Researchers from the "Rewilding Chile" foundation and the Spanish Institute of Ocean Sciences have discovered a type of red coral in the southernmost part of Chilean Patagonia, specifically in the Strait of Magellan, which is the shallowest location ever recorded for this species. Colonies of the type known as "Irina antartica" were found in the Kawaskar National Reserve, a large marine protected area at the southern tip of the Americas. The research results were published at the end of April in the journal "Nature Scientific Reports" and announced on the eve of World Oceans Day, celebrated on June 8.
Divers equipped with robots explored these coral reefs at depths ranging from 1.3 meters to 47 meters in the icy waters of the Strait of Magellan. Despite their crucial role on the ocean floor, these coral reefs lack any protection. Ingrid Espinoza, co-author of the study and director of wilderness protection at "Rewilding Chile," emphasized the need to protect and conserve these reefs and to find management solutions that will enable them to thrive.
The study, conducted between 2021 and 2023, highlighted the limited data available regarding the presence of marine animal forests in the waters of Patagonia and noted that this area is one of the world's marine regions that is not well understood or known. Human activities, such as salmon farming, which has extended into the southern waters of the Strait of Magellan, as well as climate change and ocean pollution, pose threats to the coral reefs.
