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Caring for Coral | National Geographic


the waves of these as your seas hide an

the waves of these as your seas hide an abundant treasure below the waves coral

abundant treasure below the waves coral

abundant treasure below the waves coral reefs provide a habitat for teeming life

reefs provide a habitat for teeming life

reefs provide a habitat for teeming life alive with a kaleidoscope of color in

alive with a kaleidoscope of color in

alive with a kaleidoscope of color in oceans around the world clear and well

oceans around the world clear and well

oceans around the world clear and well circulating waters encourage corals to

circulating waters encourage corals to

circulating waters encourage corals to anchor and grow despite their plant or

anchor and grow despite their plant or

anchor and grow despite their plant or stone like appearance corals are

stone like appearance corals are

stone like appearance corals are actually animals they come in many

actually animals they come in many

actually animals they come in many colorful forms and textures starting as

colorful forms and textures starting as

colorful forms and textures starting as tiny cylindrical polyps just a couple of

tiny cylindrical polyps just a couple of

tiny cylindrical polyps just a couple of millimeters in diameter they grow about

millimeters in diameter they grow about

millimeters in diameter they grow about a half an inch a year and can become

a half an inch a year and can become

a half an inch a year and can become several feet in diameter

corals form reefs as successive

corals form reefs as successive generations build on the skeletal

generations build on the skeletal

generations build on the skeletal remains of older generations reefs can

remains of older generations reefs can

remains of older generations reefs can be hundreds of feet wide and stretch for

be hundreds of feet wide and stretch for

be hundreds of feet wide and stretch for miles the greatest collection of reefs

miles the greatest collection of reefs

miles the greatest collection of reefs is located off the northeast coast of

is located off the northeast coast of

is located off the northeast coast of Australia the Great Barrier Reef this

Australia the Great Barrier Reef this

Australia the Great Barrier Reef this collection of reefs encompasses 135

collection of reefs encompasses 135

collection of reefs encompasses 135 thousand square miles thousands of

thousand square miles thousands of

thousand square miles thousands of species of reef fish mollusks sea stars

species of reef fish mollusks sea stars

species of reef fish mollusks sea stars and other creatures inhabit coral reefs

and other creatures inhabit coral reefs

and other creatures inhabit coral reefs the reef system spiny grottoes offer

the reef system spiny grottoes offer

the reef system spiny grottoes offer refuge and feeding grounds for a variety

refuge and feeding grounds for a variety

refuge and feeding grounds for a variety of aquatic life in spring this Caribbean

of aquatic life in spring this Caribbean

of aquatic life in spring this Caribbean reef plays host to the frenetic mating

reef plays host to the frenetic mating

reef plays host to the frenetic mating of fish a male Yellowhead Jawfish is

of fish a male Yellowhead Jawfish is

of fish a male Yellowhead Jawfish is left alone to tend the fertilized eggs

left alone to tend the fertilized eggs

left alone to tend the fertilized eggs he carries in his mouth he spits them

he carries in his mouth he spits them

he carries in his mouth he spits them out from time to time in order to aerate

out from time to time in order to aerate

out from time to time in order to aerate them over the five-day gestation period

them over the five-day gestation period

them over the five-day gestation period in this aquatic community unusual

in this aquatic community unusual

in this aquatic community unusual relationships develop a cleaning station

relationships develop a cleaning station

relationships develop a cleaning station thrives around this coral head often

thrives around this coral head often

thrives around this coral head often patronized by the tiger grouper tiny

patronized by the tiger grouper tiny

patronized by the tiger grouper tiny gobies fearlessly entered the Tigers

gobies fearlessly entered the Tigers

gobies fearlessly entered the Tigers mouth to feed on dead tissue and

mouth to feed on dead tissue and

mouth to feed on dead tissue and parasites but just as the reef Foster’s

parasites but just as the reef Foster’s

parasites but just as the reef Foster’s life it can harbour danger lurking on

life it can harbour danger lurking on

life it can harbour danger lurking on the fringes of this Caribbean reef the

the fringes of this Caribbean reef the

the fringes of this Caribbean reef the Barracuda is a fierce predator equipped

Barracuda is a fierce predator equipped

Barracuda is a fierce predator equipped with razor-sharp teeth although they do

with razor-sharp teeth although they do

with razor-sharp teeth although they do hunt in groups sometimes adults branch

hunt in groups sometimes adults branch

hunt in groups sometimes adults branch off and prowl for food on their own

off and prowl for food on their own

off and prowl for food on their own this small ballyhoo fish is a mere snack

this small ballyhoo fish is a mere snack

this small ballyhoo fish is a mere snack for this hungry Barracuda coral reefs

for this hungry Barracuda coral reefs

for this hungry Barracuda coral reefs have been evolving for about five

have been evolving for about five

have been evolving for about five hundred million years but these days

hundred million years but these days

hundred million years but these days they are under threat global warming

they are under threat global warming

they are under threat global warming pollution and overfishing have

pollution and overfishing have

pollution and overfishing have contributed to their decline earnest

contributed to their decline earnest

contributed to their decline earnest efforts are underway to protect the

efforts are underway to protect the

efforts are underway to protect the world’s reefs and restore them

world’s reefs and restore them

world’s reefs and restore them artificial reefs created from sunken

artificial reefs created from sunken

artificial reefs created from sunken ships and other man-made objects have

ships and other man-made objects have

ships and other man-made objects have shown some short-term promise but man’s

shown some short-term promise but man’s

shown some short-term promise but man’s impact on the environment continues to

impact on the environment continues to

impact on the environment continues to make the future of coral reefs uncertain

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