CORAL REEF

WHAT IS A CORAL REEF?

• Complex tropical ecosystems
• They are made of limestone deposits made from living things
• They are like cities under the sea
• Coral are the most important reef builders
• Coral are animals without spines (invertebrates)

CHARACTERISTICS OF A CORAL REEF

• Found in clear tropical oceans
• Coral reefs need sunlight to survive
• They need temperatures between 20°-28°C
• Reefs usually grow in places with lots of waves
• Coral eat algae

REEFS AROUND THE WORLD

• Three types of reefs: fringing reefs, barrier reefs and atolls
• Fringing reefs are found along coastlines and islands, mostly Hawaii and Caribbean
• Barrier reefs are found farther offshore, mostly in the Indo-Pacific and Caribbean
• Atolls are made of many small coral islands with a central lagoon, mostly in the Indo-Pacific
• The biggest coral reef is the Great Barrier Reef off the coast of Australia

CORAL REEF ANIMALS

• Coral reefs are homes to many animals
• Coral reefs cover only 1% of the ocean floor
• They have more than 25% of sea life
• Most of them are coral
• Other animals are urchins, sponges, fish, rays, sharks, anemones and many more

PROTECTING CORAL REEFS

• Coral reefs are also living museums
• These important habitats are threatened by a range of human activities
• Water pollution, overfishing, disease and climate change threaten coral reefs
• We can still help protect these reefs by acting now