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[00:00.45] The U.S. National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) says changes in ocean temperature are the leading cause of coral bleaching around the world.

[00:14.60] From Australia’s Great Barrier Reef to the waters of Florida, it happens when warm water causes corals to expel their colorful algae and turn white.

[00:29.27] Derek Manzello is the head of Coral Reef Watch, which is part of NOAA.

[00:36.22] He said at least 35 countries and territories across five oceans and seas reported coral bleaching.

[00:47.15] He said that by the year 2040, all of the world’s coral will suffer from bleaching if water temperatures do not cool.

[00:56.76] He said coral needs extended periods of cooler water to recover from bleaching.

[01:03.67] If the water does not cool, he said, “the corals aren’t going to have a chance to recover.”

[01:10.84] But in the Gulf of Mexico, about 160 kilometers south of Galveston, Texas, a large coral reef is still doing well.

[01:22.57] The reef is part of the Flower Garden Banks National Marine Sanctuary.

[01:29.01] The reef formation covers over 400 square kilometers.

[01:34.60] It started with just two reef areas, called banks, in 1992.

[01:41.26] It now has 17 banks.

[01:44.72] It is described as undersea mountains of yellow, orange and pink coral as far as the eye can see.

[01:53.79] Michelle Johnston oversees the protected marine area for the federal government.

[01:59.93] She said seeing that much coral in one place is “magnificent” and rare.

[02:06.61] Johnston said fishermen used to tell the story of a colorful area in the Gulf of Mexico far from shore 100 years ago.

[02:18.90] But, scientists were uncertain that a coral reef could exist in such deep water.

[02:26.91] When divers finally reached the reef in the 1960s, they were surprised to find marine life.

[02:36.24] Johnston said the plants and animals do so well because the reef formed on top of mountain-like salt domes, high enough to catch sunlight.

[02:50.40] During the recent summer of record-breaking heat, Johnston said, the reef did experience some bleaching but nothing as serious as in other parts of the world.

[03:03.17] But that does not mean the reef in the Gulf of Mexico is not vulnerable to climate change.

[03:09.06] She is concerned about the area getting too hot and the coral dying off.

[03:15.18] Officials who watch over Flower Garden Banks say the reef has suffered more serious bleaching in the past, but its depth and health helped it recover.

[03:28.26] The reef is deeper – 18 meters - than many others that are often just offshore.

[03:36.00] Andy Lewis of Houston, Texas first saw the reef about 10 years ago.

[03:42.14] He loved it so much that he became an expert diver and started a company that leads dives to Flower Garden Banks.

[03:53.09] “It’s just a real adventure,” he said.

[03:56.56] Scientists are working to help the reefs stay healthy.

[04:01.09] For example, boats are not permitted to anchor themselves to the reefs.

[04:06.95] They must connect to special floating cables to stay in one place.

[04:13.61] Other workers help remove invasive fish and creatures from the area.

[04:20.31] Kelly Drinnen is an education and outreach specialist for the Flower Garden Banks.

[04:28.04] She said, “because coral reefs are declining all over the globe, when we find ones that are healthy, we want to keep them that way.”

[04:37.90] Drinnen added that they could also provide information that can help other reefs stay healthy or recover from bleaching.

[04:48.84] In 2010, the Flower Garden Banks corals were not damaged by the large oil spill that followed the Deepwater Horizon explosion.

[05:01.15] Other reefs in the Gulf of Mexico were.

[05:04.62] So, researchers are using data from the reef to help guide the restoration of the damaged ones.

[05:12.11] Researchers are also comparing the genetics of Flower Garden Banks corals to corals in other parts of the world.

[05:22.29] And they hope to grow and possibly replant them in other places.