The Great Barrier Reef Marine Park Authority released its “Reef Snapshot” report Tuesday after conducting aerial surveys of the structure following reports it was suffering from mass bleaching earlier this year. “This prolonged heat exposure led to a mass bleaching of coral across the Great Barrier Reef; the fourth to occur in seven years. AdvertisementIt's the fourth time the Great Barrier Reef has undergone a mass bleaching event since 2016, and the first during a cooler La Niña year. Great Barrier Reef Marine Park AuthorityThe report was quietly published Tuesday night, a week after The Sydney Morning Herald reported the document had been delayed until after Australia’s federal election. The Great Barrier Reef Marine Park Authority maintained at the time the decision had nothing to do with politics, although scientists and environmentalists criticized the agency for not publishing the findings sooner.

Source: Huffington Post May 11, 2022 16:02 UTC