Underwater drones discover coral reefs off Benin, long presumed dead, teeming with life
Scientists have rediscovered a coral reef off the coast of Benin that was previously presumed dead since the 1960s. Using modern sonar and underwater drone technology, researchers confirmed the existence of a healthy mesophotic coral ecosystem.
Why it matters
The discovery highlights the potential for deep-water ecosystems to thrive in areas previously overlooked, providing new insights into marine biodiversity and conservation.
edited by Swati Mestri , reviewed by Andrew Zinin
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Add as preferred source An image of the rediscovered coral reef by Gérard Zinzindohoué. Credit: Gérard Zinzindohoué A coral reef, missing and presumed dead, has been found alive and well off the coast of Benin. Surveys in the 1960s, focused on identifying promising fishing areas, flagged a possible deep-water coral reef but assumed it must be dead. Now, using a modern sonar survey and the Deep Sea Camera System provided by the National Geographic Exploration Technology Lab, scientists have found an apparently healthy reef.
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