Collected from reefs around the Southern Islands, some 10 species of coral were added.

The coral fragments - pieces that had naturally broken off from live coral - were collected by volunteer divers from the National University of Singapore (NUS) and transplanted to specially designed 'tables' in the nursery at Pulau Semakau, near Sentosa.

There, the fragments are cleaned of algae and closely monitored until they grow into larger colonies.

Once deemed healthy, the corals will then be transplanted to other reefs around Singapore, where the hope is that they will continue growing and spawning more colonies.

Set up in July last year, the nursery is a joint pilot project between the Keppel Group, NUS and the National Environment Agency, aimed at saving Singapore's dwindling reefs.

The $500,000 project is expected to produce up to 600 coral fragments by next year, when it ends. If successful, it could be expanded into a long-term mission to save coral reefs here.

There are over 250 different species of coral in the reefs around Singapore, said Professor Chou Loke Ming of NUS' department of biological sciences.

Conservation efforts such as the joint project are crucial to the survival of Singapore's coral reefs, said Prof Chou.

Over the past century, some 60 per cent of Singapore's coral reefs have been lost to redevelopment, he said.

'If we do nothing, Singapore's reefs could be gone in the next 30 years.'

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