Take a breathtaking plunge into the colorful world of the Coral Triangle, the waters that cradle Indonesia, Malaysia, the Philippines, Papua New Guinea, the Solomon Islands and Timor-Leste. One of the world’s most mature reef networks, home to 30 percent of all the world’s coral, this magnificent marine expanse boasts the highest diversity of coral and fish species on the planet. Underwater photographer Chris Leidy beautifully captures a vision of this wonderland through his lens and conveys the inherent complexities of each singular, fleeting scene, illustrating the vital magic of the Coral Triangle.

Published in association with WWF-Malaysia, this important book describes the uniqueness of the Coral Triangle region's marine biodiversity, its conservation importance and the stories, successes and struggles of the drive to maintain its rich biodiversity. The book gives a big-picture overview of threats and solutions and up-close and personal experiences from the ground and the people affected by conservation. The stories come from the work that WWF-Malaysia and USAID Coral Triangle Support Partnership are carrying out in the region. Chapters cover the rich habitats of the Coral Triangle and the endangered species, as well as an in-depth survey of each of the countries of the area. As the earth's single greatest repository of marine life, the Coral Triangle is also a great draw for SCUBA divers. For each of the countries covered, top dive sites are listed.Stunning illustrated with Eric Madeja's photographs, this book is a visual feast as well as an essential read.

"Coastal communities in the Coral Triangle are experiencing the impacts of climate change. Severe storms, coastal inundation, rising sea level and sea surface temperatures are threatening safety and food security of more than 120 million people that depend directly on local marine and coastal resources for their income and livelihoods. Climate change is emerging as a serious issue for our region's communities. The Coral Triangle Initiative for Coral Reefs, Fisheries and Food Security (CTI-CFF) was founded on the commitment of the six Coral Triangle countries (CT6): Indonesia, Malaysia, Papua New Guinea, the Philippines, Timor-leste and the Solomon Islands, to accelerate efforts to safeguard the coastal and marine resources and communities. As part of this commitment, the CT6 embodies Climate Change Adaptation (CCA) as one of the five key goals within the CTI-CFF Regional Plan of Action, pledging to implement actions to reduce the impacts of and adapt to climate change"--Introduction.

"This publication provides a much needed and timely tool to assist us in our collective effort to find new and better solutions to address the various threats to our marine biological diversity and productivity. It provides evidence-based recommendations on improving and accelerating actions on delivering ocean protection and management through marine protected areas and facilitates the sharing of experiences and lessons learned"--Page 4.