from space the east coast of Australia appears to be in the embrace of a giant
appears to be in the embrace of a giant
appears to be in the embrace of a giant opal the largest living structure on
opal the largest living structure on
opal the largest living structure on earth the Great Barrier Reef is a lacy
earth the Great Barrier Reef is a lacy
earth the Great Barrier Reef is a lacy living wall spanning more than 2,000
living wall spanning more than 2,000
living wall spanning more than 2,000 kilometres of islands and submerged
kilometres of islands and submerged
kilometres of islands and submerged reefs between the Queensland coast and
reefs between the Queensland coast and
reefs between the Queensland coast and the western edge of the Pacific Ocean
the western edge of the Pacific Ocean
the western edge of the Pacific Ocean diving in the opal seems to splinter
diving in the opal seems to splinter
diving in the opal seems to splinter into millions of pieces whirlpools of
into millions of pieces whirlpools of
into millions of pieces whirlpools of small metallic bluefish Barracuda
small metallic bluefish Barracuda
small metallic bluefish Barracuda gliding like silver submarines
gliding like silver submarines
gliding like silver submarines occasionally alone predatory shark
the Great Barrier Reef is like an
the Great Barrier Reef is like an underwater city whose buildings are
underwater city whose buildings are
underwater city whose buildings are alive with millions of small creatures
alive with millions of small creatures
alive with millions of small creatures whose lives are intimately and
whose lives are intimately and
whose lives are intimately and intricately connected
it is as diverse as a rainforest a
it is as diverse as a rainforest a mosaic of more than 70 types of habitats
mosaic of more than 70 types of habitats
mosaic of more than 70 types of habitats hosting thousands of species of marine
hosting thousands of species of marine
hosting thousands of species of marine life as many as a hundred different
life as many as a hundred different
life as many as a hundred different kinds of Carl may occupy a single acre
kinds of Carl may occupy a single acre
kinds of Carl may occupy a single acre of ocean
molecule by molecule Carl animals
molecule by molecule Carl animals gradually extract calcium carbonate from
gradually extract calcium carbonate from
gradually extract calcium carbonate from the surrounding water to form my newts
the surrounding water to form my newts
the surrounding water to form my newts tawny cups around each animal soft crown
tawny cups around each animal soft crown
tawny cups around each animal soft crown of tentacles some corals live in
of tentacles some corals live in
of tentacles some corals live in solitary splendor but most are built
solitary splendor but most are built
solitary splendor but most are built with hundreds sometimes thousands of
with hundreds sometimes thousands of
with hundreds sometimes thousands of individual animals linked together to
individual animals linked together to
individual animals linked together to form a single coral mound plate or
form a single coral mound plate or
form a single coral mound plate or cluster of branches some are like little
cluster of branches some are like little
cluster of branches some are like little trees and shrubs they provide food and
trees and shrubs they provide food and
trees and shrubs they provide food and shelter for thousands of other forms of
shelter for thousands of other forms of
shelter for thousands of other forms of life
life
life Carl’s get the credit for most of the
Carl’s get the credit for most of the
Carl’s get the credit for most of the reef structure but much of the
reef structure but much of the
reef structure but much of the construction is done by fast-growing
construction is done by fast-growing
construction is done by fast-growing encrusting red algae they act like pink
encrusting red algae they act like pink
encrusting red algae they act like pink glue cementing fragments of shale sand
glue cementing fragments of shale sand
glue cementing fragments of shale sand and coral with sheets of calcium
and coral with sheets of calcium
and coral with sheets of calcium carbonate
the reef is home to more than 4,000
the reef is home to more than 4,000 kinds of mollusks from tiny sea slugs
kinds of mollusks from tiny sea slugs
kinds of mollusks from tiny sea slugs neuter banks to giant clams
these intervals travel thousands of
these intervals travel thousands of miles in the open sea to reach the sandy
miles in the open sea to reach the sandy
miles in the open sea to reach the sandy beaches of some of the Barrier Reef’s
beaches of some of the Barrier Reef’s
beaches of some of the Barrier Reef’s Islands and there to lay their eggs
hatchlings hit straight for the scene
hatchlings hit straight for the scene they will travel thousands of miles over
they will travel thousands of miles over
they will travel thousands of miles over the years and eventually return to lay
the years and eventually return to lay
the years and eventually return to lay her own eggs established as a national
her own eggs established as a national
her own eggs established as a national park in 1975 the Great Barrier Reef was
park in 1975 the Great Barrier Reef was
park in 1975 the Great Barrier Reef was designated as a World Heritage Site
designated as a World Heritage Site
designated as a World Heritage Site six years later today about 33% of it is
six years later today about 33% of it is
six years later today about 33% of it is fully protected from fishing and other
fully protected from fishing and other
fully protected from fishing and other extractive activities and efforts are
extractive activities and efforts are
extractive activities and efforts are underway to deal with pollution
underway to deal with pollution
underway to deal with pollution overfishing and the consequences of
overfishing and the consequences of
overfishing and the consequences of climate change the Great Barrier Reef
climate change the Great Barrier Reef
climate change the Great Barrier Reef appears to be about 20,000 years old but
appears to be about 20,000 years old but
appears to be about 20,000 years old but geologists using deep coring techniques
geologists using deep coring techniques
geologists using deep coring techniques found evidence of ancient carl’s there
found evidence of ancient carl’s there
found evidence of ancient carl’s there are half a million years old
are half a million years old
are half a million years old CAIR future of Australia’s living
CAIR future of Australia’s living
CAIR future of Australia’s living treasure the Great Barrier Reef will be
treasure the Great Barrier Reef will be
treasure the Great Barrier Reef will be at least as enduring as its magnificent
at least as enduring as its magnificent
at least as enduring as its magnificent past
past
past you
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