From the air, the turquoise hues of the Turks and Caicos Islands’ vast barrier reef appear as an expanse of blistering beauty. One of the largest reef systems on Earth, it teems with wildlife like friendly wild dolphins, and attracts more than a million tourists a year. But underneath the water’s stunning surface lurks a deadly disease, silently ravaging the corals which keep its denizens alive and protect the islands’ pristine coastline from storms and erosion.
Stony coral tissue loss disease (SCTLD) has been dubbed the biggest threat facing the tiny British territory’s marine environment, and the most virulent coral sickness the world has ever seen.
‘Not coming back’
“This is a serious problem, if not a crisis,” says Don Stark of local NGO the TC Reef Fund (TCRF)...
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