The Great Barrier Reef is a large collection of coral reefs located in eastern Australia in the Pacific Ocean. The wall is the largest collection of coral reefs in the world and in 1997 was included in the list of seven natural wonders of the world.
The complex, now known as the Great Barrier Reef, is 2,600 kilometers long and covers an area of about 344,400 square kilometers. It is the largest natural structure in the world, built by living things and home to a variety of marine life. Various species of fish, whales, dolphins and sea turtles live in this area. This is why the Great Barrier Reef is sometimes referred to as the ocean rainforest.
The Great Barrier Reef is larger than the total area of Tasmania and Victoria. It is also larger than the total area of the United Kingdom, the Netherlands and Switzerland. The wall is about half the size of Texas.
The formation of this great coral reef began 20,000 years ago; When sea levels off the coast of Australia began to rise after the last ice age. As glaciers began to melt and flow into the sea, coastal areas near northeastern Australia sank, causing the peaks to protrude from the sea and form islands. The area was so shallow and warm that it created favorable conditions for corals to grow on and around the islands. As the water deepened, the corals grew upward to expose the remaining parts of the rock water to light. These tiny coral reefs grew larger over time but never merged. As a result, the system is now made up of thousands of separate reefs and coral islands. There is also evidence that there are older reefs in the area that grew between cracks during the Early Ice Age. These reefs date back to 600,000 years ago.
There are more than 400 different species of coral in this rock. However, not all corals produce the outer ossification necessary for reef formation. Corals that have this capability have a different appearance. Brain coral is similar to a round mass that grows to a diameter of 1.8 meters and is called a brain coral because its tortuous grooves are similar to the twisting of brain tissue. Other types of corals, such as sieve horn corals, deer antler corals, etc., grow in different shapes with a deer-like appearance. Columnar corals grow like a collection of several columns or fingers up from the sea floor.
Coral reefs are a heaven for aquatic and marine animals. They occupy less than a thousandth of the ocean but provide habitat for a quarter of marine species. More than 1,500 species of fish live in the Great Barrier Reef alone. This number includes clownfish, angelfish and butterflyfish. Also, a significant number of poisonous marine animals such as box mermaids, sea snakes, blue ring octopuses, etc. live in this reef. The most characteristic and predatory marine species of this coral reef is the great white shark.
Thirty species of whales, dolphins and hogs have been recorded in the area. Six species of sea turtles select here for reproduction. 215 species of birds, including 22 species of seabirds and 32 species of coastal birds, travel to this rock or nest on its islands. 17 species of sea snakes and more than 1,500 species of fish live in the Great Barrier Reef.
The first humans to learn of the Great Barrier Reef were the natives, who for the past 40,000 years provided their food in the form of sea turtles and sea elephants (Dagongs). About 10,000 years ago, the natives of the Torres Strait Islanders moved to this area. Like other natives, they used wooden boats to hunt and move between coral islands. Hunting activities of these sea creatures were of special importance in the culture of these people, and these animals were valuable resources for them. For example, turtle shells were decorated or deformed and used as a comb or fishing hook. The first European to learn of the Great Barrier Reef was a French explorer named Louis de Bougainville. He arrived in the region during his voyage around the world in 1768.
In recent years, efforts by officials have focused on protecting the Great Barrier Reef from damage. In 1975, the Australian Government built the Great Barrier Reef Marine Park, which protected a large portion of the water system. In this area, fishing and harvesting of corals have special rules. Commercial traffic is limited to routes away from sensitive parts of the park. This park is a popular tourist destination, so the efforts of the managers and officials of this section are focused on ensuring that tourist activities do not harm the environment of this area.
Tourists can use glass-bottomed boats or even a helicopter to visit the coral reef. But the most common and popular way to visit it is diving. On average, two million people travel to the area each year. These trips generate billions of dollars for the economy of the region.
