Interesting Great Barrier Reefs Facts and Its Importance

The Great Barrier Reef is regarded as one of the seven natural wonders of the Earth. It is one of the most diverse, iconic, and beautiful marine locations known to man. This wonder stretches from in the most northern part of Queensland down to the central coast of Bundaberg.

Truly, the great barrier reef is a breathtaking sight to behold, and it is home to thousands of marine species that seek refuge and shelter in these majestic coral regions. If you want to know more about interesting great barrier reef facts and their importance to our world, read further below!

5 Interesting Great Barrier Reefs Facts 

Without a doubt, the Great Barrier Reef is one of the best marine wonders on the planet. As mentioned, it is home to thousands of marine species on the planet. If you want to learn more interesting great barrier reef facts, check the list below. 

The Great Barrier is the largest reef system on the planet 

Stretching for up to 2,600 kilometers, the Great Barrier Reef is the longest and largest reef system on the planet. It contains almost 3,000 individual reefs along 900 islands! The great barrier reef's massive appearance can be seen from outer space! Yup, you read that right; that’s how massive they are.

Most diverse coral reef system

In case you wondered, the great barrier reef system is home to thousands of marine life. It shelters around 1,500 species of fish, 220 species of bird, and almost 3,000 species of mollusks! Furthermore, the great barrier reef is home to six of the seven types of marine turtles on the planet! 

It is even home to 30 species of whales, dolphins, and even dugongs! That’s why the great barrier reef is one of the best tourist attractions in the world, and there’s a lot of majestic creatures you get to encounter in a single day.

You Can be a Great Barrier Reef volunteer

Truly, the great barrier reef is a majestic work of nature, and visiting this UNESCO Heritage Site is a life-changing experience. However, many factors may affect these coral reef systems, and luckily, you can be a great barrier reef volunteer and help ensure its survival for the years to come! 

The experience of being a volunteer is a gratifying one. One day, you can swim with the turtles or ensure that tourists don’t leave any footprints, or in some cases, you can teach future guests the importance of preserving these coral reef systems!

The Great Barrier Reef is protected and preserved

Being selected as UNESCO World Heritage Site is the first part of protecting and preserving these massive coral reef systems for the future. The Australian Government prioritized the Great Barrier Reef's protection for countless years. 

Countless efforts have paved the way for the reef to thrive and flourish. It also provides thousands of jobs to various individuals. We have to thank various world organizations for keeping this world wonder protected and preserved for the next generation.

November is spawning season

Whenever the conditions are favorable, the Great Barrier Reef commences its annual coral spawning season. This incredible phenomenon usually takes place after the full moon and coral reproduction takes place. 

It is said that an entire colony of coral reefs can synchronize with each other and simultaneously release their genetic matter into the water, a scene that can easily remind you of a snowstorm. After this event, new coral reefs can form, and amazingly, it can only take one polyp to create a magnificent coral system!

Importance of the Great Barrier Reef

The Great Barrier Reef is not just a tourist attraction, and it serves its purpose from various living creatures such as marine life and humans. If you want to know the importance of a great barrier to us, read further down below.

They filter out the water

Almost all corals are filter feeders, thus, making the water around the crystal clear. If you ever wandered around coastal regions that have a good concentration of coral reefs, just look how clear the water is, clear of impurities that equal healthier water for marine life to easily thrive and flourish. 

Without these coral reef systems worldwide, it will leave our ocean with murky water, full of sediments and particles that make our water too cloudy.

Providing essential habitat for various marine species 

Providing habitat for thousands of marine species is the single most important reason why coral reefs are important. These marine species that coral reefs shelter into are human’s food sources. 

It is why coral reef systems are one of the most diverse habitats in the world, and it contains a lot of marine life. If coral bleaching happens now and then, there will be no shelter for these creatures, making it hard for us humans to find another food source.

It generates income

The Great Barrier Reef is a world heritage site, and this means millions of people are attracted and would want to visit the entire reef system. Whenever tourists come, it generates countless money and provides jobs for many of Australia’s people. 

The Great Barrier reef generates roughly around 6 billion dollars annually. If the great barrier reef is destroyed, it would be a catastrophic event not only for us humans but also for marine life. 

Conclusion

The Great Barrier Reef is truly one of the best tourist attractions in the world. Not only does it provide shelter for thousands of marine species, but it also provides jobs for thousands of people and boosts Australia’s economy. Coral reef systems are one of the most diverse ecosystems globally, and they should be protected and preserved for our children’s grandchildren to witness how majestic and breathtaking the scenery is. 

Finally, as an individual, you can do a lot of things to protect and preserve not only the great barrier reef but also all of the reefs in the world. You can either volunteer for various marine missions or educate the young ones on the importance of coral reefs to us. Coral reefs play a significant role in our lives, and they must be safeguarded for the next hundred years to come. 

Join us here at ATOLEA on our mission of preserving the marine life natural habitat; the Ocean. For every purchase you made from our Ocean-inspired jewelry, part of it goes to Ocean conservation charities.

So grab your best choice of Sea-inspired jewelry now and complete that summer vibe outfit now with a cause!