Coral spawning muted in Singapore after 2024 mass bleaching event

Coral spawning in mid-April 2025 off Pulau Satumu. The yearly event is an underwater show where the coral reefs appear to “snow”, with pink bundles of coral eggs and sperm released. - Photos: Jerome Yong

SINGAPORE: Singapore’s coral reefs had a muted reproductive season in 2025, not because of any oil spill that occurred in the last year, but most likely because of mass coral bleaching in 2024, one of the hottest years on record.

Coral spawning was observed in April at Pulau Satumu – where Raffles Lighthouse is located – but the National Parks Board (NParks) and scientists from the National University of Singapore (NUS) said it was more muted than in previous years.