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Why the
Great Barrier Reef is special
It stretches 2000 kilometers (1200 miles) in the Coral Sea along
Australia's northeastern coast - and supports 10,000 species
including 1500 types of fishes and 200 kinds of birds (which
live on the cays, atolls and islands dotting the Great Barrier
Reef).
The sheer beauty of the fish and coral waterscapes of the Great
Barrier Reef draws hundreds of thousands of tourists annually
who come to see the spectacle via diving, snorkeling and
glass-bottom boating.
More than just a "reef"
The name "Great Barrier Reef" is a misnomer. The entity is
really a collection of thousands of distinct coral reefs.
How this natural wonder evolved
Coral reefs like those of the Great Barrier Reef are formed by
marine animals called polyps. Their skeletal remains (gazillions
of them) slowly build up on top of each other over countless
millennia. The new polyps grow on the base of their ancestors
into splendiferous configurations.
Ecological concerns
The Great Barrier Reef is a complex and delicate eco-system.
Conservationists fear that the large influx of visitors and
their collateral effect on pollution are damaging the very
natural wonder that people come to celebrate.
What leading travel books say about the Great Barrier Reef
The diversity of life forms on the Great Barrier Reef is
extraordinary.
Australia
Eyewitness Guides
The Great Barrier Reef is an area of stunning natural beauty.
Great Barrier Reef
Lonely Planet Guides
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