Hidden beneath the clear blue waters of Tobago’s reefs lives one of the island’s most enduring marine architects, Star Coral.
Named for the star-shaped patterns across its surface, Star Coral is among the oldest and most dominant reef-building corals in the Caribbean. Marine scientists estimate that many of Tobago’s largest colonies began forming hundreds of years ago, long before modern tourism ever reached the island.
For centuries, these corals quietly built Tobago’s reef systems millimetre by millimetre, growing at a pace of only a few millimetres per year. Over time, they formed massive limestone structures that now serve as the foundation of the island’s underwater ecosystem.
These ancient reefs provide shelter and breeding grounds for countless marine species, reef fish, crustaceans, sponges, sea fans, and passing turtles while also acting as natural coastal protectors, reducing wave energy and erosion.
Long before scientific studies, local fishermen recognized these reefs as living ecosystems, using them as natural markers and sustainable fishing grounds. Today, Star Coral stands as a living historical record, silently documenting centuries of ocean life and environmental change.