The Discovery of Rare Red Corals Offers New Insight into Chile’s Little-Known Patagonian Sea and a Call for Its Protection
Working with the Spanish Institute of Oceanography, the marine program of Rewilding Chile has discovered red hydrocorals in Chile’s Kawésqar National Marine Reserve, located in the Strait of Magellan. This rare and fragile species fosters one of the most biodiverse ecosystems on the planet, according to the International Union for Conservation of Nature, and merits protection. (Photo © Pablo Zavala for Rewilding Chile)
Scientists exploring the remote waters of Chile’s Kawésqar National Marine Reserve have made an incredible discovery that sheds new light on Patagonia’s little-understood marine ecosystems. They found colonies of red hydrocorals, Errina Antarctica, which had never before documented this far south or at such shallow depths. In high concentrations, these corals form Marine Animal Forests (MAFs), rare ecosystems of exceptional ecological value found on only 0.1% of the Earth’s seabed. The scientific report, “The southernmost Errina Antarctica hydrocoral savannah in Patagonian waters,” has been published in the renowned journal Nature.
The red corals are known to be ecosystem engineers. “The structural complexity generated by MAFs on the seabed is used by numerous species to settle and live, hide, feed or reproduce, so they are also true hotspots of biodiversity,” explains Ana De la Torriente, co-author of the study and researcher at the Spanish Institute of Oceanography. Documented species include sea anemone, sea urchin, basket and sticky ray star, hermit crab, false king crab, sea snails, parchment worms, and sponges.
Slow-growing and highly sensitive to environmental impacts, red hydrocorals serve as an indicator of ecosystem health and functionality. They are key to the development of the seabed, but have no legal protection, despite their vulnerable state of conservation, according to the Regulations for the Classification of Wild Species in Chile. Industrial salmon farming, climate change, and pollution all threaten their survival.
The colonies of Errina Antarctica documented in the Kawésqar National Marine Reserve range in size from 0.14 to 15.8 cm, and cover up to 28.5% of the seafloor, at depths between 1.23 meters to 33 meters and deeper. Currently, 57 salmon aquaculture concessions are granted within the National Reserve, with 132 new concessions pending. According to Ingrid Espinoza, Conservation Director of Rewilding Chile and co-author of the research, the consequences would be catastrophic for biodiversity. “The results of this study clearly demonstrate the presence of singular and unique ecosystems in the area,” says Espinoza. “We need to implement management plans and strict protections to ensure their long-term survival.”
A driving force to curb the worldwide climate emergency and the biodiversity crisis, Tompkins Conservation protects, rewilds, and defends land and marine ecosystems in the Southern Cone through collaborating to create national parks and rewilding key species. Working with public and private partners, the organization has helped to create 13 national parks, protecting 14.5 million acres. The goal is to restore a healthy planet with big, wild, and connected landscapes where animals and plants can thrive. This also means helping to build robust communities that benefit from a healthy natural world.
Kristine McDivitt Tompkins and Douglas Tompkins (1943-2015) founded Tompkins Conservation after leading iconic American clothing brands—Kristine as longtime CEO of Patagonia Inc, and Doug as co-founder of The North Face and Esprit. Changing course in the early 1990s to focus on conservation, they became two of the most successful conservation philanthropists in history. After Doug lost his life in a tragic kayaking accident in 2015, Kristine has continued to build on their foundation. She is now the president of Tompkins Conservation and a UN Environment Patron of Protected Areas.
A 501(c)(3) public charity, Tompkins Conservation carries out conservation projects through the nonprofit network of Rewilding Chile and Rewilding Argentina.