Reefs at Risk Revisited in the Coral Triangle

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Coral Triangle

Spanning the marine waters of Indonesia, Malaysia, Papua New Guinea, the Philippines, Solomon Islands, and Timor-Leste, the Coral Triangle is the global heart of coral reefs. This magnificent area, often called the “Amazon of the Seas,” contains nearly 30 percent of the world’s coral reefs and 75 percent of all known coral species. It is home to more than 3,000 species of fish—twice the number found anywhere else in the world. The region’s coral reefs produce natural resources that sustain the lives of more than 130 million people living within the Coral Triangle and millions more worldwide. But these precious resources are at risk. Overfishing, destructive fishing, coastal development, and pollution threaten more than 85 percent of the Coral Triangle’s reefs.