The black coral Anthipathella subpinnata is one of the oldest animal species surviving in the world’s seas.

With a growth rate of less than one millimetre per year, some of its “forests” are more than 4,000 years old.

These remarkable underwater animal forests are not only beautiful—they are vital to marine life. Many species, including squid, rays, and sharks, use them as breeding grounds, while hundreds of other species find safe refuge among them.

Although largely unknown today, black coral was known in ancient Greece for its medicinal properties.

The black coral forest shown in the photograph is located near the Fournoi Korseon islands and covers an area approximately the size of a football field.

Following 15 years of research by the Archipelagos Institute of Marine Conservation, with the invaluable cooperation of local fishers and the Municipality of Fournoi, as well as the contribution of specialised scientists, Greece established last June its first trawling exclusion zone to protect these unique ecosystems.

This marks a major milestone for marine conservation in Greece and across the Mediterranean.

Watch the documentary The Mediterranean’s Hidden Coral, produced by China Global Television Network (CGTN): https://youtu.be/ljMIZO-NNVY