A one-man quest to save the world’s corals

Abdullah has spent his entire adult life restoring coral reefs in Malaysia, writes Rebecca Tan. Until recently he’s been working in obscurity – and, at times, poverty

Anuar Abdullah walks along the beach toward a coral nursery (Washington Post by Rebecca Tan)

For nearly four decades, the coral gardener worked alone.

Twice daily, he went out to sea, staying underwater for as long as his oxygen supply allowed. He learned the shapes and textures of corals long before he knew their Latin names. He studied the conditions in which they thrived – the water temperature, the sun exposure, the diversity of marine life – and saw how the disruption of just one of those factors could bring about mass death. He dedicated himself to reviving the reefs, but for a long time, no one cared to join him. Locals whispered about the eccentric diving instructor who spent his off days in the water, who spoke to corals like they were people.

“Everyone thought I was stupid,” says Anuar Abdullah, 61. “But I knew I was doing the most important thing in the world.”