Life

See the wonders of two newfound deep-sea coral reefs off the Galápagos

These thriving ecosystems exist up to 420 meters deep, so far untouched by humans

A photo of Cacho De Coral, a newly discovered coral reef off the coast of the Galápagos Islands. Shown are various corals, crustaceans, sea urchins and other marine wildlife that live on the reef.

Life on Cacho De Coral, a newly discovered pristine coral reef off the coast of the Galápagos Islands, is thriving. Shown are various corals, crustaceans, sea urchins and other marine wildlife that live on the reef.

Schmidt Ocean Institute

By Erin Garcia de Jesús

Four decades ago, warm waters from an El Niño event killed off nearly all the corals surrounding the Galápagos.