Large mounds of bleached Acropora Finger corals in clear ocean water

Ocean Reefs Turning White.

This underwater video clip captures extensive mounds of Acropora finger corals, exhibiting widespread bleaching across their surfaces. Each coral mound displays tightly packed branches, with much of their color lost, creating a striking pattern of pale and white tips in the clear, blue ocean environment. The shot emphasizes the significant impact of bleaching, as these corals, typically vibrant in color, now appear almost uniformly washed out. In the background, the ocean water is a deep, tranquil blue, with small fish seen in the distance, swimming over and around the coral mounds, adding a subtle layer of marine life to the footage. 

Hills of Bleached Finger Corals in Clear Ocean Water – Scuba Diving Stock Video.

This high-quality footage was filmed in ultra-high-definition 4K and available in HD (1080p), this footage was shot with professional-grade equipment to highlight the detailed textures and colors of these vulnerable corals. Provided as free stock footage to raise awareness about coral bleaching, this video is available in both landscape (16:9 aspect ratio) and vertical (9:16 aspect ratio) formats, making it suitable for platforms like Instagram Reels, Facebook, TikTok, YouTube Shorts, and widescreen presentations. This versatility and clarity make it ideal for environmental campaigns, NGO projects, documentaries, and educational materials focused on marine conservation.

Did you know that corals can fluoresce during bleaching events? When stressed by factors like increased ocean temperatures or intense sunlight, some corals produce fluorescent pigments as a protective response, glowing in colors like blue, pink, and purple. This fluorescence serves as a kind of “sunscreen,” shielding the coral’s symbiotic algae, zooxanthellae, which provide energy and color to the coral. Scientists believe this phenomenon may be an attempt by the coral to recover, although if stress conditions continue, the corals will eventually bleach and lose their color completely. This fluorescence phenomenon not only highlights the resilience of corals but also serves as an early warning indicator for monitoring reef health and climate impacts.