The Great Barrier Reef

 
More than two million people visit the reef each and every year make more than billion in tourism dollars, making tourism a major earner for the north-eastern Australian economy. Tourists are accepted to the reef system by more than 500 commercial vessels, and tourism is allowed throughout near all the Park.Among the natural wonder of the world, the Great Barrier Reef off the east coast of Australia is the one which is the world’s largest coral reef. It has something different that being placed in the World tradition as well as the National tradition lists.

 

The Great Barrier Reef area be plentiful with wildlife, including dugong and green turtles, different kind of dolphins and whales, more than 1500 species of fish,4000 types of mollusc and more than 200 species of bird life.Tourism can moreover have a negative crash, with fragile corals broken by reef walking, dropped anchors or by boats dropping fuel and other sorts of pollution. Even the number of people in the water with the associated run-off of sweat and suntan lotions may well have a negative impact on the fragile reef background.

 

Of the many hundreds of different kinds of coral growing on the reef, the Staghorn (antler type) is one of the most common. The Great Barrier Reef is a true wonderland of color and beauty.Corals make up the various reefs and cays. These are the basis for the great variety of sea and animal life in the Reef.Coral consists of individual coral polyps - tiny live creatures which join together to form colonies. Each polyp lives inside a shell of aragonite, a type of calcium carbonate which is the hard shell we recognise as coral.

 
The Great Barrier Reef is the only living organic collective visible from Earth's orbit. Human activity in the Reef areas has led to enlarged contaminant and the reef has suffered damage. Protecting the Reef is the responsibility of the Marine Park Authority. In 2003, the previous Australian Government and Queensland Governments, in partnership with a wide range of industry and community groups, developed the Reef Water Quality Protection ReefPlan (the Reef Plan) as a combined effort to shield the Reef.