Coral Reef

Guide Note

Coral Reefs are unique ecosystems of plants and animals that cover approximately 284,300 square kilometers in the Indo-Pacific region. The underwater equivalent of rain forests, reefs are home to 25% of all marine species.

Coral reefs are only found in waters low in nutrients, as the growth of algae inhibits coral growth. Although sometimes confused with plants, corals are actually microscopic animals with exoskeletons made of calcium carbonate. As they grow, they leave behind distinctive calcium structures that provide the base on which the live corals grow, and also provide hiding spaces and feeding grounds for fish and other marine life.

Coral reefs are in danger from pollution and over-fishing and it is estimated that many of the world's reefs will be destroyed or significantly damaged in the next 20 years.

The disappearance of coral reefs is not only a concern for the various creatures that inhabit them, but also for people and animals who live on the lands which border them, since they protect coastlines by reducing wave intensity during hurricanes and tropical storms

Fast Facts

1. Found in temperate and tropical waters
2. Range: 30 degrees on either side of the Equator
3. Many sunken ships have become coral reefs
4. Coral reefs began growing 50 million years ago
5. Require sunlight to grow
6. Australia's Great Barrier Reef is the world's largest coral reef