Neptune's Ravaged Gardens - New Hope For The Maldives (152/268)

Neptune's Ravaged Gardens - New Hope For The Maldives (152/268)

In the course of the millennia continents have drifted, the climate has changed, the sea-level sank and rose again. Despite these massive changes the coral reefs survived over 200 million years of global changes. Three years ago, however, coral bleaching upset the eco-system of the coral reef in many places and to a hitherto unknown extent. The cause was the water temperatures in the "El Nino" year of 1998, which exceeded the norm by up to 5 degrees centigrade. In the Maldive archipelago, a paradise for millions of holiday makers and one of the world's best diving sites, the coral reefs also threaten to collapse. There is the danger of entire reefs breaking apart, whereby the islands would lose their protective shield against the surf and sink. Yet the catastrophe is still not being discussed in public because this could damage the tourist industry. And many tourists do not even notice how the habitat of the reef has changed. Yet there are still fish, albeit different ones; they are in fact larger species, which have conquered the submerged habitat - and they are also brightly coloured. Now, three years after the catastrophe, the time has come to take stock.

The following new episodes are available:

• Jaguar Safari
  

• The Guinea Pig and his Grumpy Neighbors
• Raccoon Party
• Tiger Country
• Portugal - The Return of the Wild Creatures