This colony will be subject to ongoing monitoring and research to understand what makes these giants so resilient to multiple stressors over long time periods and to help inform conservation efforts for other reefs in the Red Sea and around the world. The two RSG scientists who discovered the giant coral colony, Rhonda Suka and Sylvia Jagerroos, are now leading its mapping and documentation. Suka said: 'Finding such an invaluable specimen was a truly mind-boggling experience. This colony's resilience gives us hope for the continued success of corals in the Red Sea, particularly in the face of increasing environmental and anthropogenic stress.' Jagerroos said: 'A coral of this massive size is incredibly rare. Mapping these giants is an important part of conserving them, something the 'Map the Giants' project is doing on a global scale by identifying and documenting these vital giant coral structures, which it classes as anything larger than five meters. This is the second colony RSG has submitted to the project in the last few months.' It is noteworthy that AMAALA is set to welcome its first guests later this year with the ambitious goal of becoming the world's most comprehensive health and wellness destination. Launching with more than 1,400 hotel rooms across eight luxury resorts, it will welcome some of the most renowned wellness operators globally, offering a wide array of programs tailored to diverse lifestyles and well-being needs. This follows RSG's other destination, The Red Sea, which began welcoming guests in 2023, and now has five hotels read: Saudi Arabia: Laheq Island Unveiled As The First Luxury Residential Destination At The Red Sea Source Saudi Gazatte
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