ABOUT

You might look at a coral reef and think you’re looking at a bunch of rocks. Or maybe you’d
think that they are really colorful plants. It may surprise you to know that coral are not rocks or plants,
but animals! Really! They’re related to animals like jellyfish and sea sponges. And these little creatures
are the powerhouse of the ocean. Even though coral only covers about 2% of all of the ocean, 25% of all
ocean life depend on coral for their own survival – as a place to hide, get food, and have shelter. There
are over 100 different types of coral, some can be hard and some can be soft. When coral grow
together into a reef formation, some can be so large they can be seen from space!

IN TROUBLE

Coral reefs are in trouble. There’s no question about it and scientists are worried not
only for the coral but for all the animals and plants that depend on coral to live. Climate change is
making the ocean waters warm up and when the temperature rises, the algae that lives on the coral and
that the coral depend on for food, die. Scientists call this “coral bleaching” because loosing their algae
makes the coral turn very white. But it’s not just their pretty colors that the coral is losing when they
turn white, they are also losing their food source making it easier for them to get sick and starve. Did
you know that some of the sunscreens and body lotions you might be using can harm coral? When the
lotions wash off into the water, the chemicals can be dangerous to coral and other marine life. The
chemicals, for example, can hurt the growth of algae, the food coral relies on. It can also hurt the coral
directly by accumulating in the coral’s tissue where it damages its DNA and can cause deformities in the
coral’s babies.

HOW TO HELP

We MUST take better care of our planet, especially our oceans. The climate is
changing too fast for plants and animals to adapt. We can each do our part to keep our oceans clean and
to have a smaller carbon footprint by doing things like recycling and walking or biking to school instead
of using cars. We can plant trees and avoid using chemical treatments on our lawns. When you are at
home, do your best to save energy – turn off the lights to rooms that you are not in and don’t let the
water run unless you are using it. We can also be sure to buy only sunscreens and lotions that are made
chemical-free so that even if it washes off while you are swimming, it won’t hurt coral and other marine
life. Coral reefs are too important for our world. We should do everything we can to save them.