Australia - The Great Barrier Reef

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The Great Barrier Reef 

What do you know?

Facts

*The Great Barrier Reef is the name given to the more than 3000 rainbow colored coral reefs that grow off Australia's east coast.

*In places, the reef is as much as one hundred miles wide.

*Although there are natural breaks in the reef, the Great Barrier Reef Marine Park maintains shipping lanes - wide cuts - through the reef so ships can get through.

Facts

* Fly to Cairns (18 hours from Amsterdam).

* Three hours from Sydney, three hours from Melbourne and two hours from Alice Springs.

* Temperature is always higher than 25 degrees.

Why is the Great Barrier Reef one of the natural wonders of the world?

The Great Barrier Reef is one of the natural wonders of the world. It is home to thousands of species of plants and animals. The reef itself provides food, pearls, treasure from shipwrecks, and tourism. It is of great interest to the scientific and medical communities of the world. Treatments for cancer, AIDS, asthma, arthritis, and other infections are being researched from organisms found in coral reefs.

What value does the reef offer to Australia's economy?

The reef is very important to Australia's economy. It provides food and jobs. 80% of the land along the reef supports agriculture - from fisheries to cattle grazing to crops. The reef protected beach offers white sand for lazing and sparking turquoise and aqua water for snorkeling, swimming, and surfing.

How is the reef being damaged?

The reef is in danger. Run-off from land based agriculture, urban development, and aquaculture have all done their part to damage the reef. Oil spills and normal pollution from private boats and thousands of commercial vessels have damaged it. Tourists have damaged it. Infestation and disease have damaged it. Rather than use the passageways provided, ships push their way through the reef to save time and money. Sections of the reef are already dead. Other sections are dying.

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Why is The Great Barrier Reef so special?

The Great Barrier Reef is one of the seven wonders of the natural world. It is the world's largest coral reef system and the only living structure seen from space. The coral reef is like a city of separate homes made by tiny sea creatures called coral polyps.

What happens when coral breaks?

In the middle of many underwater reefs, a Coral Cay forms above the surface. 1000's of pieces of dead coral get broken off the reef and get washed up onto shore. 

Why do most islands have grass and trees?

Birds visiting the coral islands drop plant seeds out of their feathers. As a result, most islands have grasses and trees growing on them. The birds come back and build nests in the trees and among the grass. There are 19 species of birds nesting on 78 islands and coral cays.

What is so special about turtle eggs?

If turtle eggs are laid in warm, dark sand the hatchlings are mainly female (girl) turtles. Cooler, lighter sand produces mainly male (boy) turtles.

Turtle eggs hatch after about 12 weeks but may take up to 2 days to climb to the surface of the sand.

Baby turtles swim out to sea and stay there for as long as 30 years until they are ready to breed. The females return to the island they were born to lay their eggs.

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