This is a picture of a coral reef family.

Animal Description: Small Sedentary marine animal Skelton is made of horny or calcareous material. Skelton itself is also called the coral. Corals form colonies by budding there are some solitary corals. Each type of the coral babies are called polyps. (above) This is a picture of what corals looks like. (left) This is a picture of the inside of a coral’s body. (below) This is picture of what the coral looks like.

What they eat: Corals for the most part are carnivorous. They feed mostly on small animals. Zooplankton is what they essentially eat. Zooplankton is a type of diminutive animal. The coral’s diet contains Copepods, polychrates, chaetognaths, and larvae which they all are a type of zooplankton. Those are the four common types of zooplankton in the coral’s diet. 8.5 of this food emerges within the reefs In the evening and at night. Coral’s are always eating, they eat microscopic foods. (right) Picture of the tiny tentacles that they use to eat.

Coral reefs are located between 20 degrees N and 20 degrees S of the equator. Coral is located in the Red Sea, the Indo-pacific, and the Western Atlantic. The Indo-pacific region starts at Southeast Asia to Polvnesia and to Australia, east across the Indian Ocean to Africa. The Western Atlantic ocean starts at Florida to Brazil, Bermuda, the Bahamas, the Caribbean, and the Gulf Mexico. The Red Sea is located between Africa and Saudi Arabia.

This amazing animal grows in tropical warm and temperate climate. More than 200 corals are found in the Great Barrier Reef in Australia. They are found in most abound and warm, shallow-water species the polyps contains unicellular plant, which may provide the high oxygen concentration required by such corals. Corals also live in tropical water. Like in Australia, which is by tropical waters. They are also found in the cold but in greater depths.

Why are they Endangered : Coral Reefs are in danger for two reasons. The first reason is because of global warming. Global warming is affecting corals because the water starts to rise. As you know corals live in shallow water. Which doesn’t help corals because coral loses their zooxanthellae that gives it its nutrients and colors. “The coral begins to starve and turn white, a phenomenon called coral bleaching.” If the water rises that also cause coral to loose the zooxanthellae. Also Crown of Thorns which are starfish (bigger then normal starfish) eat coral as their diet. Crown of Thorns eat coral faster then they can grow. Above is a picture of the Crown of Thorns. Left is a picture of the coral the coral in shallow water.

 500 million people rely on coral reefs for their food and lives.  Corals are among the ancient ecosystems on earth.  “Without the existence of coral reefs, part of Florida would be underwater.  “ It is estimated that coral reefs provide $375 billion per year around the world in goods and services.  “ If the present rate of destruction, continues, 70% of the world’s coral reefs will be destroyed by the year 2050.

My Viewpoint Is: If we don’t take action now they will never be saved. If it gets too bad it will be harder to save them. If we take action now we can save them before it gets too hard. Also why don’t you just leave coral’s where they are and take crown of thorns it will be worth it. It might be a lot of work but we should do. Let’s take action now! This is a picture of the coral.

(The nature conservancy, Coral reef of the tropics fact about coral reefs, Monday February 2007) The Columbia encyclopedia, sixth edition 6mu... Coral, Saturday February mu Reefs in danger, The Danger to Reefs, Wednesday February 2007http:// Noaa, 25 thing you can do to save the coral, Monday March 2007http:// Coral reef conservation, /map.shtml Clickable reef “Hot” spots, Tuesday February 2007http://