Mars-owned pet food brand Sheba is making waves in coral reef restoration! Teaming up once again with Paralympian Ellie Simmonds OBE, Sheba has unveiled incredible progress in its mission to rebuild reefs affected by climate change.

In just one year, the project has expanded from 30 restoration sites in 10 countries to an impressive 65 sites across 12 countries. That’s the equivalent of restoring coral over an area as large as 90 Olympic swimming pools!

Sheba's "Hope Grows" initiative, launched in 2019, is the world's largest coral reef restoration program, aiming to restore over 185,000 square meters of coral reefs globally by 2029.

A key project within this initiative is Hope Reef, located in the Spermonde Archipelago, Indonesia. Since restoration efforts began, coral growth at this site has increased from 2% to 70%, fish populations have risen by 260%, and there's been a 64% increase in fish species diversity.

British Paralympian swimmer Ellie Simmonds OBE has actively participated in the Hope Grows initiative. In 2023, she visited Hope Reef, engaging in hands-on restoration activities such as building and deploying reef stars—hexagonal structures designed to stabilise coral fragments and promote growth.

Sheba's efforts have garnered public support, with 75% of UK adults expressing concern about the state of the world's coral reefs. The initiative not only focuses on ecological restoration but also emphasizes community involvement and education to ensure the sustainability of these vital ecosystems.

See the video here

Credits:

Pet Business World
Mars/Sheba
Building Coral