The Great Barrier Reef, one of Australia’s most astounding natural gifts!
Located in the Coral Sea, off the coast of Queensland, Australia, the Great Barrier Reef is blessed with the incredible beauty of the world’s largest collection of coral reefs, with 400 types of coral, 1,500 species of fish and 4,000 types of mollusc. The entire coral reef ecosystem was proclaimed as World Heritage in 1981, covering an area of 348,000 km2. It is the world's biggest single structure made by living organisms and is even visible from outer space.
Sadly, in 2016, roughly 30 % of the corals on the Great Barrier Reef have died due to climate change resulting in rising sea temperatures. As per a new aerial survey, it has been found that 95 % of the reef's northern section is now affected by coral bleaching - a phenomenon that can lead to the widespread die-off of coral life. But corals can recover from bleaching if certain conditions are returned to normal.