Local biologists had to explain the natural phenomenon that scared tourists in Hurghada. On some beaches of the resort, the color of the Red Sea turned bloody, scaring tourists. However, as experts explain, this is not an “alarming symptom” at all, but quite the opposite.
As Dr. Tamer Kamal, Director of the Department of Natural Reserves in the Red Sea Province, told local media, the reason for the water color change is the activity of red coral reefs. More precisely, their spawning, the breeding season of coral reefs has arrived, which begins in late April and early May every year.
“Millions of mature pink coral eggs are thrown into the water, causing the water to appear dark red over large areas of the water surface in some places, especially on Hurghada’s beaches, which are rich in coral reefs,” the biologist said.
He noted that this change in the color of the sea can only be considered a “good signal” – if the reefs are actively reproducing, so much so that the water changes color – there is reason to hope for further growth of coral reefs, which will ensure that the reefs in the Red Sea will not be destroyed and future generations of tourists will be able to admire.
The expert also emphasized that coral reefs are extremely important for the biology of the Red Sea, as they are one of the most important, rare, and endangered marine organisms that are forbidden to touch, let alone destroy. In addition, he added that some tourists are not only not afraid of the “red” Red Sea, but especially arrive during the coral “blooming” season to see this rare phenomenon.