The long tentacled pinkish white coral, Unomia stolonifera, is an extremely aggressive species.
In the early 2000s, a man tried to grow and sell coral for use in aquariums, according to northern Venezuelans. The experiment turned into an ecological disaster.
It has spread along 60 miles of the Caribbean coast in Venezuela and covers 1.2 million square miles – more than half the floor area of the Persian Gulf, including a huge area within the Mochima National Park.
So far, researchers have tried to understand this phenomenon. In 2020, environmentalist Estrella Villamizar from the Central University of Venezuela began studying unomia, and in February she launched a collaboration project with the University of the Andes (Universidad de los Andes) and the Venezuelan Institute for Scientific Research.
The private company Larkinven, which originally financed the project, has been replaced by the Venezuelan Ministry of Science and Technology. She says building a solid scientific base is now her top priority before deciding what actions to follow.
Villamisar notes that in a year and a half, the coral invasion should not spread much. Fifteen researchers from three institutes will evaluate growth, reproduction, chemistry and density. reedus .
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