KOTA KINABALU: Coral reefs off Pulau Kalampunian, Kudat, which were damaged by a stranded cargo ship on Sunday will take five to 10 years to recover.
The reefs are located at Nemo Point, which is a dive site and turtle hatching area.
Universiti Malaysia Sabah Borneo Marine Research Institute marine ecologist Muhammad Ali Syed Husseins said many factors could affect coral growth, including pollution, algae production and sea currents.
“After being hit by a cargo ship, many corals were broken.
“When they were swept by waves, those corals would roll and hit other new corals, thus affecting the population.
“If the sea has a lot of nutrients, it would encourage algae to grow on broken or dead corals,” he told the New Straits Times.
Ali said the situation was similar to when corals were damaged due to fish bombing, that was rampant in Sabah waters.
“It is indeed a huge marine loss as corals are sometimes damaged in split seconds due to ships or fish bombing,” he said.
The 898,763ha Tun Mustapha Park, which is located off Kudat, is rich in marine biodiversity and supports a series of complex and linked habitats.
It is home to endangered species such as the green turtle and dugong.