Worldwide Bleaching Events 
1996-1998 Table

All of the bleaching events represent 50% or more bleaching of total coral cover where quantitive estimates were given.
No questionable or unsubstantiated events are included in this listing. 

 

Region Subregion

1996

1997

1998
Middle East Bahrain "Major" bleaching in summer (37.3°C)-CW (report is probably for summer and fall) N/R mid-August (34-37°C): 50%-100% bleaching (w/90%-95% mortality) on reefs N. of Bahrain.-CW
Eritea N/R N/R Deep and shallow bleaching starting in August (up to 40°C)-CW
Oman N/R N/R late May (29.5-31.5°C) bleaching (75%-95% Stylophora spp. And 50% Porites spp.) S. Oman.-CW
Saudi Arabia "Severe" bleaching on nearshore reefs, and Porites spp. reefs in the north.-CW Summer and early Fall (37°C inshore and 35°C offshore) bleaching in nearshore coral communities along the Saudi Gulf Coast.-Yusef Fadlallah (KFUPM Research Institute)-CL N/R Inshore patch reefs bleaching in mid-August (35-36°C), offshore island reef is largely unaffected.-CW
United Arab Emirates (UAE) Bleaching in marine protected area, high eventual mortality.-CW N/R N/R
Yemen (Socotra) N/R N/R Extensive bleaching w/ high mortality beginning in May.-CW
Indian Ocean India (Lakasha-dweep, Andamans, Gulf of Mannar) N/R N/R Some bleaching starting in May-CW
Greater than 50% bleaching in Lakshadweep, Andamans, and Gulf of Mannar.- Ambio
Kenya (and Southern Africa) N/R N/R Bleaching starting in mid-May (32°C) and through April. 50-95% of coral cover bleached in areas w/ very high mortality. Bleaching also seen throughout E. Africa from N. Kenya to Mozambique, w/ decreasing severity farther south.- D. Obura (personal communication)
Tanzania (Zanaibar, Mafia Island) N/R N/R Bleaching starting in mid-May (32°C) along the whole coast (15-50%). ˜20-50% mortality to near 100% in many Acropora spp. areas.-CW
Indian Ocean cont. Madagascar (Mananara) N/R N/R 30% bleaching to 40-80% in shallow Acropora spp. On the mid-west and north-east coasts in Feb. and Mar.-CW and Ambio
Maldives N/R N/R "Severe, rapid" bleaching between April-May. 80% on back reef and 30-40% at various depths on the reef slope. Nearly 100% mortality in shallow corals (particularly Acropora spp.) w/ recovery for others starting in late May.-CW
Mayotte N/R N/R Bleaching in shallow corals (up to 80% mortality in Acropora spp.), however, Porites spp. were unaffected.-CW
Indian Ocean cont. Reunion N/R N/R Starting in late March 30-50% bleaching on the flats and reef slopes. Corals overgrown w/ turf several months later.-CW
Seychelles N/R N/R Extensive bleaching to 23m during March-May (29-32°C reef slope, 34°C lagoon) in the south.-CW
Sri Lanka N/R N/R Bleaching (75%) began in mid-April (35.5°C and above 33°C until late May) in the SW (probably more shallow corals?). Bleaching remaining until early June, w/ most ramose corals experiencing mortality. "Bleaching like this has never been seen in Sri Lanka before."-CW
Timor Sea Reefs (Scott - Australia) N/R N/R Scott Reef most severely affected beginning in May. 70-100% bleaching and mortality in corals from 1-9 m, and 40% at 30 m.-CW
Southeast and East Asia Cambodia N/R N/R Moderate-severe bleaching in mid-May ("warm and very turbid"). Up to 80%.-CW
Indonesia N/R N/R Bleaching initiated by a warm current from the S. China Sea. 75-100% bleaching in NW and E Bali reefs w/ effects seen to 36m. Areas near Jakarta and Java started bleaching in January and February, and continued through May. 0-46% at 3 m. Gili Islands (on Lombok Strait) hard corals bleached ˜90% to 20 m in March. Borneo bleached 60-70% in January with colder than normal water temperatures and plankton blooms.-CW
Southeast and East Asia cont. Japan N/R N/R Started on Okinawa I. In mid-July (25-28°C increased to 28-31.5°C in July). Bleaching increased in August (31°C) and spread N to the Japanese mainland in September and to 20 m on Okinawa. Mortality mostly in Acropora spp.. Ishigaki and Kyushu Islands bleaches in July and August (w/ water over 30°C).-CW
