A giant coral colony found in the Solomon Islands measures about 34 by 32 meters (112 by 105 feet) and stands roughly 5 meters (16 feet) high. National Geographic reported in 2024 that it is the largest coral colony recorded at the time of its discovery, and estimated its age at about 300 years. It is not a whale-sized animal—or an entire reef—and later reporting of another enormous coral colony makes any current claim that it is definitively the world’s largest organism uncertain.
What was found underwater?
The discovery is a colony of hard coral identified as Pavona clavus, also known as shoulder blade coral. It was found in the Solomon Islands, in the southwest Pacific, during an October 2024 National Geographic Society Pristine Seas expedition. National Geographic reported that it lay 42 feet below the ocean’s surface.
The colony spans about 34 by 32 meters (112 by 105 feet) and is approximately 5 meters (16 feet) high. Those are the reported dimensions of the colony, not the size of a single coral polyp or an entire reef.
Is the giant coral one animal?
It is one coral colony made up of many tiny animals called polyps. The polyps are genetically identical and work together, so the colony can be described as one organism. National Geographic’s report estimated it contains nearly one billion polyps. A reef, by contrast, can contain many different coral colonies and other marine life.
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Corals are animals related to jellyfish and sea anemones. The colony is therefore an animal organism, but it is not a single whale-like animal with a body measuring 34 meters.
How old is the Solomon Islands coral?
National Geographic estimated the colony’s age at about 300 years, based on its height. The report said it could be older. This is an estimate, not a precise date established by directly dating the coral’s origin. “Alive since Napoleon” is a colorful way to convey an age of roughly three centuries, not a scientific dating result.
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How did the expedition find it?
The team nearly missed the colony. From the surface, its large outline resembled a shipwreck. Cinematographer Manu San Félix dove to investigate during the October 2024 expedition, and the find came on the night before the team planned to move to another section. Expedition lead scientist Molly Timmers said, “It was found the night before we were moving to another section.”
Is it the largest living creature on Earth?
That broad claim is not established. National Geographic described the Solomon Islands find as the largest coral colony recorded at the time of discovery. But “largest” can mean different things: a colony, a single animal, or any organism—and a reported record for one category does not settle comparisons across all living things.
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In April 2025, Red Sea Global announced a separate giant Pavona colony in Saudi Arabia. The company reported dimensions of 26–36 by 21 meters and an estimated age of 400–800 years, while describing it as rivaling the Solomon Islands colony. These are company-reported estimates; Red Sea Global noted that age estimation is challenging and that further studies were expected.
| Reported colony | Dimensions | Age estimate | What the report establishes |
|---|---|---|---|
| Solomon Islands, Pavona clavus — National Geographic, 2024 | About 34 by 32 meters; roughly 5 meters high | About 300 years, estimated from height; possibly older | Described as the largest coral colony recorded at the time of discovery |
| Red Sea, Pavona — Red Sea Global, 2025 | Estimated 26–36 by 21 meters | Estimated 400–800 years; the company said age estimation is challenging | Company-announced as a colony rivaling the Solomon Islands record holder |
The reports do not provide a systematic, independently verified comparison of both colonies using identical measurement methods, nor do they establish a global ranking of all organisms. It is safest to call the Solomon Islands discovery a giant coral colony reported as a record-holder at the time, rather than the undisputed largest living creature on Earth.
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Is the colony healthy, and what might help it survive?
National Geographic reported that the expedition team found the giant colony in excellent health, even though nearby reef areas included dead corals. The report discusses warming, overfishing, pollution, development, and ocean acidification as threats to corals generally; it does not establish how resilient this particular colony is to global threats.
Timmers suggested that its deeper, cooler location, along with protection from a slope and shelf, might help explain its condition. That is a possible explanation, not a demonstrated survival mechanism.
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What protection does the site have?
National Geographic reported that the waters are customary community waters. At the time of that report, the local community had unofficially protected them for around 14 years and had provincial-level protection while seeking national support. That account does not establish the site’s present legal status or the outcome of those efforts.
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