| Coral reefs around the world are under | | | | to survive - a narrow range of water |
| siege - FACT. Threats from over-fishing, | | | | temperatures, access to sunlight and low |
| urban coastal encroachment and rising | | | | pollution levels. |
| sea temperatures are destroying | | | | - More than 14 million hectares/35 |
| sensitive corals and devastating the | | | | million acres of coral reefs have been |
| marine life they support. | | | | destroyed by human activity - 10 percent |
| According to The United Nations, in the | | | | of the world's reefs have died during |
| last four years ten percent of the | | | | the last four years alone, a number that |
| world's reefs have died, and nearly a | | | | could rise to 20-30 percent by 2010 |
| quarter are sick and suffering. Think | | | | without immediate and decisive action to |
| about that for a second. More than half | | | | preserve and sustain those that are |
| of the living reefs are seriously | | | | left. |
| threatened, and scientists estimate that | | | | There are a number of reef threats one |
| if today's trends continue mankind will | | | | has to be aware of. These include the |
| cause the irreversible loss of reef | | | | following: |
| formations and related fish species | | | | - Global warming is perhaps the most |
| within 40 years. | | | | serious threat to healthy coral reefs. |
| Fortunately, there is a growing | | | | Scientists expect sea temperatures to |
| dedicated global effort to reversing | | | | rise several degrees in the next 20 |
| this decline and to finding new - and | | | | years. When water temperatures get too |
| sustainable - ways to manage the last of | | | | high, corals turn white or bleach and |
| Earth's remaining coral reefs. Here are | | | | eventually die. |
| some reef facts for you to consider: | | | | - More than 75 percent of the earth's |
| - Coral reefs are home to more than 25 | | | | people live in coastal areas, bringing |
| percent of all marine life - yet occupy | | | | to pristine coral reefs such threats as |
| less than one percent of the ocean | | | | over-fishing, pollution and direct |
| floors. | | | | physical damage. Asia's population is |
| - Coral reefs have been around 100 | | | | expected to double in the next 25 years |
| million years and are the largest living | | | | - the threat of further reef |
| structures on earth. Australia's Great | | | | over-exploitation grows as well. |
| Barrier Reef is more than 2,000 km long | | | | - Fishing with explosives, as in Burma |
| and can be seen from outer space. | | | | and Thailand, and poisons in Indonesia |
| - Scientists have found as many as 3,000 | | | | not only kills fish but reefs as well. |
| different species living on one reef in | | | | In the Philippines, about 180,000 kg of |
| Indonesia. | | | | cyanide is dumped into the ocean each |
| - Coral reefs protect shorelines from | | | | year, badly degrading local reefs. |
| erosion and storm damage. Without reefs, | | | | - Sedimentation caused by run-off from |
| many islands, in the Banda Sea for | | | | poorly planned and managed construction, |
| example, and low lying mainland would be | | | | logging or mining, muddy reef waters |
| underwater. | | | | with silt, cutting them off from the |
| - Coral reefs are a tremendous medical | | | | sunlight they need to survive. There are |
| resource, providing chemical compounds | | | | now no coastal reefs remaining in |
| used in antihistamines, antibiotics and | | | | Phuket. |
| other medications for illnesses ranging | | | | - Water pollution from sewage, oil and |
| from asthma to leukaemia and heart | | | | other chemicals can poison coral reefs. |
| disease. Indeed, more than half of all | | | | Ordinary rubbish dumped in the ocean can |
| new cancer drug research focuses on | | | | also kill coral reef life - plastic bags |
| marine organisms. | | | | have been found in the stomachs of reef |
| - More than 350 million people worldwide | | | | fish and turtles. Both these degrading |
| depend on corals for food and survival. | | | | activities are taking place in Phi Phi |
| - Corals are animals-not rocks or | | | | Islands. |
| plants-and they come in two types, hard | | | | - Coastal development, which involves |
| and soft. | | | | altering coastline habitats and the |
| - Some deep water corals grow very | | | | cutting of mangrove forests, also |
| slowly-as little as 30 cm in 1,000 | | | | threatens the ocean's fragile ecosystem. |
| years, while some shallow water corals | | | | The small group of Thailand Dugongs is |
| may grow up to 15 cm per year. | | | | under serious threat at Koh Turatao due |
| - Corals need very specific conditions | | | | to this very problem. |