Australian scientists unlocking key to save world's reefs

A coral discovered on Australia's remote north west coast could hold the key to stopping coral bleaching, scientists say.

Native to Western Australia's Kimberley region, the stag horn coral is so tolerant to high temperatures it can thrive in conditions that will kill other corals.

Dr Verena Schoepf from the University of Western Australia, is now trying to discover what makes the coral so hardy.

It's hoped the study's findings could one day help restore reefs that are being bleached by rising water temperatures.

"I'm trying to find out how they have become so heat tolerant," Dr Schoepf said.

Her Perth research team has been exposing the coral to high temperatures for varying amounts of time, with some subject to a brief 'heat shock' and others faced with warm conditions for days.

Dr Schoepf said the findings so far are promising and she's found that the coral's daily exposure to extreme conditions has strengthened its ability to survive.

But coral experts say more still needs to be done to protect against climate change.

"Coral reefs give early warning of mega catastrophes that have happened in the past in the oceans, and they're giving warnings of that now," marine expert Dr Charlie Vernon said.

"Coral reefs are the first to go under and then the rest of the oceans follow, then you have a mass extinction," he said.