The great Barrier Reef
The Great Barrier Reef is one of Australia’s most remarkable natural gifts. The Great Barrier Reef is the largest reef on the planet and Cairns is one of the only reefs where tropical rainforest meets the reef . The reef houses many species of fish and coral. The reef has hundreds of small islands with some of the most beautiful golden beaches. It is one of the ‘Seven wonders of the world’.
The reef has some amazing coral with bright colours and exotic shapes. Around 600 different types of corals can be found along the reef. There are two main types of coral, hard and soft coral. Hard coral acts as building blocks for the reef They form when colonies of coral polyps produce limestone skeletons to support themselves. Soft coral sway in the sea currents. Soft coral can be mistaken for plants.
Corals
Great Barrier Reef Animals and Marine Life
The reef has many marine biodiversity throughout the 2,000 km long reef. It's home to millions of life from, from micro-organisms to some of the world’s largest sea creatures on earth.The ecosystem of the reef consists of over 1800 species of fish, 125 types of shark, over 4000 species of molluscs, more than 10,000 of sponges types and 350 different kinds of coral. You cannot predict what marine life you will encounter at this special natural wonder.
Protecting our marine wonderland
The Great Barrier Reef was regarded as a protected beautiful wonderland. But scientists discovered more about the reef's problems. They discovered that poor fishing practices, drain water and other substances outlet population and coral bleaching by increasing sea temperatures caused by global warming.
