THE Coral Triangle covers 5.7 million sq km and spans the Philippines, Papua New Guinea, Solomon Islands, Timor Leste and parts of Malaysia and Indonesia.

It is home to:

75 per cent of known coral species;

30 per cent of the world's coral reefs;

Over 600 coral species;

Over 3,000 fish species, including 50 per cent of tuna- spawning areas for yellow fin, big eye and skipjack;

Six out of eight species of marine turtle;

45 per cent of the world's seagrass species; and

75 per cent of mangrove species.