Great Barrier Reef, Australia

Filmed from the International Space Station. The picture clearly shows that the Great Barrier Reef in Australia consists of three reefs. This is a natural miracle of nature.

Morocco

Rugged, bone-like terrain in Morocco. The picture was taken by an engineer from the ISS as it flew over the country.

Paris

Night view of Paris from above. A whole new meaning is given to the nickname "City of Light"!

Hubbard Glacier, Alaska

This photograph taken from Landsat 8 (a USGS satellite) shows the Hubbard Glacier thickening and growing. This is a rare occurrence given that most glaciers around the world are shrinking due to climate change.

Prince Edward Island, Canada

As the station flew over eastern North America, an ISS astronaut photographed the whirlpools forming in the Gulf of St. Lawrence off the coast of Prince Edward Island, Canada.

South Sandwich Islands

Masterpiece from NASA? Something like that. Satellite photographs show volcanic activity in the South Sandwich Islands. This is a group of uninhabited islands in the Atlantic Ocean.

Galapagos Islands

In the summer of 2015, a NASA satellite captured the eruption of the Wolf volcano. This highest volcano in the Galapagos Islands erupted for the first time in 33 years. The image shows areas covered with red lava. Solidified lava turns black.

Lake St. Clair

The Landsat 8 satellite captured the heart-shaped Lake St. Clair, which is in the Great Lakes system, during a strong algal bloom.

Bahamas

This series of tidal channels running between the islands is one of the most recognizable locations for astronauts aboard the ISS.

Gibraltar

Strait of Gibraltar at the tip of the Iberian Peninsula at night.

The Great Barrier Reef is the largest coral reef system in the world. It consists of 2900 individual reefs and 900 islands, stretching for about 2.5 thousand km over an area of ​​about 345 thousand square meters. km.

Its area is approximately equal to the area of ​​Germany. The reef is located in the Coral Sea, near the northeastern border of the mainland.

It is so huge that it can be seen even from space - this is the largest formation in the world created by living organisms.

Most of the reefs are hidden under water and are only visible at low tide. Some reefs eventually turned into coral islands, which amaze with their unique landscape and richness of fauna.

In 1979, UNESCO included the Great Barrier Reef, an area of ​​almost 5 million hectares, in the World Heritage List.

How did the Great Barrier Reef form?

8,000 years ago, there was a significant rise in the level of the World Ocean and all conditions were created so that the growth of the Great Barrier Reef began near the coast of Australia. But there is no officially confirmed age of the reef.

The Great Barrier Reef is a skeleton of hard corals: antlers, brain corals and mushroom corals. They can only grow in warm water. The water temperature at which corals can grow should not fall below + 18 degrees. The optimum water temperature for coral breeding is +25 degrees.
Affects coral life and water salinity. It ends at the Tropic of Capricorn, beyond which the water becomes colder; it did not spread further than the coast of New Guinea due to the fact that the salinity of the water near New Guinea is lower, since in that area the large Fly River and several other small rivers flow into the ocean.

Fauna of the Great Barrier Reef.

Corals make up only 10% of the underwater Great Barrier Reef National Park. A lot of sponges, anemones, crayfish, crabs, starfish, sea urchins live here. But the main decoration of the Great Barrier Reef is, of course, fish.

There are about 1500 species of marine fish here. However, about 500 species of them can be considered true reef fish, which are massively found here, and which are most adapted to life in the waters of the Great Barrier Reef.

And the main enemy of the barrier reef corals is the starfish. In a year, one such star can completely destroy all life on 6 square meters. m.

The Great Barrier Reef is also home to the largest fish on Earth - the whale shark.

Large sea turtles come to the islands of the Great Barrier Reef at night. The islands of the South Reef serve as a breeding ground for sea turtles, of which there are six species in the waters of the reef.

Tourists

The National Trust has called the Great Barrier Reef the hallmark of Queensland. Tourism is an important component of economic activity in the region, which brings in more than $3 billion annually.