Malaysia (Sabah) N/R N/R Mid-May (32°C) bleaching to 30-40% in shallow (1-2 m) at Palau Gaya, Sabah. 30% bleaching at Palau Sakar to 20 m. No significant bleaching at 20 other reef sites.-CW
Philippines N/R N/R "Massive" bleaching starting in mid-July (surface 33-34 °C, 30-31°C at 28 m) w/ up to 75% community bleaching in some areas.-CW
Singapore N/R N/R "Mass" bleaching in June and July (33°C) affecting all spp., throughout the entire depth range. "This is the first time bleaching has been seen on this scale."-CW
Southeast and East Asia cont. Taiwan N/R N/R Coral bleaching first observed in June (30°C) around the Penghu Islands w/ 30-40% corals bleached in 1-5 m. In August (31°C at 20 m and 34 °C and 1 m) around Posunotao w/ 80% bleaching down to 20 m.-CW
Thailand N/R N/R "Widespread" in the Gulf of Thailand (except on the W. side of the Andaman Sea) in April (28-29°C increased to above 32°C, w/ 35°C reported at Ko Samui). 50-60% corals bleached w/ ˜50% mortality.-CW
Vietnam N/R N/R Began in mid-July w/ major bleaching in the S. (70% to 15 m). Mortality of massive Porites spp. Including large colonies.-CW
Pacific Ocean (West) Australia N/R N/R Late Feb. bleaching along the entire GBR, w/ 87% of inshore reefs showing some bleaching (heavy bleaching on 55%) and 28% for offshore reefs. High SST's (Jan. and Feb., up to and above 30°C) and high rainfall in the Central GBR are considered responsible.-CW
Federated States of Micronesia N/R N/R 20% bleaching to 20 m in the N. of Yap at the beginning of Sep.(30-31°C).-CW
French Polynesia N/R N/R Variable bleaching. Strong on Takapoto, Rangiroa, and Manihi.-CW
Pacific Ocean (West) cont. Hawaii "Major" bleaching event began in late August (29-30°C in restricted basin in response to hot, calm weather) in the S. of Kane'ohe Bay, O'ahu.-CL Bleaching reported for Kailua Bay, O'ahu, a more oceanic habitat, during late August (31°C). Included "nearly every coral" from 1.5-5 m. Not seen in previous 10 years of research in the Bay.-Cindy Hunter and Celia Smith(U. of Hawaii).-CL Partial bleaching from Nanakuli to Kahe Point, O'ahu (western oceanic side, T˜27°C). Unprecedented in 25 years of monitoring.-Steve Coles-CL N/R N/R
Johnston Atoll "Extensive" bleaching of Pocillopora spp. and Montipora spp. in the lagoon. In August oceanic temperatures were 31.1°C. Bleaching was observed to start in mid-September (Sea Surface Temperature Anomoly=+0.5-1.5°C) and continued to March (1997) with some mortality.-Cohen, A.L., Lobel, P.S., and G.L. Tomasky. 1997. Coral bleaching on Johnston Atoll, Central Pacific Ocean. Biol. Bull.. 193:276-297. N/R N/R
Palau N/R N/R September (30-32°C) w/ about 75% of corals less than 15 m. "Everything that could bleach was bleaching."-CW
Pacific Ocean (West) cont. Papua New Guinea Significant area S. out of Normanby I. through Cape Vogel and to Tufi bleached in late February (29-30°C, calm, clear weather).-Bob Halstead (Dive Boat Operator)-CL S. New Ireland, 10-60% of shallow water corals bleached in December (1995).-Deborah Gochfeld (HIMB)-CL N/R August (31-31.5°c below 10 m and 32-33°C on the surface) bleaching in Kimbe Bay. High mortality(w/ 75% Acropora spp. affected) and bleaching in Porites spp., Platygyra spp., and Montipora spp.. Bleaching of areas S. of Normanby I. To Cape Vogel, and Tufi in March (29-30°C).-CW
Samoa (Western) N/R N/R Bleaching of 60-70% Acropora spp. on reef tops in late February at Palolo Deep, National Marine Park near Apnia. Possibly linked to spring low tide exposure.-CW
Vanuatu Some level of coral bleaching. Up to 50% of coral cover along reefs W. of Port Vila.-Peter Raines(Coral Health and Monitoring Programme)-CL
Moderate bleaching from Calabash Cay, Turneffe Atoll.-Alastair Harborne-CL 		N/R N/R
Pacific Ocean (East) Galapagos N/R Starting December (28°C) and continued into February, 1998 (30°C).-CW February (30°C) bleaching from 1997. Nearly all corals bleached to some extent by March. Porites spp. and Pavona spp. were most affected.-CW
