The reef spawns for a second time this year – a rare occurrence.
Marine scientists say the egg release, coral’s way of reproducing, usually happens once a year and its timing is unpredictable.
The full moon slows the tidal flow to just twice a day, allowing the eggs to float in the calmer waters.
The Great Barrier Reef is regarded as the best place in the world to watch this phenomenon as it has the most diverse coral system and spawning off the Queensland coast involves 60% of the varieties of coral
This article was first published by The Guardian on 18 Dec 2014.
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