Fight for the Future of Coral Reefs
Corals are vanishing at an alarming rate, and scientists warn that these reefs are poised to become the first mass ecosystem extinction produced by manmade climate change. The loss of coral reefs, the ocean's greatest hotspots of biodiversity, would be a critical blow to the wide array of marine animals and coastal communities that depend on them.
A third of the world's coral reefs have already been destroyed, and scientists warn that by mid-century most corals will be in waters either too warm or too acidic to allow them to survive.
That's why the Center for Biological Diversity filed an Endangered Species Act petition to protect corals. The Act's our most powerful weapon against extinction, and without it more than two-thirds of corals could disappear completely before century's end.
Now the government is taking comments before deciding how to list corals. Please submit your comments today to protect the living foundation that supports millions of people and other species.
SUBJECT: Protect Disappearing Corals
Dear [Decision Maker],
I'm writing in support of protecting the 82 corals under consideration for listing as threatened or endangered species. As stated in the status review, these corals face the threat of extinction primarily due to the direct and indirect effects of ocean warming and acidification. Awarding corals the legal protections of the Endangered Species Act is important for their conservation and recovery.
Teeming with life and beauty, coral reefs are essential for healthy ocean ecosystems. A quarter of all known marine species depend on coral reefs, and millions of people also rely on them for their food and livelihoods. Yet without action, coral reefs as we know them will be gone within this century.
Unless greenhouse gas pollution is curbed, the world's coral reefs are committed to an irreversible decline. All possible measures must be taken now to protect them from extinction.
Thank you.
