Coral Tribe
The Coral Tribe is led by some of the most knowledgeable marine educators on the island. So anyone with a passion for learning more about the environment and how to protect it need look no further than The Coral Tribe for advice and information. With over a decade of experience working on environmental projects on Koh Tao, program leaders Jennifer and Simon Dowling have an unrivalled insight into Koh Tao’s ecosystem and its health, biodiversity, and threats.
The Coral Tribe Marine Conservation projects include:
- Coral Restoration –The Coral Tribe have custom-built their own coral nurseries, regularly go out diving with the sole purpose of collecting small coral fragments that would otherwise die. From there they are transplanted, rehabilitated, and moved back onto the natural reef or artificial structures at Junkyard
- Adopt A Coral Program– since 2015, The Coral Tribe has offered the option for anyone (divers and non-divers alike) to ‘Adopt A Coral’ helping raise valuable funds to continue coral restoration projects. www.patreon.com/thecoraltribe
- Artificial Reefs – Artificial reefs are a great way of alleviating pressure from busy dive sites. The Coral Tribe maintain Junkyard Reef having being part of the original Junkyard build & expansion.
- Reef Check Eco Diver Training Facility – Gain a worldwide certification and be able to go anywhere and survey reefs around the globe. Conducting Reef Check surveys are vital in assessing the health of coral reefs and the data can be used to develop conservation and restoration solutions to improve the health of reefs and the human communities that depend on them.
- Microplastic Surveys – working in partnership with The Big Microplastic Survey project, The Coral Tribe collect sand samples and examine them for various microplastic contents. The results are recorded and sent back to The Big Microplastic survey headquarters to help compile global data.
- Beach Clean Ups – are an integral part of stopping the flow of plastics and other pollutants from entering the marine environment. Our team runs regular beach and land clean-ups, collecting valuable data for various environmental agencies
- Dive Against Debris -A super citizen science program, empowering divers to remove debris from the ocean, report on the type of debris, the amount and location, helping to help drive change that protect marine life and marine environments.
- Water Testing – it goes without saying that water quality is paramount to the health of the reef and its inhabitants. The Coral Tribe takes regular water samples and checks levels of PH, nitrates, phosphates, dissolved oxygen, salinity, and turbidity.
- Mooring Buoy Installation – the crew assists with various mooring installation projects, providing boats with a better option than dropping anchor over precious corals.
- Net Removal – fishing nets snagged and caught on pinnacles are deadly to marine life. The Coral Tribe team is always on hand to assist with the removal of nets.
Aside from being involved with multiple citizen science and community projects, the teaching team at The Coral Tribe run several Marine Conservation courses, Marine Conservation Internships which range from 1 week to 8 months in length. Their aim is to create and develop divers to see the underwater world in a different light and become more heavily involved in its protection and conservation – all the while having fun and learning lots about the amazing realm beneath the surface.
For more information, check out the https://www.facebook.com/coraltribe https://www.instagram.com/realcoraltribe or email the team directly on [email protected]
