Never mind global warming, coral reefs are facing an entirely different threat: your sunscreen. Believe it or not, scientists have recently discovered that the chemicals used to make ultra-violet (UV) filters contained in sunscreen are causing coral bleaching, which eventually causes the organism to die.

“Different sunscreen brands, protective factors and concentrations were compared, and all treatments caused bleaching of hard corals,” said the researchers, who were led by Roberto Danovaro, at the University of Pisa in Italy, in the journal Environmental Health Perspectives.

The lotion is said to wash off in the water and leave behind a residue. Researchers say that in order to protect the coral from further destruction, human contact with the reefs needs to be restricted.

"Our results provide strong scientific evidence of the potential impact of these products in tropical habitats and represent a pointer for outlining specific regulations for protecting coral reefs,” the team said.

A 20-minute dip in the sea could wash off about a quarter of the chemicals in the sun lotion, they said. They concluded: “According to these estimates, we believe that up to 10 per cent of the world's coral reefs would be threatened by sunscreen-induced coral bleaching.”

Some of the chemicals said to have a detrimental impact on coral reefs include parabens, cinnamates, benzophenones and camphor derivatives.

» Times Online

By the early 1990s, the 28,000 hectare (68,000 acre) Apo Reef off the coast of Mindoro island had only one-third of its coral cover intacts and was drained of life due to overfishing and ecological abuse.

The Philippines government has made several efforts in the past to rescue the reef, but they want to accelerate the healing process.  The reef has recently been declared a 'no-take zone' to local fishermen.  A revived reef and marine park means tourist income which is fast displacing the income lost from the fishery shutdown.

So far, the fishing ban has been a success.  The coral is coming back to life, biodiversity is returning, and endangered species are returning to the reef.  Once desolate, Apo Reef is now once again home to scalloped hammerhead sharks, manta rays, eagle rays, whalesharks and sperm whales.

It's encouraging to see that a government has put the environment first without sacrificing the local economy.  Google 'Philippines diving' or 'Philippines tourism' to see some of the efforts being made to promote the Philippines as an eco-tourist destination.

» Reuters