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Dutch zoo develops coral 'Noah's Ark' to maintain endangered reefs

Divers at a. Netherlands zoo on Monday started work to create a Noah's Ark of. coral as part of a global effort to preserve reef by. developing reserve populations in aquaria.

With corals under risk internationally from environment change,. overfishing and pollution, conservationists at Burgers' Zoo in. the city of Arnhem are creating a back-up of endangered types.

The coral might be reintroduced to its original habitat when. conditions improve, said Nienke Klerks, a biologist at the zoo.

This project is making a type of back-up of corals so in. case they pass away out in the wild, we'll still have them in. aquaria, Klerks stated.

Because of the slow development rates of corals - which can range. from several millimeters to numerous centimeters a year - it. would be years before any coral could be returned to the wild.

Even then, conditions would need to enhance initially for the. coral to flourish, she added.

The zoo has actually worked on building the coral reserve together. with the Oceanographic Museum of Monaco and two French fish tank,. and Klerks hopes more zoos will join the task.