My topic was involving the coral in the Cooks. I was honestly surprised to see as many articles come up as I did. One article had divers focus on the West and North side of Rarotonga which is supposed to be the most diverse site of the island with its coral and fish populations. There are many natural challenges as the reefs are explored. With any little change in the ocean’s chemistry, the risk of damage to the coral increases because of how sensitive the corals are. The first time that coral bleaching was reported in the Cook Islands was during and after the El Nino event in 1982-1983. It has been found that higher water temperature has been the main factor leading to the death of the coral.
 
http://catlinseaviewsurvey.com/news/18-09-2014/coral-reef-challenges-in-the-cook-islands