COLOMBO, Aug. 28 (Xinhua) -- Sri Lanka is developing a specialized coral conservation center and laboratory complex in Nilaveli, Trincomalee, as part of a national program to protect the country's coastal and marine ecosystems, the Ministry of Environment said Thursday.

This photo taken on June 1, 2025 shows corals in the waters of Hambantota Port in Sri Lanka. (Photo: Xinhua)

Deputy Minister of Environment Anton Jayakody inspected the facility on Aug. 25. The center will focus on conserving rare species, including black coral and red coral, among 245 coral species identified along Sri Lanka's eastern coast.

The facility is already carrying out conservation and artificial cultivation of rare corals, with the program recording successful results, according to the ministry.

Its work involves recreating natural ocean temperatures and environmental conditions in laboratories to cultivate coral before transplanting it back onto the seabed. Construction of the facility is scheduled to be completed by the end of September.

The center is expected to later open to university students, researchers and the public as a coral museum and research center, while supporting expanded research on coral ecosystems.

The government also plans to introduce similar conservation projects across the country to protect vulnerable marine biodiversity, promote the sustainable management of ocean resources and preserve natural ecosystems amid the effects of climate change.