Why we’re Crazy for Coral and why you should be too!

• Known as the “rainforests of the sea,” coral reefs are biologically diverse ecosystems that cover less than 1% of the ocean floor, yet they are home to almost 25% of marine species, including over 4,000 different species of fish.
• Corals feed & nurture the fish that over 500 million people rely on as their primary food source.
• Since 1950, half of the world’s living corals have died and coral-reef associated biodiversity has declined by 63% (Source)
• Coral reefs feed on particles found in the ocean, cleaning the water they’re in (this is why you find coral reefs in pristine, almost crystal-clear water).
• The oceans generate half of Earth’s oxygen and absorb nearly one-third of the carbon dioxide generated from burning fossil fuels and ocean plants produce up to 85% of the oxygen in the air we breathe
• Healthy coral act as natural marine barriers to protect coastal communities from erosion.
• Coral reefs are considered “the medicine cabinets of the 21st century” and have been an important source of new medicines developed to treat cancer, arthritis, heart disease, viruses and more (Source).