World Reef Awareness Day

Coral reefs are essential to maritime ecosystems, and World Reef Awareness Day helps people understand the importance of corals for the natural environment. Corals are crucial for regulating the amount of oxygen in water and preserving various species of living organisms. Join eco-events scheduled for June 1.

History

Corals have been around for 500 million years. They started as single organisms, gradually gathering in colonies. With the onset of the ice age, corals disappeared en masse. In the Devonian period, they reappeared with an increase in the temperature of the biological environment. They alternated between renewal and extinction due to the instability of changing natural conditions. The Great Barrier Reef in Australia was formed 20 million years ago. Navigator James Cook discovered it in 1770. Today, the reef is protected by local authorities due to the real threat of its reduction in size or complete disappearance. By 2016, a third of the reef was destroyed. The creation of World Reef Awareness Day aims to attract activists to this issue.

Interesting Facts

The death of corals is provoked by warming and human activity. Tourists applying sunscreen, which then gets into the water, can damage corals.

1. Reefs are the permanent habitat of 25% of marine organisms: they provide shelter and are an indispensable food source.
2. Australia takes strict measures to protect its reefs. A million divers visit the reefs every year. These activities are subject to nature protection laws.
3. The green sea turtle and a rare species of whales live near the Great Barrier Reef.

Have you heard about the seven natural wonders of the world? The Great Barrier Reef is one of them; a unique natural object that cannot be restored in case of extinction.

How to Take Part

The best way to celebrate this holiday is to join ecological societies that strive to protect nature.

Make a donation and tell friends they need to follow the rules on any tour. It is forbidden to destroy any coral system, remove corals from their habitats, or fish near a reef.

Scuba diving near reefs is not prohibited, and volunteers use the opportunity to undergo training, learning how to safely experience the beautiful sights hidden under a layer of ocean water.

Reefs are disappearing; we have to take measures to preserve these formations. Otherwise, there will be an ecological catastrophe: pollution, the warming of water due to human activity, depletion of the ozone layer, and extinction of many species of fish, shellfish, and plankton.

When is World Reef Awareness Day in 2024?

World Reef Awareness Day is observed on June 1 each year.

Observations