The Great Barrier Reef

During my stay in Australia, I also had the time to do some scuba-diving at the Great Barrier Reef.

This reef is about 2,300km long; with an surface area of 344,400km²; and with an average depth of 35 metres (even if it can go down to 2,000m). It consists of more than 3,000 reefs and is also the only living organic structure that can be seen from the Earth's orbit. Scientist think it has been created 18 million years ago. It is located in the Coral See, off the coast of Queensland. The Great Barrier Reef is considered as one of the wonders of the natural world : it's the world's largest coral reef ecosystem. In 1981 the area was declared a World Heritage zone and was added, later on, to the National Heritage List, in 2007. The World Heritage Area hosts many habitats and native environments where animals and plants naturally live.

    1. The Habitat

The reef is scattered with beautiful islands and idyllic coral which make up the various reefs and cays, and which are at the basis of the great variety of sea and animal life of the Barrier. 

The Great Barrier Reef area abounds with wildlife, including jellyfishes and green turtles, varieties of dolphins and whales, more than 1500 species of fishes, 4000 types of molluscs and more than 200 species of birds. This living organic structure also contains about 30 shipwrecks.

    2. Tourism

More than two million people visit the reef each year generating more than 2 billion of Australian dollars, making tourism a major earner for the north-eastern Australian economy. Tourists are carried to the reef system by more than 500 commercial vessels, and tourism is permitted through nearly the entire Park.

Most of the Reef is part of the Great Barrier Reef Marine Park and various parts of it are protected. For example, fishing is restricted in some areas and particular animals like whales, dolphins, green turtles are protected.

     3. Pollution

Human activity in the Reef areas has led to increased pollutants and the reef has suffered damage. Protecting the Reef is the responsibility of the Marine Park Authority. In 2003, the previous Australian Government in partnership with other industries developed the Reef Water Quality Protection Reef Plan as a combined effort to protect the Reef.

Different degrees of protection are provided for different habitats in the World Heritage Area. One of the main aims of the Reef Plan is to maintain biodiversity within the larger ecosystem of the Reef as well as within different habitats to help sustain the biodiversity of species and population levels.

If we keep going on this track, the Great Barrier Reef, known for its colourful corals and marine animals, will be totaly destroyed !!!