The Great Barrier Reef Australia's Natural World's Wonder

The Great Barrier Reef is located in the Coral Sea, off the coast of Queensland, in the continent of Australia. It is the World's Natural Wonder, the largest and longest coral reef system. The coral reef consists of 2,900 individual reefs and about 900 islands. The Great Barrier reef is unique and has a diverse range of marine ecological habitats. 

The Barrier Reef is considered to be special as it forms the most complex natural ecosystems in the world. There are about 400 types of coral, 4,000 types of molluscs and 1,500 species of fish.  The Great Barrier reef is the biggest single structure that is made by billions of living organisms. It was declared as a World Heritage Site in 1981. 

                                                      Cod Townsville-Great  Barrier Reef

The Great Barrier Reef is an incredible natural habitat for thousands of marine life. It is labelled as one of the seven natural wonders of the world and it can be seen from outer space. The spectacular coral reefs provide shelter for sea species and the islands are unspoilt and beautiful. Coral Reefs are made up of Calcium Carbonate structures from accumulated bodies of millions of individuals animals known as coral polyps. The Corals can live individually or in groups as large colonies. When the polyps die their skeletons become the coral reefs. 

The corals come in all shapes. sizes and colours, they may be hard or soft corals. Hard Corals are the stone corals that build the coral reefs. Hard Corals have smooth tentacles and they have exoskeleton to protect their sac-like bodies. Soft Corals are those which are fan-like and they are flexible and do not have a solid skeleton structure. They possess spike-like structures called the spicules. 

The Great Barrier Reef is an important part of culture and spirituality for a local group of people. They have been used by Aboriginal Australian and Torres Strait Islander people. The Coral Reef is a popular tourist destination for people across the world for its natural beauty and marine species world. The Great Barrier Reef is a habitat for thousands of varieties of plants and animals that exists in a symbiotic relationship with the coral reef systems.

                                                                   Fish- Coral 

Corals are colourful due to the presence of micro-organisms algae called zooxanthellae which exists in a symbiotic relationship inside the coral. The microbes give different colour shades that range from yellow to brown. The coral provides shelter for the algae and the algae produce glucose, glycerol, amino acids and share them with the coral.

The Great Barrier Reef is a wonderful underground garden that consists of vibrant colourful corals. The Barrier Reef is home to some of the most unique and magnificent species such as Blue Whales, sea turtles, Manta-Ray fish, Dugong or Sea Cows, Whale Shark, colourful small Clownfish, Mantis Shrimp, Humpback Whale, dolphins,  largest fish the Whale Shark, Giant Triton- giant sea snails, mammoth mollusc -Giant Clam, Blanket Octopus, Prawns, Sea slugs etc.

Marine species include unique creatures, corals,  echinoderms, jellyfish, octopus, molluscs, sea snakes, sponges, sea and shorebirds. The most dangerous animals, the Box jellyfish, the Blue-Ringed Octopus, Irukandji Jellyfish,  the Lionfish, Moray Eels, Needlefish, Sea Snakes, Stonefish, Cone Snails are also found in the  Great Barrier Reef. It can be very dangerous to swim in waters that are habitats for these dangerous creatures.  

                                                    

                                                                  Marine Blue- Great Barrier Reef

Due to the rising temperature, extensive fishing activities and pollution the coral reef is in danger today. Many of the species in the ocean are threatened like the Green Turtle which is a rare species and the Manta-Ray Fish with the largest brain to body ratio of any living fish. The Sea-Cow or Dugong a marine mammal is an endangered species due to hunting. 

The temperature rise and the man-made climatic conditions have resulted in coral bleaching. Just a one or two-degree change in water temperature results in coral bleaching. The loss of algae from the coral has damaged the coral draining them of their colours. The abnormal environmental variations make the corals eject algae and this leads to coral's death.