Although the sea covers about 70 percent of the surface of the earth, coral reefs only take up 0.3 percent of the whole area of the sea. This phenomenon can be accounted for by the fact that coral needs clean, warm water.

The seas around Taiwan are home to more than 320 species of coral, an unusually high figure. With coral reefs playing such a distinct role in the makeup of Taiwan’s coasts, it is, therefore, important for us to know more about this precious form of sea life.

Beautiful Garden Underwater Coral is a limestone formation formed in the sea by tiny animals called coral polyps. A coral polyp has a tube- shaped body. At one end is a mouth surrounded by tiny tentacles. The other end of the body attaches to its neighbor. Coral reefs are built layer by layer by living coral on the skeletons of past generations.

Coral reefs have been called underwater gardens, due to the sheer range of colors and types of life that can be found there. In these gardens, exotic “flowers” battle with one another for the title of the most beautiful form of life. Immovable as it is, coral is an animal stuck in its ways. In Taiwan, April and May are the breeding season for coral, and activity gets particularly frantic after the full moon.

In recent years, the media has fallen over itself to report on this. However, people are not encouraged to go and have a look for themselves out of environmental concerns. As coral polyps reproduce mainly at night, divers who go down and have a look are surrounded by darkness, increasing their chances of knocking into the coral.

Variety Is the Spice of Life The colorful scene that coral reefs present is enough to make one gasp at their beauty. Actually most corals are not naturally colored.

The color is provided by tiny algae that lodge within the polyp’s own body. It is the hue which comes from this algae that provides the best sign of the health of the coral. As the algae need to photosynthesize to survive, coral can only grow in places blessed by an abundance of sunlight. If the quality of the water or temperature suddenly changes, the algae are forced to leave, bleaching the coral and killing it in turn.

Corals can generally be divided into two types: hard (or stony) corals and soft corals, both with their different characteristics. Hard corals have the most species, about 200 in all. They are often named according to their outward appearance.

The Fragile and Rare Treasure The reason why coral is so precious is not only that it grows so slowly, but also that it provides a habitat for so many other forms of life. The narrow and winding spaces between coral provide little holes for colorful fish, drawing in prey for them to feed on, and also giving them shelter from danger. The tiny shrimp is another loyal friend of the coral. Sponges make homes in coral reefs as well.

Even though Taiwan’s seas play host to a dazzling array of coral, it is a very delicate creature. Once it is damaged, the very existence of many other kinds of sea life is placed in grave danger. It takes many hundreds of years for degraded coral to recover.

If one goes diving or takes part in any other form of activity at sea, it is vital that trash be put in a bag to be taken home, and that no one touch or break coral off from the seabed or buy any piece from seaside vendors. To do so does great harm to the reefs. Coral needs to be protected from wanton destruction.