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Phoenix Rising

After a rare bleaching disaster, the reefs of the Phoenix Islands bounce back.

/2011/01/phoenix-islands/img/01-green-turtle-coral-714.jpg /2011/01/phoenix-islands/img/phoenix-islands-60-01.jpg Photograph by Brian Skerry http://national-geographic.cafepress.com/art/s_1361032 /2011/01/phoenix-islands/img/02-halfspotted-hawkfish-714.jpg /2011/01/phoenix-islands/img/phoenix-islands-60-02.jpg Photograph by Brian Skerry Paracirrhites hemistictus) rests near a reef at Nikumaroro island damaged by ocean warming in the central Pacific. The pink coralline algae is an early sign of recovery: The algae form a substrate on which new coral can attach itself and grow. ]]> http://national-geographic.cafepress.com/art/s_1361040 /2011/01/phoenix-islands/img/03-napolean-wrasse-714.jpg /2011/01/phoenix-islands/img/phoenix-islands-60-03.jpg Photograph by Brian Skerry http://national-geographic.cafepress.com/art/s_1361039 /2011/01/phoenix-islands/img/04-steephead-parrotfish-714.jpg /2011/01/phoenix-islands/img/phoenix-islands-60-04.jpg Photograph by Brian Skerry http://national-geographic.cafepress.com/art/s_1361034 /2011/01/phoenix-islands/img/05-four-saddle-grouper-714.jpg /2011/01/phoenix-islands/img/phoenix-islands-60-05.jpg Photograph by Brian Skerry http://national-geographic.cafepress.com/art/s_1361035 /2011/01/phoenix-islands/img/06-healthy-plate-coral-714.jpg /2011/01/phoenix-islands/img/phoenix-islands-60-06.jpg Photograph by Brian Skerry http://national-geographic.cafepress.com/art/s_1361033 /2011/01/phoenix-islands/img/07-bluefly-trevally-714.jpg /2011/01/phoenix-islands/img/phoenix-islands-60-07.jpg Photograph by Brian Skerry Caranx melampygus) shadows a longface emperor (Lethrinus Olivaceus) off Nikumaroro, one of eight small islands in the chain known as the Phoenix Islands, which is part of the nation of Kiribati. ]]> http://national-geographic.cafepress.com/art/s_1361041 /2011/01/phoenix-islands/img/08-yellow-surgeonfish-714.jpg /2011/01/phoenix-islands/img/phoenix-islands-60-08.jpg Photograph by Brian Skerry http://national-geographic.cafepress.com/art/s_1361031 /2011/01/phoenix-islands/img/09-frigatebird-chicks-714.jpg /2011/01/phoenix-islands/img/phoenix-islands-60-09.jpg Photograph by Brian Skerry http://national-geographic.cafepress.com/art/s_1361038 /2011/01/phoenix-islands/img/10-green-turtle-714.jpg /2011/01/phoenix-islands/img/phoenix-islands-60-10.jpg Photograph by Brian Skerry Chelonia mydas) swims through a school of striped surgeonfish (Acanthurus lineatus) near Orona island in the Phoenix Islands Protected Area (PIPA), which was named a World Heritage site last year. About the same size as California, PIPA is one of the world's largest marine protected areas. ]]> http://national-geographic.cafepress.com/art/s_1361044 /2011/01/phoenix-islands/img/11-table-coral-growth-714.jpg /2011/01/phoenix-islands/img/phoenix-islands-60-11.jpg Photograph by Brian Skerry Acropora hyacinthus) in the lagoon on Kanton island, where reefs were devastated by a rare episode of extreme ocean warming. ]]> http://national-geographic.cafepress.com/art/s_1361043 /2011/01/phoenix-islands/img/12-leafy-hard-coral-714.jpg /2011/01/phoenix-islands/img/phoenix-islands-60-12.jpg Photograph by Brian Skerry http://national-geographic.cafepress.com/art/s_1361036 /2011/01/phoenix-islands/img/13-emperor-angelfish-714.jpg /2011/01/phoenix-islands/img/phoenix-islands-60-13.jpg Photograph by Brian Skerry Pomacanthus imperator) shimmers in the waters off Kanton island. With more than 500 fish species, reefs in this undisturbed island chain have recovered more quickly from coral bleaching than reefs in places such as the Caribbean, which also face pollution and fishing. ]]> http://national-geographic.cafepress.com/art/s_1361042 /2011/01/phoenix-islands/img/14-frigatebird-714.jpg /2011/01/phoenix-islands/img/phoenix-islands-60-14.jpg Photograph by Brian Skerry http://national-geographic.cafepress.com/art/s_1361037