Hotels have been built on large islands, infrastructure has been developed. These places are the embodiment of the idea of ​​“paradise on earth”: unique nature, excellent climate, surprisingly comfortable water and air temperature, snow-white sandy beaches, comfortable hotels and friendly staff. This is the perfect place for outdoor enthusiasts. You can, for example, rent snorkeling equipment and use the services of diving instructors. Boat trips on yachts and catamarans, fishing and all kinds of water sports will be an excellent pastime. No less entertainment on land: mini-golf, go-karting, visits to the park with exotic Australian animals, horseback riding and cycling. An airport has even been built on Hamilton Island. The small island of Bedarra will appeal to those who want to relax in silence and hide from prying eyes. No more than 32 people can rest here at the same time, because there are only 16 villas for guests. You can also settle for vacation in the resorts of Dunk, Brampton, Hatsman, Keppel, Khaimam, Heron, Magnetic, Orpheus, Green. But there are islands on the Great Barrier Reef that have never been set foot by a person.

Panorama of the Great Barrier Reef

Ecosystem of the Great Barrier Reef

It is almost impossible to describe the richness of the underwater world that can be found on the Great Barrier Reef!

The species diversity is amazing! More than 1,500 species of fish, 4,000 shellfish, more than 200 species of birds have found their home in the marine park...

The reef community of animals includes coelenterates (polyps, jellyfish), many species of molluscs (gastropods, bivalves, cephalopods, etc.), sea turtles, snakes, worms, echinoderms (sea urchins, stars, serpentine), bottom and free-swimming fish, as well as marine mammals (dolphins, dugongs).

All this whirlpool of life exists, obeying the strict laws of nature and natural selection, where everyone can be both a predator and a victim.

Sharks are also of genuine interest. The Great Barrier Reef is home to a wide variety of marine predators, which are the "orderlies of the coral garden." At the bottom, squatin, carpet, odd-toothed, collar and other types of bottom sharks get food. Here you can see nurse sharks, leopard, cat, prickly representatives of these cartilaginous fish. In the water column, among the coral thickets, numerous reef sharks are in charge, catching and eating small reef animals and fish. There are also large sharks - sand, hammerhead, lemon and even white. Divers, swimmers and surfers should be especially careful in these areas.

The famous whale shark lives here too! It is listed in the Guinness Book of Records as the largest fish on the planet. But you should not be afraid of it: the “sea monster” feeds exclusively on plankton. Dolphins and orcas are constantly hunting near the reef. Their victims are often young humpback whales and minke whales. It is at the Great Barrier Reef that humpback whales breed from June to August. On the islands of the reef, located in the southern part, sea turtles lay their eggs, which are currently under threat of extinction.

All the “tasty” marine life - huge octopuses, squids, lobsters, lobsters, also live on the territory of the Great Barrier Reef. And recently, truly huge populations of the crown of thorns starfish have been observed. Today, this starfish is the greatest threat to the Great Barrier Reef. In a couple of months, it can destroy a large number of corals. In the habitat of these stars, which can kill even an adult with their poison, a coral cemetery is formed. So far, really effective methods of dealing with the “crown of thorns” have not been invented, and, unfortunately, the destruction of entire reefs is happening more and more often.

In addition to marine life, more than 200 species of birds live on coral islands. As for the flora, it is represented extremely poorly. In the reef area, there are barely 40 species of plants that can survive in conditions where even groundwater is rich in salt. But this disadvantage is more than compensated by the unique aquatic fauna.

With its grandeur and massiveness, the Great Barrier Reef is quite vulnerable. Since its inhabitants are an integral interconnected part of the ecosystem, if the population of one species of creatures sharply decreases or increases, the reef will be in serious danger. This situation was in the 70s - 80s of the last century, repeating itself today, when the number of starfish "Crown of Thorns" increased sharply. According to a study published in October 2012 by the National Academy of Sciences, the Great Barrier Reef has lost more than half of the coral polyps that form its structure.

Another serious problem was the massive bleaching of corals due to the sharp warming of the water. The algae that live in the corals themselves die, and the symbiosis is broken. Corals are replacing dead algae, which, in fact, give them such a bright and attractive color.

The Great Barrier Reef is the eighth wonder of the world, worthy of admiration and requiring careful treatment. It supports the life and biodiversity of living organisms, which is why it was selected by UNESCO as a World Heritage Site in 1981. Most of the reefs are under the protection of the Marine National Park, which helps to limit the harm from the results of human activities - fishing, pollution, tourism.

Story

The Great Barrier Reef has attracted people since ancient times. As early as about 10,000 years ago, the Australian Aborigines and Torres Strait Islanders settled on the coral islands.

