But to a growing number of people around Asia Pacific, it is that one special day to come together for the world’s center of marine life—the Coral Triangle.
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Now on its second year, the Coral Triangle Day has officially become an annual celebration—an opportunity to bring global attention to the importance of the Coral Triangle in people’s lives and the need to take action to protect and conserve this fragile marine ecosystem.
A place worth saving
The Coral Triangle is a vast ocean expanse that geographically spreads across six countries in Southeast Asia and the Pacific: Indonesia, Malaysia, the Philippines, Papua New Guinea, Solomon Islands, and Timor Leste.
It is the heart of the world’s oceans, which provides nursery and spawning grounds and migratory pathways for much sought-after species such as tuna. Seventy six per cent of the world’s coral species can be found within its temperate waters as with 37% of the world’s reef fish species that find shelter within its coral reefs.
Thousands of whales, dolphins, rays, sharks, and six of the world’s seven species of marine turtles also call this place home.
With its abundant natural resources, the Coral Triangle is an underwater treasure trove that directly sustains the lives of more than 120 million people who heavily depend on marine resources for food and livelihood.
Under threat
The Coral Triangle’s resources are struggling to support one of the fastest economically-growing regions in the world.
Coastal development, destructive fishing, overfishing, unsustainable tourism, and climate change are just some of the many threats plaguing the Coral Triangle’s finite resources.
If nothing is done to address these problems, this world’s most remarkable coral reef ecosystem will soon collapse.
How one day can make a difference
The Coral Triangle Day on June 9 aims to shed much needed light on the state of our oceans and the simple yet exciting things people from all walks of life can do to help.
So what if you’re not a marine biologist or conservation expert? There are many ways to contribute to saving the Coral Triangle, starting with the Coral Triangle Day:
- Participate in a Coral Triangle Day event near you – Visit www.thecoraltriangle.com/day and check out the many events happening around the region. You can participate in any Coral Triangle Day event happening near you and ask your family and friends to do the same.
- Encourage groups, organizations, establishments to do something special on Coral Triangle Day – If you know any groups, organizations, or establishments (e.g., dive clubs, dive resorts, tourism associations, etc.) in your vicinity that you think will be interested to do something on June 9, ask them to organize a Coral Triangle Day event of their own. This will give their members or patrons something engaging to do for a good cause.
- Organize a Coral Triangle Day event of your own – If you’re a self-starter, you might want to simply do your own event. There are many activities you can initiate such as beach clean-ups, recycling drives (most plastics end up in our oceans), fundraising events (then donate to your local marine NGO), children’s educational talks, and many, many more. Share your event with the rest of the region by uploading your event details on www.thecoraltriangle.com/day.
- Share your experiences and promote the Coral Triangle Day via social media – The more people know about your participation, the more people you can inspire. Follow www.twitter.com/coral_triangle and connect with rest of the region celebrating the Coral Triangle Day. Be sure to use the hashtag #CTDay and #CoralTriangle too.
- Be a Coral Triangle ambassador for the rest of the year – While one day can make a whole lot of difference, nothing compares with contributing to ocean conservation all year round. You can continue actively participating in activities that help preserve our marine environments any time of the year and stay updated with the latest work being done to protect this unique ecosystem. You can subscribe to WWF’s monthly Coral Triangle e-newsletter at www.panda.org/coraltriangle/newsletter.
However way you choose to celebrate the Coral Triangle Day will surely make a positive impact on this remarkable marine ecosystem we all share!
Follow them on Facebook: www.facebook.com/theCoralTriangle
