Conservationists work to save Vietnam’s coral reefs

Original story by Yannick Peterhans and Aniruddha Ghosal

The gentle waves off the coast of central Vietnam’s Nha Trang obscure an open secret: The life-giving coral reefs below are dying. The waters are eerily devoid of fish. The bounty of the ocean is coming to an end.

Bleached by ocean warming and choked by trash from tourists, these reefs in Southeast Asia’s “Coral Triangle” were once some of the planet’s most biodiverse and vibrant. Only 1 percent of Vietnam’s reefs are still healthy, and their decline is devastating the livelihoods of local fishing families.

But dedicated groups of conservationists and volunteers are trying to save the remaining healthy reefs and restore others. Yannick Peterhans ’23, a photojournalist and 2022 Wrigley Institute environmental communications intern, traveled on assignment for the Associated Press to document their work.

Read the full story from the Associated Press >>

Explore the Wrigley Institute environmental communications internship >>

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