White, bleached Porites coral centers a colorful reef with fish swimming

A World Gone Pale: Coral Bleaching.

This video shot features a prominent mound of bleached Porites coral, standing out in stark white against the vibrant diversity of the surrounding reef. Various healthy coral species, displaying shades of brown, tan, and faint greens, surround the bleached Porites, emphasizing the contrast in health among the reef inhabitants. Small tropical fish, including yellow and blue chromis, swim actively around the corals, creating a lively scene against the intense blue of the open water. The fish dart around the coral structures, adding movement and highlighting the reef’s complex ecosystem despite signs of bleaching. This clip showcases a close-up of reef life, illustrating both the resilience and vulnerability of coral communities.

Free Stock Footage of Bleached and Healthy Corals.

Captured by top underwater scuba videographers using the best cameras in 4K resolution and available in HD (1080p), this clip is available in both landscape (16:9 aspect ratio) and vertical (9:16 aspect ratio) formats, making it suitable for widescreen presentations and social media platforms like Instagram Reels, Facebook, TikTok, and YouTube Shorts. Its crisp detail and versatile formats make it an excellent resource for environmental campaigns, NGO projects, documentaries, and educational materials that explore coral conservation and climate action.

Coral reefs play an essential role in carbon sequestration, acting as natural carbon sinks that help capture and store atmospheric carbon dioxide. However, when corals bleach—often due to stress from warming temperatures—their ability to sequester carbon is greatly diminished. Bleached corals are less efficient at growing and building skeletal mass, leading to weakened reef structures and reduced carbon absorption capacity. The degradation of coral reefs affects marine biodiversity and reduces their contribution to carbon sequestration, exacerbating climate change impacts on a global scale. This footage emphasizes the critical role that coral reefs play in storing carbon and the consequences of coral bleaching for our climate.