It's Coral Spawning time!

April was an exciting month for us as a wonderful marine phenomenon was set to unfold – coral spawning. In an effort to meticulously document and understand this captivating event, the onsite team placed spawning cups on 120 colonies on the windward and leeward sites of the island, representing 10 coral species on Pulau Lang Tengah. This method aimed to capture coral spawning across various species, shedding light on the intricacies of their reproductive cycle.

The team engaged in nightly checks, commencing four days before and continuing four days after the full moon, a crucial period known to trigger coral spawning. This meticulous observation allowed us to gather data on the precise timing and frequency of coral spawning events. On the momentous night of  6 April 2023, some coral colonies burst into life, unleashing a spectacular display of reproduction. Among the noteworthy observations were the spawning activities of 8 colonies of Acropora muricata, along with a solitary occurrence each for Acropora florida and Acropora gemmifera. This significant finding contributes to the growing knowledge of coral biology, specifically coral reproductive activities in Malaysia.

For our conservation & restoration efforts this is super important, as only through this process, corals will sustain themselves in the ocean for a long time to come. A lot is still unknown in Malaysia about coral spawning, but we are on it!