World’s largest coral discovered and it’s longer than a blue whale

At 111 feet wide, 104 feet long, 18 feet high, and 600 feet around this stunning organism in the southwest Pacific Ocean is the world’s largest known coral that was discovered by accident. It is a conglomerate of individual creatures called coral polyps that have grown over 300 years. Instead of a coral reef like the Great Barrier Reef in Australia that is a network of several colonies, this is a standalone coral that has grown uninterrupted for hundreds of years.

Cinematographer Manu San Felix dives over a massive coral. CREDIT: Photograph by Manu San Félix, National Geographic Pristine Seas.
Inigo San Felix

The mega coral is mostly brown, but has some splashes of bright reds, yellows, and blues. The rippling waves mirror the ocean’s surface. It is a Pavona clavus and provides crustaceans and fish with shelter and a place to breed and live

two scientists take measurements of a massive coral — *Divers from National Geographic Pristine Seas measure the world’s largest coral colony in the Solomon Islands. CREDIT: Photograph by Manu San Félix, National Geographic Pristine Seas.*
Manu_San_Felix

The coral was discovered in the Three Sisters island group in Solomon Islands by team members from the National Geographic Pristine Seas team. Solomon Islands hosts the second highest coral diversity on Earth, with over 490 known hard and soft coral species.

Image of the massive coral — A group of scientists working aboard a research vessel in the southwest Pacific Ocean has discovered the world’s largest coral in the Solomon Islands, thirty four meters wide and thirty two meters long, the gigantic organism is a complex network of coral polyps– tiny individual creatures that have grown over a span of three centuries. CREDIT: Photograph by Manu San Félix, National Geographic Pristine Seas.

Inigo San Felix

“Just when we think there is nothing left to discover on planet earth, we find a massive coral made of nearly one billion little polyps, pulsing with life and color,” National Geographic Explorer in Residence and founder of Pristine Seas Enric Sala said in a statement. “This is a significant scientific discovery, like finding the world’s tallest tree. But there is cause for alarm. Despite its remote location, this coral is not safe from global warming and other human threats.”

Stills from Red Raptor footage of the large coral — *Corals provide reefs with a shelter, habitats, and place to breed. CREDIT: Photograph by Manu San Félix, National Geographic Pristine Seas.*

Manu San Felix

It is so colossal that it is longer than the largest animal on Earth–the blue whale–and can be seen from space. However, team members initially thought that it might be a shipwreck due to its large size. When underwater cinematographer Manu San Félix dove down for a closer look, he realized it was a particularly big Pavona clavus. Despite the gargantuan size, the coral has never been documented.

Large coral, possibly largest in the world, as seen from the air with Pristine Seas divers — *An aerial view of the world’s largest coral colony in the Solomon Islands. CREDIT: Photograph by Steve Spence, National Geographic Pristine Seas*.

Steve Spence

“The ocean provides for our livelihoods and has contributed so much to our national economy and communities,” said Solomon Islands Prime Minister Jeremiah Manele. “Our survival depends on healthy coral reefs, so this exciting discovery underlines the importance of protecting and sustaining them for future generations.”