RI islands world's richest reefs<\/p>\n
JAKARTA: Some of the world's most experienced tropical marine
\nscientists have confirmed that the Indonesian islands of Raja
\nAmpat, West of Sorong, Papua, contain the coral reefs with the
\nrichest biodiversity in the world.<\/p>\n
The conclusion was made recently after the scientists
\ncompleted a three-week expedition, led by the Nature Conservancy,
\nto the Raja Ampat islands.<\/p>\n
The scientists found 465 coral species, with at least 20
\nspecies defying identification and under further study.<\/p>\n
With the finding, the total corals from the Raja Ampat islands
\nreached 505 species, 64 percent of all known coral species in the
\nworld.<\/p>\n
At least 828 fish species were also recorded, raising the
\ntotal for Raja Ampat to 1,065 species, among the highest
\ndiversity in the world.<\/p>\n
\"The waters around Raja Ampat are teeming with a diversity of
\nfish and corals surpassing any place else on earth,\" Steve
\nMcCormick, president of Nature Conservancy said in a statement.<\/p>\n
\"... this survey is clear proof that there is still a chance
\nto conserve significant and high quality island and reef
\necosystems in Indonesia,\" Conservancy's Indonesia country
\ndirector Ian Dutton said. --JP<\/p>",
"url": "https:\/\/jawawa.id\/newsitem\/ri-islands-worlds-richest-reefs-1447893297",
"image": ""
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"sponsor": "Okusi Associates",
"sponsor_url": "https:\/\/okusiassociates.com"
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