The Great Barrier Reef is the biggest coral reef on Earth. It stretches over 1,400 miles along the coast of Australia. It is so big that astronauts can even see it from space! Coral reefs are made by tiny animals called coral polyps. Millions of them build hard skeletons that stack up over thousands of years.
The reef is home to over 1,500 kinds of fish, 400 types of coral, and six species of sea turtles. You can also find clownfish hiding in sea anemones, giant clams as big as a bathtub, and humpback whales that visit every year.
- Scientists work hard to protect the reef because warming ocean water can hurt the coral.
- Healthy coral is bright and colorful, but sick coral turns white.
- The Great Barrier Reef is made up of almost 3,000 smaller reefs all connected together!
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