1. The Amazing Underwater City… A coral life!
By Iona Wilson

2. How does a coral reef grow?
A coral reef needs sunlight to grow, that is why they hardly ever grow in waters deeper than 45 feet.
They also are more likely to be found in tropical oceans, as the water is clearer and warmer.

3. Facts...
Any reef that is called a “barrier” reef gets its name because its presence protects the shallow waters along the shore from the open sea. That protection promotes the survival of many types of sea plant and animal life.

4. More facts… .
The hard shell you see when coral is removed from water is the hard shell of an animal called a polyp. It is the cluster of polyps growing together that gives reefs their shape.
Reefs that are noticeable in size, like the Great Barrier Reef in Australia, are between 5 and 10,000 years old.

5. More facts… .
The Great Barrier Reef is actually made up of 900 smaller reefs.
The Great Barrier Reef covers 2,600 miles. It also crosses over 500 islands and is one of the most visited reefs in the world.

6. Still more facts...
Corals are among the most important animals of the ocean. The living part of a coral is made up of tiny creatures called polyps, which are relatives of the sea anemones. Polyps often live in large colonies, snatching food from the water with their tentacles.

7. And the last facts…
Coral polyps protect themselves by building hard cases or tubes out of minerals. Over millions of years, these cases form giant coral reefs, which provide homes to enormous number of other sea creatures.

8. Where can you find coral reefs?
Coral reefs can be found anywhere in the world. Even in the seas of Ireland.

9. Animals Some of the animals in the coral reef include: Sharks
Fish (Clown fish, Parrotfish, Scorpionfish, starfish, Jellyfish.)
Eels
Crabs
Shrimps
Turtles

10. Surprise! More facts…
Warmer water temperatures can result in coral bleaching. When water is to warm, corals will expel the algae living in their tissues causing the coral to turn completely white. This is called coral bleaching.

11. Corals are magic, Pollution causes bleaching, Stop killing corals!
A coral reef haiku
Corals are magic, Pollution causes bleaching, Stop killing corals!

12. Bottlenose Dolphins
The bottlenose dolphin is one of the world’s best known dolphins. Dolphins are always playful. They like to jump up and turn and land in the water. They sometimes like coral reefs to scratch it’s back on.

13. Question… Which animal likes to scratch his back on the coral?
Bottlenose dolphins
Parrotfish
Eels
Shark

14. Question…
Which animal likes to scratch his back on the coral?
Bottlenose dolphins
Parrotfish
Eels
Shark
Answer: (a)

15. THANKS FOR WATCHING!!!
I hope you enjoyed it!! 