World’s Largest Coral Discovered 16 Feet Tall and 300 Years Old

The world’s largest coral colony has been discovered in the Solomon Islands in the southwest Pacific Ocean. This remarkable find was made by the National Geographic Society’s Pristine Seas team during an expedition in October 2024. The coral colony, larger than a blue whale and visible from space, had managed to remain undetected for centuries.

This massive coral measures 112 by 105 feet and lies at a depth of 42 feet. Standing 16 feet tall, it is estimated to be around 300 years old, although it could be significantly older. Lead scientist Molly Timmers revealed that the discovery occurred just before the team was set to explore a new location. The colony was found by a videographer documenting the effects of climate change on the Pacific region.

The coral colony consists of nearly a billion tiny organisms working together as a single entity. Photographer Manu San Felix described the experience of seeing it as akin to observing a “cathedral underwater,” expressing deep respect for something that has endured in one place for hundreds of years.

The species, identified as Pavona clavus or shoulder blade coral, is a type of hard coral characterized by its column-like structures resembling shoulders. Its colors range from shades of brown to hints of yellow, red, pink, and blue.

Corals, which are animals related to jellyfish and sea anemones, form colonies of thousands of polyps that collectively build coral reefs. This particular coral’s location in deeper waters may have protected it from the rising sea surface temperatures caused by climate change, which threatens many coral species.

Local communities may have mistaken the massive coral for a large rock, according to researchers. Timmers emphasized the historical significance of the discovery, noting that it feels like a connection to the past. She remarked on the wonder of finding a centuries-old colony, likening it to ancestors still present beneath the water.