The majority of the reef has shown improvements in its coral coverage.

Australia’s Great Barrier Reef is one of the most important aquatic ecosystems in the entire world, with its various coral formations acting as home to a myriad of different aquatic creatures. In recent years, climate change has resulted in a growing frequency of mass bleaching events, damaging the coral and driving away the wildlife. However, the reef is strong, and has been steadily rebuilding itself.

According to an annual report from the Australian Institute of Marine Sciences, approximately two-thirds of the Great Barrier Reef have shown exponential improvements in coral coverage, with some spots growing the most coral in at least 36 years. However, researchers have cautioned that, while the reef can restore itself, the rising frequency of damaging events is still cause for concern.

“What we’re seeing is that the Great Barrier Reef is still a resilient system. It still maintains that ability to recover from disturbances,” AIMS monitoring program leader Mike Emslie told Reuters. “But the worrying thing is that the frequency of these disturbance events are increasing, particularly the mass coral bleaching events,” he added.

AIMS has noted that many of the instance of coral growth are specifically Acropora coral, a species of coral that can be easily damaged by intense waves, hostile species, and climate change-induced heat.

“We’re really in uncharted waters when it comes to the effects of the bleaching and what it means moving forward. But as of today, it’s still a fantastic place,” Emslie said.