Rare rhodolith bed found off iSimangaliso

The Indian Ocean has given up another secret – and it’s right on Sodwana’s doorstep.

A team of scientists aboard the Angra Prequena has discovered a vast bed of rhodoliths in the mesophotic, or “twilight”, zone of iSimangaliso Wetland Park. These pebble-like red algae may look like pink stones on the seafloor, but they’re biodiversity superheroes – creating nursery grounds for fish, stabilising the seabed, and supporting rich kelp forests.

It’s only the second rhodolith bed ever recorded in South Africa, making it a find of national importance.

But while the discovery is thrilling, it comes with a warning. Rhodolith beds grow painfully slowly – taking centuries to recover if damaged – and are highly vulnerable to threats such as trawling, pollution and acidifying oceans.

‘This discovery reminds us of how much there still is to uncover beneath the waves,’ said Dr Jean Harris of WILDTRUST. ‘South Africa’s mesophotic habitats are biodiversity reservoirs, vital for climate resilience and future blue economy opportunities.’

For divers, this might open a new frontier. Sodwana Bay Lodge’s diving provider, Adventure Mania, will be investigating the possibility of taking advanced – or even Deep 40 certified – divers to witness this rare phenomenon first-hand. Watch this space!

One thing is certain: Sodwana Bay remains a place where the ocean still writes new chapters of discovery.

Photo: a rendition of a photo by WILDTRUST