Coral Reefs Presumed Dead Have Been Found Teeming With Life

A deep coral site off Benin, long thought to be dead, has been confirmed as a living mesophotic reef ecosystem.

Using sonar and underwater cameras, researchers revisited the area and found two living coral patches at about 54 meters deep.

The reef hosts multiple octocoral and black coral species, along with fish such as the golden African snapper.

The discovery overturns decades-old assumptions and expands knowledge of an underexplored marine habitat in the Gulf of Guinea.

It also suggests deep reefs may serve as biodiversity refuges as oceans continue to warm.