A fancy albeit slightly weird-looking hotel for marine life has made its debut in the Red Sea waters of Eilat and Aqaba.
The artificial reef, described on the Israel21cwebsite as a “huge yellow concrete and wire construction,” rests peacefully on the sea bed awaiting its finny guests. The 12-foot by 12-foot contraption is in some ways a decoy; scientists hope it will catch the eye of divers as well as the area’s marine life, thereby giving the real, live coral reefs a chance to rest and rejuvenate.
Coral reefs are actually comprised of a biologically diverse panorama of living coral, which are extremely ancient animals that evolved into reef-building forms and are likely what one rabbinic sage referred to as a “rock that grows.”. The myriad life forms that create the intricate dance of color, texture and shape so prized by humans and other marine life, however, are in danger.
Israeli and Jordanian scientists have been working together on a joint project to save the endangered coral reefs in the area for some time. The multi-disciplinary team is comprised of researchers and conservationists from a star-studded coalition which includes the Israel Nature Parks Authority, the National Center for Mariculture at the Eilat campus of Ben Gurion University, the Inter-University Institute for Marine Sciences in Eilat, the Hebrew University and the Marine Science Station in Aqaba.
The ancient coral reefs are in serious danger of dying out as a result of too much attention by too many tourists too much of the time.
Project supervisor Dr. Nadav Shashar, a marine biologist at the National Center for Mariculture, singled out novice divers as part of the problem. “They kick up the sand, or damage the corals by accident. Multiply that by 100,000 people and that’s considerable damage,” he said. “These people don’t mean to harm the reefs, but they just don’t know how to dive properly.”
There are other factors involved. Coral reefs all over the world are sick and dying, according to Tel Aviv University Professors Yosi Loya and Eugene Rosenberg, due to global warming. The two researchers were assigned by the World Bank to join 60 other experts across the globe to find a way to stop the destruction, as part of the International Coral Reef Initiative.
One-third of the world’s coral reefs have died, according to Loya, due to a number of factors.
Minute changes in sea water temperatures immediately affect the ancient coral animals, whose fragile systems are not able to handle the ups and downs.
Bacteria that have been strengthened by the warmer temperatures caused by global warming are also believed to be coral-killers. Rising pollution has contributed to the growth of deadly bacteria as well.
It is hoped that the artificial reef, installed in May of this year, will provide some answers both on the interaction of fish and other marine life with its colorful host, and on ways to save the real thing.
The reef has proved attractive to local sea life so far; scientists report that 32 species of fish now swim through and live in the structure. It’s a good start, but only time will tell if the rest of their peers will join them; there are some 64 different varieties of fish and other marine species that inhabit the reefs of the