In 1768, the French navigator Louis de Bougainville discovered the Great Barrier Reef during an exploratory expedition, but did not claim French rights to its territory. Thus, the famous explorer James Cook became the discoverer of the Great Barrier Reef. On June 11, 1770, his ship HM Bark Endeavor ran aground on a reef, sustaining extensive damage. The rising tide saved the ship and allowed the voyage to continue. This incident left a deep imprint on the soul of the navigator; Cook wrote in his diary: "... The dangers that we had previously managed to avoid were insignificant before the threat of being thrown onto the reefs, where in a moment nothing would be left of the ship." passage and was able to go to the open sea.

Many ships maneuvering between the coral islands have been wrecked. But research continued, because routes to the largest trading cities of India and China passed through the Torres Strait, as well as the shortest route from the Pacific Ocean to the Indian Ocean. For decades, sailors have been arguing about which route is safer: the outer (through the Coral Sea with a passage through the reef) or the inner (between the shore and the reef). One of the most famous wrecks on the Great Barrier Reef was HMS Pandora, which sank on August 29, 1791. In 1815, Charles Jeffreys became the first person to navigate a ship along the entire Barrier Reef from the land side. But it wasn't until the 1840s, after much of the Great Barrier Reef had been explored and mapped in detail, that the route became safer. In the 19th century, scientists began detailed studies of the reef. At the same time, business people arrive here, hoping to realize their commercial potential. By the end of the 19th century, pearls and trepangs mined from the Great Barrier Reef were already being exported to London, Singapore and Hong Kong. Here, off the eastern coast of Australia, the famous French traveler Jacques Yves Cousteau also worked a lot.

By visiting this luxurious marine park, tourists find themselves in a real, colorful, unforgettable fairy tale that cannot be conveyed in photographs! We hope that the Great Barrier Reef can be preserved as an ecosystem, and our descendants will be able to enjoy this natural masterpiece for decades to come.

The second point of my trip to Australia was the Great Barrier Reef. About a four hour flight from Uluru-Kata Tjuta National Park and we are in the capital of the Great Barrier Reef, Cairns.

Cairns is located on the coast of the Coral Sea in the tropical zone of northeast Australia. The climate in this part of Australia is warm and humid, and therefore the city of Cairns is surrounded by greenery. The rainforest surrounds the city on all sides, and the inhabitants of Cairns from time to time have to fight the "green invaders" by clearing the streets of vines and thickets.

In Cairns, we had planned dinner at one of the restaurants, which was located 20 minutes from the hotel. The road to the restaurant was like a tour of the zoo. From time to time, our path was blocked by geckos and lizards, various beetles and insects, spiders and Australian ibises, which, by the way, are like pigeons in Australia. The evening air was filled with the scent of flowering bushes and trees, as well as the various sounds of birds, bats, flying foxes, and the noise of insects.

Early in the morning a guide came for us and we went to Port Douglas where a catamaran was waiting for us. On a catamaran we got deep into the Great Barrier Reef, 60 kilometers from the coast, and throughout the day we enjoyed the beauty of the coral "forests" and their inhabitants.

The Great Barrier Reef is a ridge of coral reefs and islands in the Coral Sea, stretching along the northeast coast of Australia for 2300 km. In the northern part, the width is about 2 km, in the southern part - 150 km. Most of the reefs are under water (they are exposed during low tides). Marine National Park (over 5 million hectares, founded in 1979, included in the World Heritage List); protection of flora and fauna of coasts and shallow waters.

It is no coincidence that the Great Barrier Reef Islands are called the eighth wonder of the world. The world knows a huge number of beautiful islands with magnificent beaches, landscapes and crystal clear waters. But the Great Barrier Reef is the largest reef system in the world and the largest structure "created" by living organisms on the planet. Of the 350 species of coral known in the world, 340 are found on the islands of the Great Barrier Reef. The necklace of islands stretches for 2000 km from Papua New Guinea to the Southern Tropic in the south.

The Great Barrier Reef includes about 2900 reefs, whose sizes range from 0.01 sq. km. up to 100 sq. km., and more than 300 islands or shoals of coral fragments, of which about 100 are permanently covered with vegetation; and another 600 high islands, many of which are surrounded by their own reefs. Its total area is 348,698 sq. km., more than the area of ​​Great Britain.

