Volunteer divers take on invasive corals near Rio de Janeiro

Bright orange sun corals, native to the Indo-Pacific, have invaded Brazilian waters for decades and threaten native coral species. The invasive species compete for space and damage surrounding coral colonies, posing risks to marine ecosystems. A national plan was launched in Brazil in 2018 to control and monitor these invaders. Volunteer divers, led by marine biologist Adriana Gomes, are removing sun corals from Cagarras Islands.