THE GREAT BARRIER REEF

A LITTLE ABOUT IT

• The Great Barrier Reef is the world's largest coral reef system composed of over 2,900 individual reefs and 900 islands stretching for over 2,300 kilometres over an area of approximately 344,400 square kilometres.

TYPES OF FISH

• more than 1500 different types of tropical fish and other creatures. From the smallest kinds of bait fish up to some of the largest varieties of sharks on earth, the environment of the Great Barrier Reef is home to all kinds of sea creatures.

WHAT'S THE WATER LIKE

• The water temperature of the Great Barrier Reef varies between 22 degrees Celsius and 28 degrees Celsius or 71 to 82 degrees Fahrenheit, depending on the season and on how far north someone traveled.

HOW WAS IT FORMED

• The Great Barrier Reef was formed by nature. coral, sea creatures, etc.

WHO FOUND THE GREAT BARRIER REEF

• Lieutenant James Cook discovered the Great Barrier Reef in 1770. He found it accidentally when his ship ran around on the reef while he was charting the eastern coast of Australia. His ship, the Endeavour, managed to stay afloat for another week while the crew sought desperately for land. Cook is not the one who named it. Matthew Flinders named the Great Barrier Reef during his circumnavigation of the continent in 1801-1802.

CAN YOU SEE THE REEF FROM SPACE

• Yes, It is reported to be the only living thing visible from space without a telescope. It can be seen from the International Space Station and the Space Shuttle.

WHAT IS CORAL BLEACHING

• The loss of color or the loss of algal pigmentation.