Fun Fact 2/font> The Great Barrier Reef is one of the Seven Wonders of the Natural World as it is one of the greatest underwater experiences on Earth.
Fun Fact 3: The Great Barrier Reef is made up of billions of tiny, vivid corals. It is a massive living organism.
Fun Fact 4: The Great Barrier Reef is so huge that it is visible from Space. Its total area is approximately 334,400 square kilometres.
FFun Fact 5 There is over 400 different types of corals in the Great Barrier Reef; it is the world's largest collection of corals
Fun Fact 6/font> Each reef took thousands of years to form and is made up of coral polyps which are tiny organisms.
Fun Fact 7: Corals develop over time and grow to create distinctive shapes in the warm seas of the Great Barrier Reef.
FFun Fact 8 Corals form the most spectacular underwater experience; their arrays of colors are amazing. The colors of the coral are actually formed by the presence of algae which live on the surface.
Fun Fact 9/font> The Great Barrier Reef forms a natural marine ecosystem which is incredibly rich. An ecosystem can be described as a biological community of interacting organisms including plants and creatures which live, feed and reproduce within its environment.
Fun Fact 10: The Great Barrier Reef is an incredible formation which is dotted with beautiful islands surrounded by coral beaches with warm, azure waters.
Fun Fact 11: Despite this natural wonder being a massive tourist attraction which attracts visitors from around the world, the Great Barrier Reef is protected as it is one of the largest marine areas on earth.
Fun Fact 12: TThe exact age of the Great Barrier Reef is unknown; however, evidence suggests that some of the coral reefs may have existed 600,000 years ago! It is thought that formation of the present reefs began around 20,000 years ago.
Fun Fact 13/font> The Great Barrier Reef is home to all sorts of sea creatures and birds. There are more than 1,500 fish species, 20 reptiles, 200 bird species and 4,000 mollusc species. Mollusc can be described as an invertebrate such as slugs, snails, octopus and mussels.
Fun Fact 14: The species of fish living in the Australian Great Barrier Reef include Angelfish, Butterfly Fish, Cardinal Fish, Clown Fish, Cod, Damselfish, Gobies, Parrotfish, Sharks, Surgeonfish, Triggerfish, Trout, and Wrasse.
Fun Fact 15: TThe species of bird which are home to the Great Barrier Reef include types of seabirds, land birds and shorebirds. They are attracted by the endless supply of food available to them which mainly consists of fish and squid. Birds form a very important part of this rich ecosystem as their droppings provide fertilizer to plant life. |
