JEDDAH: A massive Pavona coral colony has been discovered in the Red Sea, off the northwestern coast of Saudi Arabia. The largest of its kind ever identified in the waters, it is expected to become a tourist attraction at the nearby Red Sea Global resort of Amaala.

This standalone colony — in contrast to a much larger reef, which is made up of many individual colonies — was described as one of the most significant environmental discoveries in the region and, although an exact size was not immediately given, it was said to rival the world’s largest-known individual coral colony, which is in the Pacific Ocean, covers an area of 32 meters by 34 meters and is 5.5 meters high.

Red Sea Global told Arab News it will offer visitors to the Amaala resort the chance to view the colony in a secure and environmentally responsible way that ensures it is properly protected and minimizes effects on the local ecosystem.

Ahmad Al-Ansary, the organization’s head of environmental protection and regeneration, told Arab News that “a discovery of this magnitude underscores both the Red Sea’s environmental importance and its natural beauty.”

Estimating the age of the colony poses a technical challenge because of the limited growth-rate data for this species of coral in the Red Sea. Based on its size, comparative growth rates from Pacific specimens, and photogrammetry techniques that create 3D models from two-dimensional images, conservative estimates put its age at between 400 and 800 years old. Red Sea Global and KAUST said they were carrying out additional research and will refine the estimate.

“These giant coral formations act as ‘time capsules,’ preserving critical data on past climate conditions and helping us anticipate future environmental challenges,” he added.  

He went on to say that studying this colony will be essential for safeguarding coral reefs in the Red Sea and around the globe.

Red Sea coral ecosystems are among the hardiest in the world, genetically adapted to relatively high temperatures and salinity, and researchers said they will continuously monitor the colony to understand the nature of its resilience.

Ronda Sokka, a marine scientist at Red Sea Global and a co-discoverer of the colony, described it as “a natural treasure whose incredible hardiness in harsh conditions is truly rare.”

Her colleague Sylvia Yagerous said that mapping and documenting such large colonies is a core objective of the “Map the Giants” project, which aims to record all coral formations worldwide exceeding five meters in size. The latest find is the second giant colony documented by Red Sea Global in recent months.