A pale reef photograph can be alarming, but precise words still matter. Bleaching and death describe different conditions, even though prolonged stress can connect them.
Keep the biological distinction
NOAA explains coral bleaching through the loss of symbiotic algae under stress. Bleached corals are not automatically dead; survival and recovery depend on conditions, while continuing stress can lead to mortality. That distinction is not a reason to dismiss the seriousness of bleaching.
Read the measurement behind the report
Does a survey report the proportion bleached, coral cover lost or observations of recovery? Those measures cannot simply be substituted for one another. Check the place, observation period and survey method before comparing two headlines.
If you are describing a photograph without a specialist assessment, identify what the caption and source establish rather than diagnosing the reef from colour alone. A useful reading note can state that a source documents bleaching while leaving later survival unknown. Careful language helps explain the threat more accurately than collapsing every stage into a single dramatic label.