| The world s largest coral reef is the Great | | | | Six species of sea turtle come to the reef to |
| Barrier Reef which composes of roughly 3000 | | | | breed Olive Ridley, Green Sea Turtle, |
| individual reefs and 900 islands. The reef is | | | | Hawksbill Turtle, Leatherback Sea Turtle, |
| located in the Coral Sea off the coast of | | | | Loggerhead Sea Turtle and Flat Back Turtles. |
| Queensland s in the northeast of Australia. | | | | Over 200 species of birds live on the Reef, |
| The Great Barrier Reef is one of the wonders | | | | including the Roseate Tern and White bellies |
| of the natural world it is the world s | | | | Sea Eagle. More than 1500 species of fish |
| largest coral reef ecosystem. It was declared | | | | live on the reef, including the, Red Bass, |
| a World Heritage in 1981. | | | | Clownfish, Red Throat Emperor, and several |
| | | | species of Snappers and Coral Trout. 400 |
| More than two million people visit the reef | | | | species of corals, both soft corals and hard |
| each year generating more than 2 billion | | | | coral are found on the reef. |
| Austailian Dollors in tourism dollars. Most | | | | |
| of the visitors come to go out on the reef. | | | | Due to its vast, warm clear waters and its |
| | | | accessibility from the floating guest |
| A scourge of the reef is bleaching where the | | | | facilities called live aboards, the reef is a |
| corals have died in large numbers. This | | | | very popular destination for the tourists, |
| phenomenon is not exclusive to Queensland s | | | | especially scuba divers. Many cities along |
| Great Barrier Reef, but has been observed on | | | | the Queensland coast offer boat trips to the |
| reefs throughout the world. It is thought the | | | | reef on a daily basis. Several continental |
| bleaching has been caused by rises in water | | | | islands have been turned into holiday |
| temperature, although the evidence is not | | | | resorts. |
| conclusive. | | | | |
| | | | Townsville and Cairns are the largest of |
| Another one of the dangers to the habitat is | | | | these coastal cities with populations of |
| the Crown of Thorns starfish. Since the 1960s | | | | approximately 150,000 each. Unlike most reef |
| the Crown of Thorns have been destroying the | | | | environments worldwide, the Reef is the only |
| corals which make up the reef. | | | | one where the water catchments area is a home |
| | | | to the industrialised urban areas and where |
| The Reef supports a diversity of life, 30 | | | | extensive areas of coastal lands and |
| species of whales, porpoises and dolphins, | | | | rangelands have been used for agricultural |
| have been recorded in the Great Barrier Reef. | | | | and pastoral purposes. |