Hawaiian Koʻa (Coral) Card
Hawaiian Koʻa (Coral) Card
Posted September 28, 2019The Hawaiian Koʻa (coral) Card was developed by researchers from the Hawaiʻi Institute of Marine Biology’s Coral Reef Ecology Lab to help determine the health and bleaching status of Hawaiʻi’s coral reefs based on actual health factors related to each color. The color of corals serves as a health indicator and helps to identify baselines, current conditions, and change over time. With higher than usual ocean temperatures in the Hawaiian Islands, bleaching has already started and is expected to progress throughout the next months.
Become a citizen scientist! The next time you are out snorkeling, bring along a coral color card to identify the color of coral colonies, as well as their shape. Submit your observations along with your snorkeling location(s) online at pacioos.org/cc. Your efforts will help identify areas of bleaching and areas of resilience throughout the State of Hawaiʻi. You don’t need to be an expert! Pick up a coral card at your nearest Division of Aquatic Resources office and check out more detailed instructions on how to participate.
PacIOOS is now hosting the Hawaiian Koʻa Card project on the PacIOOS website, including project information, how to participate, where to submit your observations, and access to view submissions so far.
Check out survey submissions at pacioos.org/ccm.
