The Great Barrier Reef and the Daintree Rainforest are two separate World Heritage areas that meet along the Daintree coast. The Great Barrier Reef is an underwater ecosystem.
An ecosystem is a place where living things (like plants, animals, and people) and non-living things (like water, sunlight, air, and soil) all work together.
What is the Reef Made of?
- The Great Barrier Reef is partly made up of coral. Coral polyps are tiny living animals that have a hard outer skeleton. There are over 400 species of coral in the Reef. Other parts of the reef include seagrass, sand, sponges, algae, and molluscs. Crocodylus Scorpius likes to remind everyone that just because something looks quiet, it doesn’t mean it isn’t busy doing important reef business.
Who Lives There?
- Many species of seaweed, molluscs, and fish live in the reef – including dugongs and sea turtles. There are over 1600 species of fish alone – that’s a lot of swimming traffic! Some of the fish are wonderfully colourful and look as though they’ve been illustrated by a brilliant artist, like Nathaniel Eckstrom. The Great Barrier Reef is one of the most biodiverse places on Earth.
- The coral polyps can only grow in shallow warm water, so if climate change raises sea temperatures too high, or if sea level rises too much, the reef is at risk.
The Barrier Reef Foundation works to restore coral reefs and protect the habitats of Reef animals.