S China's Hainan home to restored coral oases (3)

Photo shows “deep sea oases" in waters of Wenchang, Hainan. (People's Daily Online/Lu Gang)

Hainan, a tropical island in southern China, is one of the country's most coral-rich areas. Coral reefs, also known as "deep-sea oases" or "rainforests of the sea", while being a paradise for biodiversity, are themselves extremely fragile.

Corals in Hainan have suffered serious damage due to various reasons in recent decades. Despite this, following visits to many sea areas in the province in 2020, marine conservationists found a vibrant world of undersea corals in which these "oases" have gradually been restored.

June 8 is the 13th annual World Ocean Day, whose theme this year is "The Ocean: Life and Livelihoods".