How this organisation is striving to protect India’s ocean and coral reefs

It’s no secret that the world’s coral reefs are in serious trouble, their prospects threatened by everything from climate change to overfishing; in fact, scientists predict that without drastic action nearly all of these dazzling ecosystems could be gone by 2050. Here’s how this Indian organisation is rehabilitating the coral eco-system and what you can do to be a reef-safe traveller.

 Wildlife Trust of India 

Headquartered in Delhi, India – Wildlife Trust of India (WTI) is a leading Indian nature conservation organization that is striving and is dedicated to the service of the environment. Founded in 1998, WTI’s members hail from varied backgrounds from conservation biologists and scientists to wildlife veterinarians and communication specialists. The organization also has an operational project that is helping save and protect India’s unique marine life and oceans which conducted India’s first private-public restoration of a degraded coral reef in Mithapur in Gujarat.

Coral reefs are found in tropical and semi-tropical waters. The Andaman & Nicobar Islands, Lakshadweep Islands, Gulf of Mannar, Tamil Nadu and Gulf of Kutch, Gujarat are the four major coral reef ecosystems that exist in India. The coral’s eco-system protects coastlines from torrential rains and flooding. It provides food and a breeding ground for marine life. For humans, it is also a means of livelihood as it contributes to the tourism and fishing industry.

The mission of the project has been to develop and implement appropriate strategies for the conservation of the Mithapur Reef, situated 12 kilometres south of the Gulf of Kutch in Gujarat. They have also succeeded in rehabilitating coral reefs that were harmed by natural calamities or human infiltration in Gujarat’s Marine National Park.

To date, the project has identified at least 17 species of corals in Mithapur, including a locally-extinct one.

Also Read: How climate change is putting these natural sites at risk

Also Read: Sustainable travel: 6 ways to make a positive impact on your next trip

 

How you can contribute to saving our oceans

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via Lonely Planet India