A coral reef may save your life one day. Why have we done so little to return the favor?
- scientist M Sanjayan -
Out of sight, out of mind. We - the majority of the global population - hardly get to see the coral reefs in our normal life. Often our children do not get an ideal exposure to the coral eco-systems in their education. So, coral reefs often remain outside our routine life; quiet remote and exotic, only accessible through Discovery or National Geographic Channels.
In Nature, many animals from chimpanzees to parrots have been seen to search for favorite plants or mineral deposits during times of stress. Even our pet dog gets in the act, nibbling on grass perhaps to ward off tummy grumbles. Sparrows tend to chomp the tiny leaves of certain plants. Instinctively the animals, birds, and insects know that Nature is a vast chest of drawers with medicines to cure many ailments. Obviously, our early ancestors had watched and emulated their co- species in identifying the Nature's antidotes.
The Nature Conservancy's scientist M Sanjayan, writing on why we need to save the coral reefs around the world, cites three good reasons:
Yet, with World Resources Institute bluntly warning that over 75% of coral reefs are under threat, Dr Sanjayan cautions of the likelihood of saving the coral reefs becoming too late. "In an era of spiraling health care costs, nature's most promising pharmacy is the only thing that is still free. We ought to take better care of it. There is no doubt that with careful collecting and testing, new cures will emerge from coral reefs," he points out in his article 'This Reef May Save Your Life' in the HUFFPOST GREEN.
The new Reefs at Risk Revisited report warns that 75% of the planet’s reefs are threatened, not just by unsustainable fishing practices and development but also by the effects of climate change. Though much efforts had been put in to save the coral reefs in the last decade, still - as conservation marine scientist Mark Spalding put it - 'but while I’d love to tell you we’ve turned things around over the last decade, we haven’t.' Yet, this is not to say that everything has been futile and hopes dashed to a nothingness even as Mark Spalding revealed that in fact, there’s been a 30% increase in the area of threatened reefs.
Arguing that "it would be wrong to talk about failure, though. Reefs would be in much worse condition in many places if we hadn’t done what we’ve done," Mark Spalding optimistically points out, " There are now literally thousands of examples of good reef management worldwide, and of how to turn coral reefs around. We need to pick up these examples and see them as a tool-kit, something we can turn into standard management practice across the globe. For peoples’ sake. "
Equally important are the potent chemicals of the reefs and their medicinal uses and potential. "Like rainforests, coral reefs host a bewildering diversity of plants and animals. In systems this diverse, the struggle for survival leads many species to develop complex adaptations, from skeletal structures to poisons and venoms. There might be 1 million different animal species on the world’s reefs, and we have only just begun to look at them. But they’ve already yielded active compounds with considerable promise for the treatment of certain cancers, HIV and malaria," reveals Spalding in his interview to by Robert Lalasz for the The Nature Conservancy.
How to link drug development to conservation efforts? One major successful 'terrestrial precedent' is the model under which the government of Costa Rica collaborated with the pharmaceutical giant Merck to develop a bio-prospecting scheme for its rainforests. Through INBio, a research institute, Merck paid for prospecting and promised to share in future revenues should any drugs from the forest prove to be a commercial success. However tricky it might be to do so for coral reefs, Sanjayan feels that given that we extract fisheries and tourism revenues from reefs globally, it's not unreasonable to create a payment scheme for bio-prospecting particular reefs. "The key, of course, is to ensure that the payment goes to reef conservation," he stresses.
Pointing out how individuals are critical in the movement to safeguard the environment, and coral reefs in this particular case, Spalding doles out significant tips that could make a vital difference to the environment however small the act might be but with a profound scalar effect in the long run: 'And even if you live far from reefs, you can help, too. Do you holiday in reef areas, or know people who do? Think about where you stay and don’t be afraid to ask questions — choose hotels and restaurants that do not pollute and that make a positive contribution to the environment. Support NGOs such as The Nature Conservancy, which are making a real difference to coral reef conservation on the ground. Reduce your own personal carbon footprint, too — this step is urgent and, while it won’t be enough, it sends a powerful message. Finally, tell others what you are doing and encourage them to do the same.'
Yes. We ought to take better care of the coral reefs if its unknown reservoir of medicines ought to be known in the future for the generations to come, besides for the vital integral eco-systemic services of the coral reefs on Earth./
- scientist M Sanjayan -
Out of sight, out of mind. We - the majority of the global population - hardly get to see the coral reefs in our normal life. Often our children do not get an ideal exposure to the coral eco-systems in their education. So, coral reefs often remain outside our routine life; quiet remote and exotic, only accessible through Discovery or National Geographic Channels.
