President Barack Obama on Friday quadrupled the size of the Papahānaumokuākea Marine National Monument, making it the largest protected area in the world.
The monument now spans 582,578 square miles —that’s twice the size of Texas— near the Northern Hawaiian Islands and is home to 7,000 marine species. Many creatures in the area, including whales and sea turtles, are facing serious threats from climate change and intensive commercial fishing.
The Papahānaumokuākea (pronounced “Papa-ha-now-moh-koo-ah-kay-ah”) monument is also home to the longest-living marine species in the world: black coral, which have been found to live longer than 4,500 years. Read more…
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