Mexico N/R First noticed in July 1997 in the Gulf of California to Jalisco and the Revillagigedo Islands. Peaked in August-September (31-34°C) with ˜25% coral cover bleached (˜60% at Nayarit shallower than 4 m). First report of bleaching on the Pacific Coast. minor bleaching at Oaxaca (31°C).-CW Sudden drop in temp in mid-September caused extensive bleaching.-CW
Panama N/R Uva Island bleaching starting mid-September, affecting all corals to 20 m. Millepora intricata bleached and died, with others bleaching.-CW Gulf of Chiriqui began bleaching in mid-April (29-31°C), w/ 50-90% of corals at least partially bleached.-CW
Caribbean Sea Bahamas N/R N/R Central Bahamas showed extensive bleaching in August.-CW
Belize N/R N/R "Massive" coral bleaching in early September to October (30-32°C sub-surface, 36-38°C on the surface). Larger than the 1995 event.-CW
Bonaire (Dutch Antilles) N/R N/R <15% Bleaching in August and September (30°C surface and 29.5°C below). 100% bleaching in Agaracia spp. from 8-30 m.-CW
Cayman Islands Bleaching of 50-60% cover of Montastraea faveolata on the North Side of Grand Cayman but not on the W. side of the island.-Jason DeSalvo (Vacationer)-CL N/R "Unprecedented" bleaching during late September on Little and Grand Cayman. All spp. affected w/ up to 90% heavily bleached.-CW
Caribbean Sea cont. Cuba N/R N/R No bleaching in S. Cuba, but extensive bleaching at reefs W. and E. of Havana in late August. Bleaching reported to 35 m near Santiago. "Bleaching was seen in places where it has never been seen before.-CW
Florida N/R N/R July and August (30-31°C) bleaching a Coffins Patch Light. Late August (30-32°C surface, and 26°C at 10 m) "extensive" bleaching at Western Sambo Reef. 40-90% incidence of bleaching in various spp. of corals. Moderate bleaching a Dry Tortugas N.P. in early September (30°C).-CW
Guadeloupe N/R N/R "Severe" bleaching reported.-CW
Caribbean Sea cont. Haiti N/R N/R "Extensive" bleaching after Hurricane Georges in September.-CW
Honduras N/R N/R To 50% of live coral cover showing bleaching from 10-25 m around Roatan in mid-September.-CW
Jamaica N/R N/R Late September (29-30°C below 30 m) and by early October 70-75% of all Montastrea spp. were bleached.-CW
Mexico N/R N/R Bleaching started in late August (30°C and 33°C lagoon) and temperatures stayed high (29.5-30.5°C) through September. Widespread bleaching by mid-October. Event is less severe than 1995.-CW
Caribbean Sea cont. Panama N/R N/R "Extensive" bleaching was reported in October in W. Panama.-CW
St. Lucia N/R N/R "Worst ever seen" bleaching in the Soufriere area, w/ 100% of Diploria spp. affected.-CW
Virgin Islands (UK) N/R N/R "Widespread" bleaching in mid-September on five reefs S. of St. Thomas (unaffected in early August). Patchy w/ little evidence of bleaching by mid-October.-CW
Atlantic Ocean Barbados N/R N/R In September a large area of Carribee bank reef at 25-35 m has bleached.-CW
Bermuda N/R N/R Bleaching started in early August (28°C rising to 30°C and dropping to 27°C by the end of September). 5-15% bleaching in all colonies.-CW
Brazil N/R N/R Mass bleaching of patch reefs on N. coast of Bahia State in mid-April (29.5°C at 9-12 m, highest temp. in the last 3 years).-CW
  Source Abbreviations:
  • N/R=No record availble
  • CL=Coral List Server
  • CW=Wilkinson, Clive R.(ed.) 1988. Status of Coral Reefs of the World: 1988. Australian Institute of Marine Science Publication, Queensland.
  • Ambio=Wilkinson, C., Lindén, O., Cesar, H., Hodgson, G., Rubens, J., and A.E. Strong. 1999. Ecological and socioeconomic impacts of 1998 coral mortality in the Indian Ocean: an ENSO impact and a warning of future change? Ambio Vol. 28, No. 2, pp. 188-196.
 List Compliled By: Tyler B Smith,
Rosenstiel School of Atmospheric and Marine Science.
Correspondance: tsmith@rsmas.miami.edu

 

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