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