Here are 11 interesting facts about the Great Barrier Reef. The ships name was the HM Bark Endeavour. Not all corals will immediately die following this event, however they are left without their primary food supply and are therefore more at risk of starvation and disease. After all, the Great Barrier Reef is made up of coral reef systems. Facts about Barrier Reef 4: the risk . Stretching 2,300 kilometres along two-thirds of the Queensland coast, the Great Barrier Reef is enormous. The hard coral cover has been declining in recent years. Although it is known that the aboriginal Australians knew about the Reef, it was the great British explorer Captain James Cook who made the first recorded discovery. This underwater amazement of nature is also home to over 1,500 species of tropical fish and other sea creatures like reef sharks and sea turtles. With almost 3,000 individual reefs, 900 islands, and stretching … The Great Barrier Reef is an economic powerhouse, contributing more than $6.4 billion each year to the Australian economy and around 64,000 full-time jobs. The Great Barrier Reef is the largest coral reef ecosystem on earth, it represent 10% of of all the world’s coral reefs. Fact: The Great Barrier Reef has over 900 islands stretching for over 2,600 kilometres. Each zone has different rules outlining permitted activities and those that are prohibited. The Great Barrier is over 2000 kilometers long, and the area between the Reef and the mainland are almost twice the area of the British isles. That’s 16.5 times the size of Wales and the equivalent of 70 million football pitches. It was named a World Heritage Site in 1981. The Great Barrier Reef is a home for hundreds of species; fish and birds, crabs and prawns, sponges, worms, lobsters, crayfish, and many more spend their life circulating the Reef. Whilst it is cooler in the winter, the air and water temperatures are still pleasant and, most importantly, you’ll avoid a dreaded jellyfish encounter. When they absorb this carbon dioxide, the oceans actually undergo chemical changes and become more acidic. The breathtaking array of marine creatures includes 600 types of soft and hard corals, more than 100 species of jellyfish, 3000 varieties of molluscs, 500 species of worms, 1625 types of fish, 133 varieties of sharks and rays, and more than 30 species of whales and dolphins. The Great Barrier Reef is unique as it extends over 14 degrees of latitude, from shallow estuarine areas to deep oceanic waters. The algae absorb light from the sun and subsequently feed the coral. The Great Barrier Reef is the largest living thing on Earth and is visible from outer space! The Great Barrier Reef has seen millions of years come and go. It is found in the Coral Sea, off the coast of Queensland, Australia. Amazingly, it can take a single polyp to start a new reef! Two thirds of this are in-between is a giant shifting sandy desert, or lagoon, but that also has plenty of life. The Reef The Great Barrier Reef is Australia's unique living icon. The Great Barrier Reef is a mosaic of 2,900 individual reefs off the coast of Queensland in northeast Australia. It has been listed an important World Heritage Site by UNESCO.. Astronauts can see the Great Barrier Reef from space. But one can easily expand on this fact. We're marking another thing off our bucket list today: Exploring the Great Barrier Reef! It is the sea country home for the first Australians — more than 70 Traditional Owner groups — whose connections to the marine environment date back more than 60,000 years. One single coral polyp attaching itself to a rock is all it takes to start a coral reef. Some key facts about the Great Barrier Reef Marine Park: While it’s known mostly for its large maze of colourful reefs, its intricate architecture also provides a home for a huge number of animals and plants. The Great Barrier Reef is a World Heritage listed site characterised by extensive areas of mangrove, seagrass, seabeds of sand and mud, deep waters, and island communities. The Great Barrier Reef Facts For Kids Interesting Facts About The Great Barrier Reef Animal Facts For Kids , Geography Facts For Kids , Plants Facts For Kids We are a participant in the Amazon Services LLC Associates Program, an affiliate advertising program designed to provide a means for sites to earn advertising fees by advertising and linking to Amazon.com. Soon afterward survive with climate change being the main threat wonder that the Great Barrier Reef is largest! And soft coral species bucket list today: Exploring the Great Barrier Reef 3: Barrier! 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