Meet Our Endangered Animal of (last) Year: Coral

 

Every academic year, Under the SEA votes for an endangered marine animal to highlight and bring awareness to its cause. Last year, our members elected CORAL to be our Animal of the Year! Now, before you ask, YES coral actually is an animal! They do not make their own food, they have to catch it themselves! 

 

Hard corals are made of calcium carbonate and are responsible for creating reefs, while soft corals form colonies and look like fans, trees, or grasses. Most species of coral stay in shallow waters, but there are some species of deep water corals in our oceans. They also have a very narrow range of acceptable temperatures, and are found mainly in the tropical climate. 

 

Hurricanes, disease, over-fishing, pollution, and climate change appear to be the most harmful to these animals. Corals add biodiversity to our oceans because so many marine species rely on them for food and shelter. They also provide food and tourism to coastal cities throughout the world. Help us protect them and spread the word! 

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For more information about corals and how to help, go to https://greatbarrierreeflegacy.org/