June 6, 2024 This article has been reviewed according to Science X's editorial process and policies . Editors have highlightedthe following attributes while ensuring the content's credibility: fact-checked reputable news agency proofread by Juan Sebastian SERRANO On the Caribbean seafloor, an unusual sculpture gallery is taking shape with an equally unusual purpose: to provide homes for corals under threat from tourism and climate change. Created by potters Hugo Osorio and Pedro Fuentes, 25 figures so far form a sort of artificial reef in the blue waters around the paradisiacal Isla Fuerte, off the coast of Colombia.
They stand 1.5 meters (almost five feet) tall, scattered at a depth of about six meters around the seafloor, attracting visitors -- mostly fish, but also divers. The statues have been placed there since 2018 under an initiative named MUSZIF, started by Tatiana Orrego, a fashion designer and island resident.
The plan is for another 25 to follow. "When I discovered the deterioration of the island's natural reefs, I saw in the art project a possibility to protect and enhance the life of corals," Orrego told AFP. Orrego had seeded the clay sculptures with baby corals , and watched as they took off.
The statues are the "ideal substrate" for the marine invertebrates to grow on, added the creator of Colombia's first underwater art gallery. Since the beginning of the year, the world has witnessed a massive coral bleaching episode in both the northern and southern hemisph.
