by Sande Waybill

Created on: June 07, 2009   Last Updated: June 24, 2009

The Great Barrier Reef is situated off the Eastern coast of Queensland, Australia. It is known to be the world's biggest coral reef and there is much diversity appearing within its animal life. The reef itself is created from a mixture of circa 400 hard and soft coral varieties, around 60 seagrasses and sponges, and over 500 species of seaweed and algae. It runs along the Australian coast for almost 1500 miles and is comprised of almost 3000 individual reefs as well as around 600 islands. It is one of the few structures visible upon our planet from space.

Among the animal life on the Great Barrier Reef you will find approximately 1500 varieties of fish, 600 of echinoderms, 6 marine turtles, more than a hundred types of shark, pipefish, seahorses, and around 200 bird species. You will also find dolphins, whales, porpoises, and dugongs resident or vacationing in the waters situated over the reef. Some of these creatures are dangerous to humankind. Some of the local animals are currently listed as endangered species.

The coral itself is alive. Classed as polyps, these tiny animals have either six or a multiple of six tentacles if classed as hard coral and eight tentacles is soft. Minute algae reside in the flesh of multiple corals. When photosynthesizing, the algae transfers energy to the coral. The algae therefore has a need for light, necessitating its presence in shallow waters. This is why most of the Great Barrier Reef lies no more than sixty meters below the surface of the ocean.

Amongst the fish dwelling at the Great Barrier Reef, you will come across blue tuskfishes, red bass, yellow-faced angelfishes, coral trout, manta rays, cardinal fishes, anemone fishes, and mandarin fishes. The largest of the fish resident at the reef is the whale shark, which can measure up to 12 meters in length. Among the dangerous fish, you will find the box jellyfish that can issue a fatal sting. This is why special swimming areas are set up as 'stinger enclosures' to ensure the safety of humans wishing to enjoy the waters of the reef. The lionfish and stonefish are also present and can injure humans due to their spines. The lionfish can cause a painful wound, but punctures from the stonefish leads to great pain and possibly to death.

Among the sponge and echinoderm natives you will find the tubular sponge, sea urchin, yellow burrowing sponge, blue sea star, sea cucumber, thick yellow fan sponge, and brittle star. Giant clams are located in the Great Barrier Reef. These

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