According to a report from the Institute of Oceanography, up to 34 hectares of coral reefs, equal to 42% of the coral area in Son Tra Peninsula’s coastal area, disappeared between 2006 and 2016, particularly in the Bai Bo Doi, Mui Lo and Bai Bac areas. 

Up to 34 hectares of coral reefs, equal to 42% of the coral area in Son Tra Peninsula’s coastal area, disappeared between 2006 and 2016

In Bai Bac, hard coral reef area reduced to just 0.6% in 2016 from 31.9% of 2006 and the rates were 7.5% and 21.3% respectively in Mui Lo.

In the southern area of the peninsula, the hard coral reef coverage fell to only 4.7% in 2006 from 31.25% ten years previously. Soft corals also dropped by 3-9.4% in some areas like Bai Bui, Luc Lo and Bai Nom during the period.

Meanwhile, the fauna of the peninsula’s coastal area has also been significantly harmed with the reduction of species with high economic value such as sea cucumber and sea urchins.

The report indicated that up to 90% of seagrass were destroyed in the 2006-2016 phase and now just one hectare exists.

Tran Huu Vy, director of GreenViet Biodiversity Conservation Centre, said tourism projects and waste discharge from residential areas, restaurants and tourist sites that threatened the ecosystem of Son Tra Peninsula’s coastal area.

Vy warned of the extinction of many kinds of fauna and flora species of Son Tra Peninsular in the future if the situation is not improved.

Dr. Ha Thang Long, head of the representative office of the Frankfurt Zoological Society (FZS) in Vietnam, also gave a warning that Son Tra Nature Reserve would turn into a desert, and the world’s biggest population of red-shanked douc langurs (Pygathrix nemaeus) would become extinct unless rapid development of hotels and resorts is stopped.

“Stop construction. Do not build any hotels in the reserve. Son Tra Nature Reserve, which has already been damaged by human activities, should be conserved by a special regime,” Long urged.