Episode Information

Coral reefs support almost a quarter of marine life, offering food and shelter to thousands of creatures, they also play a vital role in absorbing, and storing, harmful pollutants – just as trees remove CO2. As temperatures, pollution and sea levels rise, these creatures are beginning to starve, and eventually die. Bonaire, an island in the Caribbean is home to the oldest marine reserve in the world. It’s also the base of Reef Renewal Bonaire, who are restoring decaying coral reefs. Francesca Virdis is a scientist and restoration practitioner who oversees the reproduction and propagation of thousands of corals in underwater nurseries. Once strong enough to survive, they are replanted back onto reefs.