Mauritius Faces Coral Crisis as 80% of Reefs Bleach in Marine Heatwave

The vibrant coral reefs surrounding Mauritius—once resembling underwater fireworks in brilliant reds, blues, greens, and purples—are now fighting for survival. This March, devastating ocean heat waves bleached 80% of the island nation’s corals, according to Pierre Edgard Daniel Marie, director of the Mauritius Oceanography Institute. The Indian Ocean nation, home to nearly 250 coral species, has become another casualty in a global bleaching crisis that began in 2023 and continues into 2025.

Mass coral bleaching occurs when prolonged ocean heat waves stress corals, causing them to expel the colorful algae they depend on for survival. What’s left behind are ghostly white coral skeletons. Scientists warn that warm-water corals like those in Mauritius reach their tipping point when temperatures rise just 1.2°C above normal—a threshold we’ve already exceeded, with global temperatures now 1.4°C warmer than pre-industrial levels.

The implications extend far beyond Mauritius’s shores. Coral reefs support 25% of all marine species despite covering less than 1% of the ocean floor. With scientists predicting we could lose nearly all healthy coral reefs by 2050 due to climate change, entire marine ecosystems hang in the balance. Traditional restoration efforts—where conservationists painstakingly nurture damaged coral colonies back to health—may no longer be enough against the accelerating pace of climate impacts.

As Mauritius grapples with this underwater catastrophe, the crisis serves as a stark reminder that coral reefs worldwide are among the first ecosystems to bear the full brunt of our changing climate.