1. By: Al, Christian, Larry, & Matt
CORAL REEFS
By: Al, Christian, Larry, & Matt

2. What’s Coral? Coral is an animal that lives underwater.
There are two types of Coral –
Hard Coral and Soft Coral.
Coral are invertebrates, as in, they have no spines. (or any bones for that matter).
They stick out their
tentacles at night to feed.

3. Soft Coral Soft coral can kinda be seen as the flowers of the ocean.
They are soft (obviously) and are usually extremely colorful.
These corals however, are not the ones that make up a coral reef.

4. Hard Coral
Unlike the soft coral, hard coral’s are hard on the outside, with an exoskeleton made out of limestone.
Hard coral are also fairly colorful.
It is hundreds of thousands of these coral polyps that grow upon each other to form a coral reef.

5. Types of Coral Reefs There are 3 different types of Coral Reefs.
Fringing
Barrier
Atoll
Fringing is when the reef grows out of the shoreline.
Barrier is when the reef grows out of the continental shelf (the part of the sand before it drops WAY down).
Atoll is when the reef is in a circle enclosing a sunken island, or a lagoon.

6. What Good Are Coral Reefs?
How dare you ask such a question!
Coral Reefs are one of the most beautiful and important things in our oceans!
Not only do they look colorful and fantastic, but they’re a home to thousands of different species of animals.

8. So How Many Animals Live at a Coral Reef?
At the Great Barrier Reef alone there are:
30 species of Whales, Dolphins, and Porpoises
A few Dugongs
Over 200 species of birds
6 species of sea turtles
14 species of sea snakes
1500 species of fish
5000 species of mollusks
400 species of coral
45 species of sea grass
500 species of sea weed

9. Can Coral Reefs Do Anything Else?
You bet! Because Coral Reefs are so pretty-full many places that have them use them as a tourist attraction.
You can go snorkeling or scuba diving at the coral reefs!

10. Works Consulted