Researchers in Benin have found a large coral reef off the coast that they believed had died 60 years ago. The team used advanced sonar equipment from traditional fishing boats to search for the reef in the Gulf of Guinea. This was difficult because they did not have a special scientific ship and faced bad weather and engine problems.
In the 1960s, people thought the reef was gone after surveying the area. For many years, it was considered lost. This seemed likely because coral reefs around the world have decreased significantly since the 1950s due to warmer oceans and harmful fishing practices. However, scientist Gérard Zinzindohoué did not accept the old information without proof.
In early 2025, Zinzindohoué received money from the National Geographic Explorers program to study the reef. The sonar equipment used most of their budget. Getting to the location was also challenging because the team had to use local boats that were not designed for deep sea travel.
After mapping part of the ocean floor, the sonar showed possible reef structures. They used an underwater drone with a camera to look closer. The video showed a healthy reef more than 50 meters below the surface, with sunlight barely reaching it. They saw at least eight types of coral and eight kinds of fish.
This is the first active deep-water coral area found in this part of the Gulf of Guinea. Scientists are still studying the reef's history to understand if it truly died and recovered or if the original survey was mistaken. Now, the focus is on protecting this important area, which is also home to various shark and ray species.