Habitats - The Great Barrier Reef

Great Barrier Reef

Imagine a place that is so large that it can be
seen from a spacecraft orbiting the earth!

The Great Barrier Reef stretches for more than 2000km along the north-east coast of Australia. Comprising more than 2900 reefs, some 940 islands and surrounding waters, the Great Barrier Reef is the largest natural feature on the earth.

Covering over 348 000 km², the Great Barrier Reef World Heritage Area (GBRWHA) was internationally recognised as being a unique area of outstanding value to humankind and a jewel in the crown of the world's natural wonders.

While the coral reefs initially made the Great Barrier Reef famous, the area also comprises:

mangrove estuaries
sandy and coral cays
continental islands
seagrass beds
algal & sponge 'gardens'
sandy or muddy seabed communities
continental slopes and deep ocean trenches

Hard corals
All Images courtesy of the Great Barrier
Reef Marine Park Authority

The Great Barrier Reef provides habitats for a wide variety of marine-based plants and animals. The Reef is home to approximately:

1500 species of fish
360 species of hard corals
one-third of the world's soft corals
4000 species of molluscs (eg. shells)
1500 species of sponge
800 species of echinoderms (starfish, sea urchins, etc)
500 species of seaweed
23 species of marine mammals
6 species of marine turtles, all listed as rare or threatened

Next - Pressure on the Great Barrier Reef

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Find out about:
	Introduction
	Pressure on the Great Barrier Reef
	Pressure on marine turtles, dugongs, seabirds
	What can I do to help protect the Great Barrier Reef?


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