Australia’s Barrier Reef erupts in color as corals spawn

CANBERRA, Australia (AP) — Australia’s Great Barrier Reef is spawning in an explosion of color as the World Heritage-listed natural wonder recovers from life-threatening coral bleaching episodes. Scientists on Tuesday night recorded the corals fertilizing billions of offspring by casting sperm and eggs into the Pacific Ocean off the Queensland state coastal city of Cairns. The spawning event lasts for two or three days. The network of 2,500 reefs suffered significantly from coral bleaching caused by unusually warm ocean temperatures in 2016, 2017 and last year. The bleaching damaged two-thirds of the coral. Marine scientist Gareth Phillips says in a statement the spawning is a “strong demonstration” that the reef’s “ecological functions are intact and working.”