The reef, which in itself is one of the largest geological formations, is essentially composed of living creatures or coral polyps, outwardly similar to the anemones found near the coast. These tiny primitive organisms live in huge colonies, each of which has developed from an individual polyp that has undergone countless divisions. The coral consists of a soft body enclosed in a limestone outer skeleton that forms the reef. The living reef is the product of a thousand-year cycle of life and death: the bulk of the coral reef consists of a mass of empty skeletons of previous generations of polyps, covered with a thin layer of living organisms.

Coral reefs can survive in waters that are consistently between 22-28C throughout the year, providing habitat for the most diverse animal community known on earth. The Great Barrier Reef is made up of over 400 species of hard and soft corals. Stiff reef corals come in a wide variety of shapes and sizes and include mushroom corals, brain corals and antler corals in all shades from red and yellow to black. In addition, more than 4,000 species of mollusks have been recorded here, from chitons and gastropods to giant bivalves and octopuses, as well as countless sponges, sea anemones, worms, crustaceans and echinoderms.

Coral reefs around the world are famous for the variety of fish that visit them. More than 1,500 species of fish are known to live within and near the Great Barrier Reef - a kaleidoscope of colors and patterns as they dart in one direction or the other in flocks. The reef is also important for several species of whales, including minke whales, killer whales and humpback whales. These waters are breeding grounds for the humpback whale; females with cubs are often seen here. These waters are also home to six of the world's seven species of sea turtles; they are all dying out and need wild reef islands for safe breeding. The mysterious dugong has also found a safe haven in the kelp beds found in the shallow waters of many of the reef's islands.

The islands are also important for many species of aquatic and sea birds. Over 240 species nest on low sandy and coral islands; among them are petrels, phaetons, frigatebirds, six species of terns, including the pink tern, fulmars, 6-bellied eagles and ospreys.

The article used material from the Internet resource: http://www.naturelifepark.com

The reef is under the protection of UNESCO, and CNN called it one of the wonders of the world. The Great Barrier Reef is the world's largest ecosystem, home to over 400 species of corals of various shapes and colors, 1,500 species of fish, whales, dolphins, sea turtles, lobsters, crayfish and other water creatures.

The small islands that make up the reef are inhabited by a variety of birds - more than 240 species. However, the flora on the islands is not rich.

You can’t go to look at underwater beauty everywhere - a zone is strictly defined where tourists can relax, go diving and fishing, swim in the sea and go on small boat trips. The Great Barrier Reef is very fragile, despite the precautions taken, the reef has lost more than half of its polyps due to tourism since 1985.

The most expensive and comfortable reef islands are Hayman and Bedarra. For diving, Lizard, Magnetic and Henon are ideal. Dunk, Hamilton, Keppel and Fraser are suitable for lovers of both beach holidays and diving, nightlife and other delights of tourism.

A quality beach holiday - on the islands, the shores always look much more picturesque, and the proximity of the Barrier Reef with its rich nature and clear sea water makes the beaches even more attractive. In addition, due to the increasing flow of tourists who are willing to pay in full for the exploration of the coral wonder of the world, the quality of hotels and service is at the highest level.

Extreme water sports. If you are tired of a measured rest, arrange a little fun adventure for yourself!

• Diving is the main reason why people from all over the world come to the islands of the Great Barrier Reef. Nowhere else in the world will you see such a concentration of colored corals, algae, colorful tropical fish, sea turtles, crabs, octopuses, squids and other marine life. Touching anything underwater is strictly prohibited.
• Helicopter tour - green islands and reefs are really worth seeing from a height, such an air ride is becoming more and more popular among vacationers.
• Walks on yachts and boats.
• Fishing - you can go fishing in strictly designated places for this, and then you will be prepared in any way for the marine reptile you caught. Spearfishing with guns is prohibited, as is fishing on a commercial scale.
• Whale Watching - In winter, majestic whales come to the Great Barrier Reef and you can not only watch their life, but also swim with them.

How to get there

To spend a few days on one of the picturesque islands of the Great Barrier Reef, you need to get there by helicopter or boat. These modes of transport are not only convenient, but also the most interesting. After all, a helicopter gives you the opportunity to enjoy the beauty of the reef from a bird's eye view, and a boat ride will be a special pleasure, because you will sail through clear blue water and watch the approaching small islands.

Contacts

Address: Coral Sea QLD, Australia

Phone: +61 7 4750 0700

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