Epic Proportions
The Great Barrier Reef is the largest coral reef system in the entire world. It is composed of 2,900 individual reefs and 900 islands. In addition to this, the reef system is bigger than most states of the US, with an area of 134.000 square miles. In fact, it is so big that it can be seen from space!
Rich Ecosystem
The 25 million years old reef system is home of over 1,500 spacies of fish, 215 species of birds, 30 species of dolphins and whales, and many more aquatic organisms. To put in perspective, there are more species of fish in the Great Reef than there are birds in all of North America. However, some starfish are not as welcomed. Turns out, the natural predator of these starfish is being fished by humans leading to overpopulation of the starfish. For this reason, the Australian government invested in a project that aims to restore balance in the reef. Keep in mind that The Great Barrier Reef contains one of the most diverse ecosystems in the world.
