Turneffe Atoll

Remote and ringed in reefs, Turneffe Atoll has long been one of Belize's crown jewels. Its walls and pinnacles once pulsed with reef sharks, swirling fish, and coral gardens that seemed untouchable. But the spread of stony coral tissue loss disease has changed the picture, leaving once-vibrant corals struggling to survive. Conservation groups and scientists are now racing to slow its impact, working with local fishers and dive operators to keep Turneffe's ecosystem alive.