A team of scientists from NOAA, Florida Wildlife, and the University of Miami has launched an effort to rescue the coral on Florida's reefs from a devastating and unexplained disease that has already affected nearly half of all the coral in the region, CBS reported.
The researchers have been collecting specimens of healthy coral to store in special vats so they can later be replanted after the reef system has healed.
Large areas of Florida's reefs have been suffering from a mysterious condition that hit the region nearly five years ago. The infection has continued to spread and is still active, impacting more and more of the ecosystem.
The disease has left the scientific community puzzled, as they have never witnessed any illness developing at such a pace and last for such a long period of time. Moreover, the reasons for the infection remain unknown.