Great Barrier Reef

Great barrier Reef. is one, among the wonders of the natural world .  It is no doubt  that it is one of the jewels in the crown of Australia. It is situated off the shores of northeastern Australia, bordering the Queensland coastline from Bamaga to Bundaberg, Queensland. It supports a wide diversity of life and was selected as a World Heritage Site in 1981.

Great Barrier Reef - aerial view
Credit: National Geographic

The Great Barrier Reef is the world's largest coral reef system.This is the world's most extensive stretch of coral reef and the only living thing visible from space. It makes up  more than  2,900  coral reefs of all shapes and sizes with colourful corals, sponges, anemones and worms. Many species of tropical fish, birds, mammals and reptiles are also found here. The warm water in the South-West Pacific Ocean keeps its temperatures optimum for supporting reef life. Coral polyps are the tiny organisms which compose and build the reef structure.The species diversity and complex interactions that characterize the wildlife of the Great Barrier Reef reflect a mature ecosystem.

The underwater structures, called Coral reefs, are made from calcium carbonate which the corals secrete. Coral reefs are colonies of tiny living animals found in marine waters containing few nutrients. Most coral reefs are built from stony corals.

Reefs can increase in diameter by 1 to 3 cm/year, and grow vertically anywhere from 1 to 25 cm per year; however, they grow only above a depth of 150 m due to their need for sunlight. They cannot grow above sea level. After the Coral Sea Basin formed, coral reefs began to grow in the Basin.



The reef is a very popular destination for tourists, especially in the Whitsunday Islands and Cairns regions. A large part of the reef is protected by the Great Barrier Reef Marine Park, which keeps a check on human activities like fishing and tourism.

Sadly, pollution, climate change and outbreaks of the crown-of-thorns starfish are all threats to this fragile ecosystem. According to a study published on 1 October 2012 by the Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences, the Great Barrier reef has lost more than half its coral cover since 1985.