A misplaced hand or careless fin kick can easily imperil the lives of hundreds of coral polyps. Our understanding of the nature of corals now encourages snorkelers to develop skills with an underlying attitude of appreciation and respect. Snorkelers learn to relax in the water, being careful not to impact corals needlessly with their hands, feet, or other errant body parts. This requires training since shallow water is especially subject to surge, and snorkelers frequently enter and exit from the shore. Realistically, most tropical marine environments can face more traumatic perils than snorkelers.
Storms can and do easily ravage the shallow reef.
Even slight aberrant variations in water temperature can upset ecological balances. Disease can decimate specific marine populations. But these events don't make our careless or untrained behavior any less irresponsible. There are enough factors we can't control, making it all the more important to work diligently on those we can. Kalli recognizes that legislation and education are active partners in preservation.