CHAPTER 1 ALIVE AND COLORFUL An orange and white clownfish swims through warm waters It passes sea cucumbers and giant clams Colorful corals create a garden of pink flowers and green trees A blue sea star lies atop the coral Anemones wave gently in the warm ocean water Life in the Great Barrier Reef is active and beautiful The Great Barrier Reef is full of life
The Great Barrier Reef is known for its bright blue water The Great Barrier Reef is in the Coral Sea off Australia's northeastern coast It is Earth's largest coral reef system Coral reefs are ridges of limestone found just below the water The limestone is made from skeletons of dead corals Living corals grow on the surface of ridge the
The Great Barrier Reef is the world's largest living structure The reef is approximately 1 430 miles 2 300 km long It is nearly 135 000 square miles 350 000 sq km in area That is roughly the size of Italy Astronauts can even see the reef from space TRADITIONAL OWNERS Two native groups have long lasting ties to the Great Barrier Reef These are the Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples The reef plays a strong part in their traditional lives It influences their culture Their stories art and music are connected to the Great Barrier Reef
