Why our coral reefs need hope With coral reefs dying due to climate change, pollution, and destructive fishing, we stand to lose some of the most important habitats on the planet. But help is coming, and with that help comes hope. 3:09 With a real danger of nearly all coral reefs disappearing within the next 50 years, work is being done to save them.VIDEO BY NATIONAL GEOGRAPHIC ByJon Heggie Email This content is brought to you by our partner. It does not necessarily reflect the views of National Geographic or its editorial staff. In the tropical waters off the coast of Indonesia, a free-swimming coral larva attaches itself to an underwater rock and starts to grow. The larva grows into a coral polyp, then a colony that matures and releases larvae that colonize other rocks. In time, it helps to create one of nature’s most spectacular ecosystems: a coral reef. Orange, blue, and sparkling-silver fish dart around a seascape of vibrant greens, yellows, pinks, reds, purples, and countless combinations of the full rainbow of color. There are few places on our planet as otherworldly and intensely colorful as a healthy coral reef.