In Nature, many animals from chimpanzees to parrots have been seen to search for favorite plants or mineral deposits during times of stress. Even our pet dog gets in the act, nibbling on grass perhaps to ward off tummy grumbles. Sparrows tend to chomp the tiny leaves of certain plants. Instinctively the animals, birds, and insects know that Nature is a vast chest of drawers with medicines to cure many ailments. Obviously, our early ancestors had watched and emulated their co- species in identifying the Nature's antidotes.
The Nature Conservancy's scientist M Sanjayan, writing on why we need to save the coral reefs around the world, cites three good reasons:
- Coral reefs are amongst the most biologically rich and densely packed habitats on the planet.
- Underwater warfare reigns with extreme competition for space and nutrients intense amongst reefs organisms pack into a narrow band of suitability. Critters use chemicals to defend and attack invaders- exactly what you might need to ward off something nasty.
- Coral reefs have until recently been effectively inaccessible to humans -- and bio-prospectors. This means lots of species waiting to be discovered.
Yet, with World Resources Institute bluntly warning that over 75% of coral reefs are under threat, Dr Sanjayan cautions of the likelihood of saving the coral reefs becoming too late. "In an era of spiraling health care costs, nature's most promising pharmacy is the only thing that is still free. We ought to take better care of it. There is no doubt that with careful collecting and testing, new cures will emerge from coral reefs," he points out in his article 'This Reef May Save Your Life' in the HUFFPOST GREEN.
The new Reefs at Risk Revisited report warns that 75% of the planet’s reefs are threatened, not just by unsustainable fishing practices and development but also by the effects of climate change. Though much efforts had been put in to save the coral reefs in the last decade, still - as conservation marine scientist Mark Spalding put it - 'but while I’d love to tell you we’ve turned things around over the last decade, we haven’t.' Yet, this is not to say that everything has been futile and hopes dashed to a nothingness even as Mark Spalding revealed that in fact, there’s been a 30% increase in the area of threatened reefs.
Arguing that "it would be wrong to talk about failure, though. Reefs would be in much worse condition in many places if we hadn’t done what we’ve done," Mark Spalding optimistically points out, " There are now literally thousands of examples of good reef management worldwide, and of how to turn coral reefs around. We need to pick up these examples and see them as a tool-kit, something we can turn into standard management practice across the globe. For peoples’ sake. "
Equally important are the potent chemicals of the reefs and their medicinal uses and potential. "Like rainforests, coral reefs host a bewildering diversity of plants and animals. In systems this diverse, the struggle for survival leads many species to develop complex adaptations, from skeletal structures to poisons and venoms. There might be 1 million different animal species on the world’s reefs, and we have only just begun to look at them. But they’ve already yielded active compounds with considerable promise for the treatment of certain cancers, HIV and malaria," reveals Spalding in his interview to by Robert Lalasz for the The Nature Conservancy.
How to link drug development to conservation efforts? One major successful 'terrestrial precedent' is the model under which the government of Costa Rica collaborated with the pharmaceutical giant Merck to develop a bio-prospecting scheme for its rainforests. Through INBio, a research institute, Merck paid for prospecting and promised to share in future revenues should any drugs from the forest prove to be a commercial success. However tricky it might be to do so for coral reefs, Sanjayan feels that given that we extract fisheries and tourism revenues from reefs globally, it's not unreasonable to create a payment scheme for bio-prospecting particular reefs. "The key, of course, is to ensure that the payment goes to reef conservation," he stresses.
Pointing out how individuals are critical in the movement to safeguard the environment, and coral reefs in this particular case, Spalding doles out significant tips that could make a vital difference to the environment however small the act might be but with a profound scalar effect in the long run: 'And even if you live far from reefs, you can help, too. Do you holiday in reef areas, or know people who do? Think about where you stay and don’t be afraid to ask questions — choose hotels and restaurants that do not pollute and that make a positive contribution to the environment. Support NGOs such as The Nature Conservancy, which are making a real difference to coral reef conservation on the ground. Reduce your own personal carbon footprint, too — this step is urgent and, while it won’t be enough, it sends a powerful message. Finally, tell others what you are doing and encourage them to do the same.'
Yes. We ought to take better care of the coral reefs if its unknown reservoir of medicines ought to be known in the future for the generations to come, besides for the vital integral eco-systemic services of the coral reefs on Earth./
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