It's a year of breakthroughs socially, politically and environmentally. This World Oceans Week, Tiffany & Co. and the Great Barrier Reef Foundation are announcing and celebrating an epic scientific breakthrough to boost the health of the Reef. Researchers have discovered and proven that feeding coral a dose of good bacteria increases their overall health and tolerance to climate change stresses. "People may be surprised to find out that just like us, corals rely on a host of good bacteria to help keep them healthy and, just like us, the balance between good and bad bacteria is often disrupted in times of stress," Great Barrier Reef Foundation Managing Director Anna Marsden said. "Probiotics have been widely and successfully used to improve both human and animal health, however their use in marine ecosystems has been largely unexplored until now. It is fitting to announce this breakthrough for coral survival during World Ocean Week, a time when the world is reminded of the importance of oceans and its coral reefs as critical ecosystems that are essential to the future of our planet. Not only are coral reefs home to 25% of the ocean's marine life but they also support the livelihoods of 1 billion people globally."

Brazilian scientist from the Federal University of Rio de Janeiro Professor Raquel Peixoto and her international research collaborators' (including scientists from James Cook University in Australia) coral probiotics idea was presented during the Great Barrier Reef Foundation's Out of the Blue Box Reef Innovation Challenge in 2018, and secured the most public votes to win the People's Choice Award. The Tiffany & Co. Foundation has supported the ocean conservation efforts for two decades and continues to provide support, especially as we see the Great Barrier Reef has just been hit with the third major bleaching event in five years. "Saving the Reef is a huge task and this pioneering research project is just one of the ways that we're making a real difference with our partners," Marsden said. "Using science, we're gaining an understanding of the Reef with 3D mapping and DNA sequencing, partnering with groups like NASA, Google and the Australian Institute of Marine Science (AIMS) and pioneering new Australian technologies, like QUT's Reef RangerBots and sun shield technology with Melbourne and Deakin Universities and AIMS, to monitor and protect corals... We are also restoring Reef islands to protect precious marine life, including the world's largest greenturtle nesting area and rebuilding reefs using coral IVF, as well as partnering with the Smithsonian to store cryogenically frozen coral samples so they're never lost." It's all happening. Onward!

by Roxy Lola

www.tiffanyandcofoundation.org