Scientists predict that the northern region of the reef will take 10-15 years to recover, but yet another bleaching event could thwart progress.

Temperature rises caused by the El-Nino effect and climate change have caused widespread damage to the reef.

When the sea warms too quickly, coral expels the algae living in its tissue, causing it to turn completely white.

Earlier this year, an article proclaiming the death of the Great Barrier Reef went viral, to the dismay of many environmentalists.

Terry Hughes, director of the ARC Centre of Excellence for Coral Reef Studies, said at the time: “We can and must save the Great Barrier Reef ― it supports 70,000 jobs in reef tourism.

“Large sections of it (the southern half) escaped from the 2016 bleaching, and are in reasonable shape. The message should be that it isn’t too late for Australia to lift its game and better protect the GBR, not we should all give up because the GBR is supposedly dead.”

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