The Great Barrier Reef
- The Great Barrier Reef is the largest coral reef system in the world.
-It is found in the Coral Sea, off the coast of Queensland, Australia.
-The Great Barrier Reef is the world’s largest living structure.
-It is made up of around 2900 individual reefs and 900 islands.
-The Great Barrier Reef is around 2600 kilometres (1616 miles) in length.
-Astronauts can see the Great Barrier Reef from space.
-Marine animals called coral play an important role in the formation of the Great Barrier Reef.
-Coral create calcium carbonate which forms a hard, shell-like skeleton.
-The Great Barrier Reef is home to a wide range of life, including fish, sea turtles, giant clam, seahorse, sea snakes, nudibranch, sea turtles, stingray, sharks and many more.
-Over 1500 different species of fish live in the Great Barrier Reef, including clownfish, star of the animated film Finding Nemo.
-Whales, dolphins and dugong can also be seen in the Great Barrier Reef.
-Climate change is perhaps the biggest threat to the Great Barrier Reef.
-Warmer ocean temperatures put stress on coral and lead to coral bleaching.
-The Great Barrier Reef is a popular tourist destination with around 2 million visitors every year.
Before and after bleaching pictures of the reef.