Fun facts
1.Over 25% of all sea life lives in coral reefs
2. Coral is not a plant it is actually a cluster of animals called polyps
3. The Coral polyps contain microscopic alage called zooxanthellae which provide lots of energy to the coral through photosynthesis
4. Coral reef plants and animals can be used to make medications to treat cancer, alzheimers disease, and other diseases.
5. Coral reefs are so valuable to fishing, tourism, and other industries that by just 1 kilometer of coral reef destruction means a loss of between $137,000- $1,200,000 over a 25 year period
6. Coral reefs act as a nursery for many large fish species before they are old enough to venture out into deeper waters
7. There are more types of fish living in two acres of coral reef than there are kinds of birds in North America
8. Coral reefs store Co2 and act as a large carbon sink for the world
By Nick Parker