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Coral under threat
Though the threatened corals of the world are themselves living creatures, together in reefs they build they offer home, food, sanctuary and protection to many other marine creatures. These include fish, turtles, molluscs, sea snakes, algae, sea grass, as well as sea birds and mammals. Losing the coral reefs would mean losing so much more. More than 25% of all life in the oceans of the world looks on the coral reef as home and yet the corals themselves take up take up only about 1% of the seas.
The coral reefs of the world are the rainforests of the ocean. As we destroy the forests on land we have now started the destruction of those within the sea. We know that the corals are important to us and our planet but we have not even begun to gauge how much this may be.
Most people when they think of coral, think of reefs and usually the Great Barrier Reef, one of the natural wonders of the world. Others are familiar with lumps of brain coral used as door stops or branched corals presented as decoration. Red and black coral are popular with some in jewelry.
Coral is much more than that. Coral is a potentional source of cures to disease. Coral is a barometer by which we can gauge the health of our planet.
What is Coral?
What are corals? - Corals are not plants. Corals are animals, living animals known as polyps which secrete the carbonate calcium structures which are the homes in which they live. This home is the skeleton of the animal and, living in colonies these tend to develop over time into large and diverse structures.
From the protection of their home the corals reach out with miniscule tentacles to catch and feed upon plankton and other tiny sea creatures. Most corals live in a symbiotic relationship with algae.
World Coral Reef Distribution
The corals today are under threat from pollution. We tend to use the vast oceans as a garbage dump for what we cannot dispose on land. The chemical changes within the sea are too much for many of these minute organisms to tolerate. Global warming too. Temperature dependent living creatures cannot thrive or survive when nature moves out of balance.
Corals are destroyed by fishing nets, by dynamite fishing, by boat damage and exploitation.
Mankind in its selfishness and greed cannot even give protection to just 1% of the sea. What hope is there for the rest of the oceans...the planet?
Coral Gardening
Coldwater Coral Reef Distribution
25% of all coral reefs have disappeared.
Mosaic Coral
Fable - Coral was believed to protect from lightning and hurricanes.
Bubble Coral
In ancient times coral was believed to be a cure for sterility.
Elkhorn Coral
Coral used to be presented by Italian men as an engagement gift.
Pillar Coral
Coral is one of the seven treasures mentioned in Budhhist scriptures
Fan Coral
Coral is mentioned in the Bible (Job 28:18) - "Coral and jasper are not worthy of mention; the price of wisdom is beyond rubies."
Colt Coral
Coral is mentioned in the Koran (al-Rahmaan 55:58) - "(In beauty) they are like rubies and coral"
Pillar coral (Dendogyra cylindrus) - Closeup
If properly managed one square kilometre of coral reef can produce 15 tonnes of seafood annually.
Brain Coral
In excess of 450 million people are living within 60 kilometres of a coral reef. Most of these will be directly or indirectly deriving food and income from them.
Torch Coral
Corals are slow growing. Depending on species it will be as little as half an inch to several inches in a year.
Coral
The Great Barrier Reef can be seen from Outer Space.
Flower Soft Coral (Xeniidae) Close up
Coral can grow within a human cut if the injury is not cleaned properly.
Moon Coral
Coral can catch Herpes.
Hard Coral (Dendrophyllia gracilis)
Coral was used as jewelry as long as 6000 BC.
Pink Fan Coral
Greek legend tells that red coral gets its colour from the blood of the slain Medusa.
Soft Coral (Dendronephthya)
Coral calcium is used as a supplement for healthy bones and teeth.
Hard Coral
Living Coral is becoming increasingly popular as a marine aquarium exhibit.
Tube Coral
In the jewelry industry Coral is looked upon as an organic gemstone.
Soft Coral (Dendronephthya)
Coral in jewelry comes in a variety of colours. red, black, blue, golden and pink being favourites.
Soft Coral (Sinularia)
In spite of its sturdy appearance, coral is very fragile.
Mushroom Coral
Corals can live from three months to thirty years depending on the species.
Soft Coral (Dendronephthya)
Coral
Coral polyps are one of the smallest animals in the world.