🗞️ Why in News: Researchers have documented a giant coral colony near Kadmat Island, Lakshadweep: a massive Pavona clavus formation locally called the “Potato Patch” covering approximately 4,250 square metres (about 0.43 hectares). Preliminary growth-rate estimates suggest the colony is 700 to 1,800 years old, and it could be among the world’s largest known single living coral colonies. The study also found that 58.47% of its tissue remains alive: a sign of remarkable resilience given repeated bleaching events and marine heatwaves.

Discovery at a Glance

Parameter Detail
Species Pavona clavus (a reef-building / hermatypic coral)
Location Kadmat Island, Lakshadweep
Local name “Potato Patch”
Size ~4,250 sq m (~0.43 ha; ~1.05 acres)
Estimated age 700–1,800 years (needs scientific dating to confirm)
Tissue alive 58.47%: indicates relatively healthy state
Significance Possibly one of the world’s largest known single living coral colonies

About Pavona clavus

  • Pavona clavus is a species of stony (scleractinian) coral belonging to the family Agariciidae.
  • It grows as a massive, mound-shaped colony (“massive coral”), unlike branching or table corals.
  • Slow-growing species, making a 4,250 sq m colony a multi-century-old ecosystem.
  • Reef-building (hermatypic), contributes calcium carbonate skeleton to the reef structure.

Lakshadweep’s Coral Ecosystems

Feature Detail
Islands 36 islands, atolls, and reef systems; 12 inhabited
Coral-reef area Among India’s most pristine and biodiverse coral ecosystems
IUCN status Part of Indian Ocean biodiversity hotspot
Threats Marine heatwaves (bleaching), ocean acidification, rising sea temperatures, anchoring damage
Governance Lakshadweep is a Union Territory (centrally administered); marine protected areas under the Indian Wildlife (Protection) Act

Why Colony Size Matters

  • Genetic diversity reservoir: a centuries-old mega-colony is a genetic repository of climate-adapted coral strains.
  • Reef structure: massive corals are the backbone of reefs; their size contributes to reef accretion and coastal protection.
  • Resilience signal: 58.47% live tissue after repeated bleaching events (2016, 2020, 2025) shows this colony has exceptional thermal tolerance, a trait of high conservation value.
  • Scientific benchmark: mega-colonies allow scientists to study multi-century responses to environmental change without proxy records.

Context: Coral Bleaching and Climate Change

Coral bleaching occurs when elevated sea surface temperatures (SSTs) cause coral to expel their zooxanthellae (symbiotic algae that provide 70-90% of the coral’s energy via photosynthesis). Without zooxanthellae, corals turn white and, if stress persists, die.

  • The 2025–26 global bleaching event (NOAA confirmed 4th global bleaching event) affected Indian Ocean reefs including Lakshadweep.
  • India’s average SST in the Arabian Sea has risen faster than global ocean averages.

UPSC Relevance

Paper Relevance
GS3 Environment, coral reefs, bleaching, marine biodiversity, climate change
GS1 Geography, Lakshadweep, Indian Ocean islands, atolls
Prelims Pavona clavus; Lakshadweep (UT, 12 inhabited); coral bleaching mechanism (zooxanthellae); NOAA global bleaching events; hermatypic / scleractinian corals

Facts Corner

📌 Facts Corner: Knowledgepedia

Lakshadweep “Potato Patch” Coral:

  • Species: Pavona clavus (stony coral, family Agariciidae)
  • Location: Kadmat Island, Lakshadweep (UT)
  • Size: ~4,250 sq m (~0.43 ha)
  • Estimated age: 700-1,800 years (scientific dating pending)
  • Live tissue: 58.47%
  • Significance: possibly world’s largest known single living coral colony

Coral bleaching:

  • Triggered by elevated SST → coral expels zooxanthellae (symbiotic algae) → turns white
  • Prolonged stress → death

Lakshadweep: 36 islands; 12 inhabited; Union Territory; Kadmat is one of the inhabited islands

Hermatypic corals: reef-building corals; secrete calcium carbonate skeleton

Sources: Down to Earth, The Hindu, Ministry of Environment, Forest and Climate Change

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