El Niño a ‘terrifying’ threat to coral reefs — UN biodiversity expert

PARIS, France (AFP) — A super El Niño fuelling record ocean temperatures poses a “terrifying” threat to the world’s fragile coral reefs, the chair of the UN’s expert nature panel told AFP.

Marine scientist David Obura said the exceptional El Niño pattern building strength in the tropical Pacific could drive vulnerable coral species even closer toward extinction.

Corals are heat sensitive and particularly vulnerable to climate change, which is heating the world’s oceans and increasing the frequency and intensity of damaging bleaching events.