Snowflake Coral growth off Thiruvananthapuram poses threat to Marine Ecology

Scuba divers working for Friends of Marine Life (FML) in December 2015 recorded the presence of several colonies of the fast-growing alien species Snowflake Coral (Carijoa riisei) off the coast of Thiruvananthpuram and Kanyakumari. Friends of Marine Life (FML) is a local NGO. As per scientists colonies of the snowflake, an invasive species, could pose a serious threat to the marine ecology of the region. The species was found amid clusters of rocky reef off the coast of Kovalam at 10 meter depth in Thiruvananthapuram and Enayam at 18 meter depth in Kanyakumari. The species was documented as part of a research project harnessing the traditional knowledge of the fisherman community to access the marine biodiversity of the region. The project was coordinated by researcher Robert Panipilla.