Conserving Chagos Archipelago
Chagos is an archipelago of 55 tiny islands in the central Indian Ocean containing some of the most vibrant coral reefs, diverse marine life and cleanest sea water in the world. Amidst the serious threats to reefs around the globe, Chagos is a rare haven for marine biodiversity.
In response to the action of ZSL and partners, the British Government designated Chagos a no-take marine protected area (MPA) in 2010. It is now world's largest MPA at 640,000 km2, a landmark contribution to marine conservation. ZSL scientists and conservationists continue to work studying and protecting Chagos' biodiversity.
Find out more about the diversity of Chagos and the threats it faces
The World's Largest MPA
Over 275,000 people called on the UK government to establish the Chagos region as a protected area in 2010. This decision was one of the most significant ways the UK could contribute to global conservation.
ZSL was amongst organisations that contributed the vital science and support to make this decision happen.
Find out more about the creation of the Chagos reserve and what it has achieved .
Chagos Gallery
Take a look at some stunning images of the Archipelago in our Chagos 2006 Expedition
and the recent Chagos 2012 Expedition
galleries.
Explore the many coral species that are central to the Chagos ecosystem in our Chagos coral collection gallery .
Our Work in Chagos
As part of Chagos Conservation Trust's ongoing work, ZSL scientists and conservationists join expeditions to study the reefs. This vital work ensures that the reefs remain healthy, and explores how best to manage the MPA.We also work with Chagossian communities and the Trust provides studentships to educate new coral conservationists.
Chagos Expedition Blog
Between 13th February and 7th March 2012, two ZSL scientists joined ten others on an expedition to the Chagos archipelago. This was the first full scientific expedition since the marine protected area (MPA) was established in 2010. Follow the team in the field:
