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LOCAL Wednesday 20 september 2023

Aruba’s Bocas: home to the rarest fossil reefs on the planet!

(Oranjestad)—If you’ve been to the northern these coral reefs, and to investigate how these a time that most of us cannot even imagine.
coast of Aruba already, you’ve probably no- reefs have responded and can respond to fluc- As the scientists themselves have pointed out,
ticed how the ground differs entirely from the tuating sea levels or extreme weather, like hur- these fossilized reefs on the windward side are
sandy beaches on the southern part of the is- ricanes and tsunamis. truly an incredible and rare remnant of geologi-
land. These hard surfaces, with sharp bumps cal history, as they provide a clear view of how
and holes are actually fossilized coral reefs, of Through underwater and land surveillance, and these reefs have formed.
which its growth and changes can be traced 3D models of the reefs, they were able to nar-
back to the last glacial period. row down when these formations started to This research is also important for the future
take place. They were also able to track the of coral reefs on the island. By studying rising
On May 30 2023, geoscientists, Dr. Patrick Boy- fluctuation of sea levels during the past hun- sea levels and climate impact on these coral
den from the Marum research faculty at the Uni- dred or even thousands of years, and the ef- reefs, we are able to take concrete action in
versity of Bremen, Prof. dr. Alessio Rovere from fects that this fluctuation has had on the coral protecting and preserving our coral reefs. So, if
the Ca' Foscari University of Venice and Prof. reefs of the windward side of Aruba. you are ever visiting one of the bocas or driv-
dr. Gianfranco Scicchitano, from the University ing along the northern part of the island, please
of Bari Aldo Moro, presented their research on These findings can certainly put things into per- be conscious to help protect our natural his-
these fossilized coral reefs at the University of spective. The ground on which we have walked torical remnant. Oh, and wear (coral-friendly)
Aruba. Their focus for their research included many times in the northern part of the island sunscreen!q
studying the health and formation patterns of hold such rich history, history that dates back to

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