The giant colony is one of the largest found in New Zealand (Image: still from Victoria University video/YouTube)

Marine scientists exploring the deep waters off Fiordland in New Zealand have found a giant black coral colony that may well be one of the largest ever recorded.

The colony measures about 4 metres tall and 4.5 metres wide, and is estimated to be between 300 and 400 years old, according to a statement from Victoria University of Wellington (also known by its Māori name, Te Herenga Waka).

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‘It’s by far the largest black coral I’ve seen in my 25 years as a marine biologist,’ said Professor James Bell, a Victoria University marine biologist.

‘Most black corals we come across when we’re diving are small, with the bigger ones usually less than two to three metres tall, so finding this one was really cool.’

The living coral is white in colour, only the skeleton is black (Image: still from Victoria University video/YouTube)

Black corals in Fiordland are of the species Antipathella fiordensis, which grows slowly and can live for centuries.

Large colonies are considered important for reproduction as they produce more gametes during spawning events, which helps protect future generations of the coral.

‘Pinpointing where large corals occur means we can better protect them by letting people know where not to anchor their boats or drop pots,’ said Bell.

‘To see such a large coral looming out of the darkness was pretty special,’ Richard Kinsey, a senior biodiversity ranger at the New Zealand Department of Conservation, who was on the dive when the coral was found.

‘I’ve been a marine ranger in Fiordland for nearly 20 years, and it’s rare to see a coral so big. It’s easily the largest one I can remember seeing,’ he said.

Researchers from Victoria University are working with the Department of Conservation and the Fiordland Marine Guardians to study and map the distribution of protected coral species in the fiords, aiming to understand how common such large colonies are.

Professor Bell said reports from divers and others familiar with local coral colonies could assist with that work.

‘We’d love to receive reports from anyone who knows of particularly large black corals that are greater than four metres so we can map their distribution and find out how common such large coral colonies are throughout Fiordland,’ he said.

The name ‘black coral’ refers to the colour of the colony’s skeleton – the organism itself actually appears to be white. The species is listed as protected under New Zealand’s Wildlife Act, meaning it is illegal to deliberately collect or damage it.

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