Mass coral bleaching has destroyed at least 35 percent of the northern and central Great Barrier Reef, a major blow to the World Heritage Site that attracts about $3.59 billion US dollars in tourism each year. The latest coral mortality figure will likely rise as some of the remaining 65 percent of coral in the northern and central reefs fails to recover from bleaching, according to Australian scientists who revealed the latest figures on Monday.
The report from the ARC Centre of Excellence for Coral Reef Studies casts a shadow over the long-term prospects of the Great Barrier Reef against a backdrop of climate change. Scientists said UNESCO may reconsider its decision not to put the World Heritage Site on its endangered list.

Read More at www.news.vice.com