The+Great+Barrier+Reef

  The Great Barrier Reef is in Australia, and is 1,616 miles along the Northeast coast. Great Barrier Reef extends all the way from the Fly River mouth to the northern tip of the state of Queensland. It is the largest coral reef system in the world, and covers 135,000 square miles. The Great Barrier Reef also covers 900 islands. It is the biggest single structure made by living organisms, and is visible from space. These facts make it one of the wonders of the world. The Great Barrier Reef reaches 160 miles offshore. The reef system is made up of at least 2,800 reefs. Global warming has geologist fearful of the future of this wonder. The Great Barrier Reef is home to millions of animals. In the Great Barrier Reef there are new fish species found every year and the total will keep rising. There are 350 species living in the Great Barrier Reef, 30 different types of whales, dolphins and porpoises. There are 6 species of turtles, 17 species of sea snakes, 5,000 species of mollusks and 1,500 identified species of fish. There are 20 look-alike butterfly fish species. Coral is actually a living marine organism. It is a carnivore related to jelly fish and sea anemones. Shallow depths in the Great Barrier Reef can be toxic to the coral because of sunlight. Some coral has special pigment to absorb the ultra violet rays. The Great Barrier Reef gets hit with a hurricane every 20 to 50 years. The coral in the Great Barrier Reef is getting bleached because of the water temperature. Global warming is contributing a big part in this. Global warming could destroy the reef. This would affect all of the species of animals living in the reef. They could become extinct. Without the animals and with the destruction of the coral, this wonder of the world is at risk to vanish.