Salima Kachra

A Mauritian environmentalist who pioneered coral reef restoration and marine conservation in the Indian Ocean.

Salima Kachra (born 1975) is a marine biologist leading coral reef preservation in Mauritius. Her 2005 discovery of coral transplantation techniques in the turquoise lagoons of Ile aux Cocos revolutionized reef restoration. As founder of the Mauritius Reef Conservation Society, she trained local communities to combat coral bleaching and overfishing. Kachra’s partnerships with UNESCO and the World Wildlife Fund expanded her work to Seychelles and Madagascar. Her research on Acropora cervicornis coral species was published in Marine Pollution Bulletin, influencing global conservation strategies. In 2018, she launched the "Adopt a Reef" program, engaging tourists in environmental stewardship. Kachra’s TEDx talk "Rebuilding Coral Cities" inspired youth-led marine initiatives across Africa.