Vesna Panglao Conservation

Vesna Panglao Conservation is a non-profit organization whose main goal is to protect the offshore coral reefs of Panglao Island off Bohol, Philippines. The organization deals with the protection of the marine ecosystem through the establishment of marine reserves and coral nurseries, education and work with local communities, promotes environmental awareness, and sustainable development, provides support for international research activities and a discussion platform for the local community and government authorities, and is also newly working to combat illegal fishing in the area.

Threats to corals

Corals are invertebrate animals belonging to a large group of fascinating colourful creatures called Cnidaria. Each coral animal is called a polyp. Most warm-water corals have a symbiotic relationship with an algae that lives directly inside the cells of the host coral. The corals provide it with protection and better conditions for photosynthesis, and the algae give it back to them in the form of food - up to 90% of what it produces during photosynthesis is given to the corals. This allows them to grow quickly and form calcium deposits. They live in groups of hundreds to thousands of genetically identical polyps that form a colony. A colony is formed by a process called budding, in which the original polyp grows as a copy of itself. Individuals in the lower layers gradually die and new corals grow on them.

Coral reefs are nicknamed the "rainforests of the sea". They got this nickname not only because of the huge number of species that live here but also because of their high productivity. Although they occupy only 0.1% of the ocean floor, they provide the conditions for the life of at least 25% of all known marine species.

The Coral Triangle – encompassing the waters between Indonesia, Malaysia, the Philippines, and Papua New Guinea – is the most biologically diverse marine ecosystem on Earth. More than 800 million people worldwide are either directly or indirectly dependent on coral reefs.

However, coral reefs face many threats. These are:

• Global warming. Corals are very sensitive to climate and water temperature. As the temperature of the water increases, the environment of the corals also changes, which is unsuitable for their continued survival.

• Ocean acidification, caused by an increased concentration of greenhouse gases in the atmosphere, which slows and suppresses the growth of corals and reefs.

• Excessive and destructive fishing. Overfishing can change the structure of the food web and cause cascading effects, such as reducing the number of grazing fish that keep corals clean of algal overgrowth. Impact fishing, i.e. using explosives to kill fish or using cyanide, dragging fishing nets along the seabed, causes physical damage to corals. Harvesting corals for the aquarium trade, jewellery, and curios can lead to the over-collection of specific species, the destruction of reef habitats, and reduced biodiversity.

• Physical damage or destruction due to coastal development, dredging, quarrying, destructive fishing practices and equipment, boat mooring and grounding, and recreational use.

• Sedimentation from coastal development, urban storm-water, forestry and agriculture.

• Nutrients (nitrogen and phosphorus) from agricultural and residential fertilizer use, discharge of wastewater (including non-organic sewage and septic tanks), and animal waste into seas and oceans.

• Pathogens from insufficiently and non-ecologically treated wastewater, rainwater, and runoff from livestock pens.

• Toxic substances including metals, organic chemicals, and pesticides found in industrial waste, sunscreens, municipal and agricultural waste, mining, and landfill waste. Pesticides can affect reproduction, coral growth, and other physiological processes.

• Waste and microplastics from improper disposal and rainwater.

Vesna Panglao Conservation Project's Activities

Since 2018, Vesna has built 39 artificial reefs, achieving up to 80% success rate in coral protection and rehabilitation. Thanks to this activity, a significant increase in both the number and species diversity of fish, shellfish, and other marine life in the given location was recorded. The restoration and rehabilitation of damaged corals was the initial motivation for establishing the organization. However, it quickly became clear that cultivating and protecting the reefs required the involvement of the entire community. While coral cultivation continues to be one of the main missions, community development and the promotion of sustainable practices are essential for lasting change.

The goal of Vesna is to actively continue the successful activities that have been started, to expand activities in the construction of artificial coral reefs, to continue to spread awareness about the importance of protecting the seas and oceans, to organize training seminars, and to participate in the investigation and reduction of illegal activities in cooperation with the local police and the nature protection agency. With the support of local partners (local community, academia, conservationists, diving centres), Vesna plans to establish a logistic Ecocentre that will increase the efficiency of all these activities.

You can learn more at: https://www.vesnaconservation.net/.

How Ostrava Zoo helps

Ostrava Zoo field workers and the Vesna Panglao Conservation organization have been working together for a long time to build eco-wastewater treatment plants on the island of Panglao, thanks to which coastal areas are protected from pollution, and to restore coral reefs. In addition, they now cooperate in combating illegal fishing and also partially ensure the coordination of the organization itself. From 2022, the Ostrava Zoo, together with all its visitors, supports the activities of the organization through the "3 CZK for Wildlife" program. In 2023, the Ostrava Zoo Charity Run for Corals was also dedicated to support Vesna Panglao Conservation.