The Great Barrier Reef can be described as a majestic, magnificent and natural wonder from both above and below. When speaking of above, many people might not be aware that this reef can be seen from space. That is correct. The Great Barrier Reef is unbelievably so enormous that it prides itself as the only living object that one is able to see from space, making it be one of the seven natural world’s wonders. Indeed, it is even larger when compared to China’s Great Wall. For an area this large, it is most likely to possess all the treasures that you have never dreamed of. It is only advisable that if you would want to see this massive wonder, you visit the natural masterpiece itself and have a pleasant look for yourself.
Many people ask how immense this reef is. The Great Barrier Reef is nearly 65 kilometers wide in some areas and extends between 15-150 kilometers offshore. The marine park straddles nearly parallel to Queensland Coast and is above 3000 kilometers in length. This location is enormous; it is the most ideal place for a family day out.
Do not be amazed by what a colossal reef like Great Barrier Reef holds. It contains just all that a visitor or spectator would love to see. The reef system itself contains over 3,000 other individual reef systems, and coral cays that are attached to it. This makes it entirely the biggest reef system in the entire world. Additionally, the wonderland hosts numerous tropical islands having some of the most favorite beaches in the whole world!
Then you might be possibly mulling over what type of marine life that exist in this giant and magnificent location of the world. This reef has above 400 types of coral, coral sponges, mollusks, above 1,500 varieties of dolphins, tropical fish, rays and over 200 different types of birds, roughly 20 varieties of reptiles and 120 years old giant claims. Certainly, the place is attractively fabulous, every dream of a diver! To make matters even more remarkable, the Barrier Reef is a renowned breeding location of humpback whales, which migrate from the Antarctica. Additionally, there exist endangered species that call this place their natural home like the Dugong, or the Sea Cow, and Green Sea Turtle.
However, concerted efforts should be put in place to ensure that this word’s wonder does not lose its allure. There are numerous threats that have been weighing down this marvelous system that might push to its demise like:
• Coral Bleaching: Corals depend on water temperatures to grow, and they get easily ruffled by excessive warming. When there is unsteady vacillation that causes the sea temperatures to increase, the corals’ algae will die. This is called “bleaching.” The corals are versatile enough and can recover from a brief period of bleaching. However, when this goes on for a long time, then the Great Barrier Reef will be under serious threat.
• The other threats it faces are overfishing and receding supply of water. Harvesting a large amount of fish interferes with its ecosystem and will inevitably lead to its demise, while chemically treated and polluted, treated soils from adjacent areas and farm may be swept along by rivers and hurled toward the reefs.