Bleaching kills third of coral in Great Barrier Reef's north

This February, 2016 photo released Monday, May 30, 2016 by ARC Centre of Excellence for Coral Reef Studies shows mature stag-horn coral bleached at Lizard Island, Great Barrier Reef off the eastern coast of northern Australia. The reef studies center released the results of its survey of the 2,300-kilometer (1,430-mile) reef off Australia's east coast on Monday. The scientists found that about 35 percent of the coral in the northern and central sections of the reef are dead or dying. Some parts of the reef had lost more than half of the coral to bleaching. (David Bellwood/ARC Centre of Excellence for Coral Reef Studies via AP) MANDATORY CREDIT (The Associated Press)

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This April, 2016 photo released Monday, May 30, 2016 by ARC Centre of Excellence for Coral Reef Studies, shows mature stag-horn coral dead and overgrown by algae at Lizard Island, Great Barrier Reef off the eastern coast of northern Australia. The reef studies center released the results of its survey of the 2,300-kilometer (1,430-mile) reef off Australia's east coast on Monday. The scientists found that about 35 percent of the coral in the northern and central sections of the reef are dead or dying. Some parts of the reef had lost more than half of the coral to bleaching. (David Bellwood/ARC Centre of Excellence for Coral Reef Studies via AP) MANDATORY CREDIT (The Associated Press)

Map shows estimated coral loss in The Great Barrier Reef.; 1c x 5 inches; 46.5 mm x 127 mm; (The Associated Press)

SYDNEY – Scientists say mass bleaching has killed more than a third of the coral in the northern and central parts of Australia's Great Barrier Reef, though corals to the south have escaped with little damage.

The ARC Centre of Excellence for Coral Reef Studies released the results of its survey of the 2,300-kilometer (1,430-mile) reef off Australia's east coast on Monday. The scientists found that about 35 percent of the coral in the northern and central sections of the reef are dead or dying. Some parts of the reef had lost more than half of the coral to bleaching.

Terry Hughes, director of the reef studies center at James Cook University in Australia's Queensland state, says the extent of the damage has serious implications.