The largest coral reef in the world is found in the Pacific near the Solomon Islands

The largest coral ever recorded has been discovered by scientists in the southwest Pacific Ocean.

A mega coral – a collection of many interconnected, tiny organisms that form a single organism rather than a rock – can be over 300 years old.

Bigger than a blue whale, says the group.

It was discovered by a videographer working on a National Geographic ship visiting remote areas of the Pacific to see how it has been affected by climate change.

“I went diving in the area where the map said there was a shipwreck and then I saw something,” said Manu San Felix.

He called his diving friend, who is also his son Inigo, and they dived down again to check it out.

Seeing the coral, in the Solomon Islands, was like seeing an “underwater cathedral”, he said.

“It’s very sad. I felt a lot of respect for something that lived in one place and survived for hundreds of years,” he said.

“I thought, ‘Wow, this was here when Napoleon was alive’,” he added.

Scientists on the expedition measured the coral using a tape measure underwater. It is 34m wide, 32m long and 5.5m high.

All over the world coral reefs are facing severe pressures as oceans warm due to climate change.

Often described as the “designer” of the oceans, corals can join together to form large reefs that are home to fish and other species.

Coral reefs also support the lives of billions of people including supporting tourism or fishing, according to the World Economic Forum.

This specimen was found in deeper water than other coral reefs, which may have protected it from the high sea temperatures.

This discovery was announced at the same time as the UN COP29 climate talks in Baku, Azerbaijan which are trying to make progress in tackling climate change.

Mr Trevor Manemahaga, Solomon Islands’ climate minister at the conference, told BBC News that his nation would be proud of the newly discovered corals.

“We want the world to know that this place is a special place and needs to be protected,” he said.

“We rely heavily on marine resources for our economic survival, so corals are very important […] And it’s very important and very important to our economy to make sure that our corals are not exploited,” he said.

Small island countries like the Solomon Islands are particularly vulnerable to climate change.

Mr Manemahaga said he has personally seen the effects of global warming in his nation, as it creates strong storms and destroys the coast causing houses to fall into the water.

Many developing countries in these negotiations are asking for more money from rich countries to help pay for their climate change strategies.

Mr. Manemahaga said that the increase of funds in Solomon Islands will help the country create different job opportunities which will mean that there are fewer people working in industries that damage coral reefs.

Currently logging is a major part of the country’s economy – between 50-70% of the country’s annual export revenue – but it causes high levels of water pollution which damages the corals in the area.

Eric Brown, a coral scientist on a National Geographic research expedition, says the coral’s health “looked very good”.

“Although the nearby reefs have been damaged by the warming of the ocean, seeing this large area of ​​healthy coral in shallower waters is a ray of hope,” he said.

The coral is a species called Pavona clavus and provides a home for shrimps, crabs, fish and other sea creatures.

The age of the sample also means that it acts as a window into the history of ocean conditions in the past. Scientists hope to study it to learn more about how it grew.

A report this week found that 44% of warm-water corals are at risk of extinction, according to the International Union for the Conservation of Nature. That’s a three-quarter increase since the species was last tested in 2008.