5A coral reef needs sunlight to grow, which is why they hardly ever grow in waters deeper than 45 feet. They also are more likely to be found in tropical oceans as the water is clearer and warmer.
6 There are three types of reefs. There are barrier reefs, fringing reefs and atolls. The last is often called an island when it is really a reef.
7Reefs that are noticeable in size, like the Great Barrier Reef in Australia, are between 5 and 10,000 years old.
8A coral reef isn’t a “thing,” it’s actually a community of life that lives and thrives in one location. What we think of as the base of the reef (and what we see when it is dry and removed from the water) is only one small aspect of a living reef.
9 It is illegal to damage or sell coral. Coral species may be protected under international, domestic or even state environmental laws.
10 Reefs are where many fish and sea creatures choose to spawn. The protected environment of the reef means their eggs will be safe from predators.