Dark Secrets Of The Great Barrier Reef

1. If the reef is wiped out, many creatures go extinct

Image source: Reddit

People don't realize that the end of the Great Barrier Reef doesn't just mean that a lot of creatures will die. It means that some creatures will go extinct. Some creatures remain only in the Great Barrier Reef meaning that if this is no longer their home, they will cease to exist. It will be the last of our opportunities to learn from these creatures and from one f the greatest natural phenomena.

2. It took thousands of years to form, and decades to destroy

Image source: Reddit

The Great Barrier Reef has been forming for thousands and thousands of years. It began forming and over so many years it developed and developed into one of the biggest marvels in the natural world. As one of the most important natural occurrences, it is worrying to realize in the thousands of years it took to form, humans have destroyed it beyond repair in just decades.

3. It's home to many of the world's most deadly species

Image source: Reddit

The Great Barrier Reef is home to some of the deadliest sea species in the ocean. The box jellyfish is one of the most venomous creatures on earth. The blue-ringed octopus which also resides here can kill humans almost instantly due to their potent poison. And, the stone fish which can camouflage effectively can kill easily with its venomous spikes.

4. It didn't use to be underwater

Image source: Reddit

The great barrier reef did not actually use to be underwater. It was once, many thousands of years ago, above the water and nothing like the reef we can imagine or see today. Over a very long period of time, the Great Barrier Reef was submerged in water and the warm temperatures of the shallow water were the perfect environment for the coral to grow.

5. People illegally fish the Great Barrier Reef

Image source: Reddit

the Great Barrier Reef is of course protected. But that doesn't stop illegal fishing from happening. It's one of the darkest secrets of the barrier reef because it causes such great damage. It can cause severe damage to the coral reefs and illegal fishers often target endangered species of sea creatures that will fetch a higher price when illegally sold on the black market.

6. There's an outbreak of coral-eating starfish

Image source: Reddit

Coral-eating starfish have in the last few years become a huge threat to the Great Barrier Reef. In particular, the Crown of Thorns Starfish has grown rapidly in numbers and they are causing extensive damage to the coral reefs. The more their population grows, the more damage is caused. The reason for their growth is due to numerous things, such as the temperature and a lack of predators due to pollution.

7. If we continue in the same way, the reef will soon be gone forever

Image source: Reddit

One of the most frightening things that we have to come to terms with is that if we continue on the same trajectory, in just a few years the reef will be just three-quarters of what it once was, damaged beyond repair. And in a few more years the Great Barrier Reef will soon be gone forever and it will no longer exist. Perhaps just a few remnants of what was once there.

8. If we destroy the reef, we destroy ourselves too

Image source: Reddit

The great barrier has reef protected 100 million people who live nearby by absorbing wave shock within the reef and corals. Therefore it has protected all of these people who will be exposed if the reef dies. And the health and well-being of the Great Barrier Reef are inextricably linked with the health of the planet. If the reef does, we all suffer.

9. Climate change is the biggest threat

Image source: Reddit

The Great Barrier Reef is one of the most visited natural phenomena in the world. Yet when people visit now, it is no longer the reef it once was. The single biggest threat to the Great Barrier Reef is climate change. The rising ocean levels are causing coral bleaching, which essentially means that the corals are dying and they cannot cope with the environmental changes.

10. It's 600,000 years old

Image source: Reddit

The formation of the Great Barrier Reef dates right back to the end of the Ice Age. After the ice melted, the sea levels rose meaning that the continental shelves where the Great Barrier Reef now lies, were flooded. It is a historical structure, which is not only one of the most important natural structures but also one of the most valued in the world.

11. Coral bleaching is one of the biggest problems

Image source: Reddit

Coral bleaching as we mentioned before, is one of the most pressing matters of the Great Barrier Reef. When coral is bleached it dies, the corals in their original state are vivid bright colors. After the coral has bleaches it is white and sapped of color. It happens due to a variety of reasons including rising temperatures, pollution, and ocean acidification.

12. Waters are becoming more acidic which degrades the corals

Image source: Reddit

Ocean acidification means that the levels in the oceans are becoming more acidic. This is because the levels of carbon dioxide in the sea are increasing. The natural balance of nature within the sea is adapted to live with the sea as it once was, not overloaded with pollution. And so creatures, sea life, and corals are all slowly dying as they cannot cope with the lack of oxygen in the sea.

13. The reef has blue sinkholes

Image source: Reddit

In 2017 a giant blue-blue sinkhole was discovered in the Great Barrier Reef. A huge sinkhole or cavern was discovered and when scientists and marine biologists explored the area they found that it had been formed during the Ice Age. It is located in one of the least explored areas of the Great Barrier Reef. The hole is thought to be around 300 meters wide and 125 meters deep!

14. It's so big it can be seen from space

Image source: Reddit

The Great Barrier Reef is SO vast that it really can be seen from space. It is the largest coral reef system in the entire world. It stretched over 1429 miles which is just one of the many reasons it is considered one of the wonders of the world. The pictures from space have managed to capture the essence of the magnitude of the reef, as well as the colors and formations.

15. It's home to many unknown creatures

Image source: Reddit

We may think that The Great Barrier Reef has been so explored that we know all of the species and marine life that it is home to. But that's not the case. There is an abundance of species that have not even been discovered yet. There are so many secrets that have not yet been discovered. More investigation may lead to the discovery of a whole new load of discoveries.

16. Pollution is ruining the coral reef

Image source: Reddit

It's no secret that pollution is ruining The Great Barrier Reef more and more. As pollution levels continue to rise, the more damage is inflicted upon to the reef systems. It has become a growing concern over the years and marine biologists and conservationists have tried to implement measures to slow down the destruction of the amazing natural phenomena.

17. Humans are overfishing the area

Image source: Reddit

Humans are overfishing the area. Overfishing has become more and more of a problem, and it is affecting the biodiversity of the oceans. Removing important species means that it disrupts the levels of the ocean and it is causing huge damage to the area. Valuable species are sought after by fishermen to be sold for a high price, yet this means that they are declining and could go extinct.

18. Developments are overtaking the area

Image source: Reddit

Developments around the Great Barrier Reef Area have been rapidly growing in recent years because it is one of the most sought-after locations in the world. Tourists flock here every year to see the wonder of the world. And seeing a potential opportunity to make money, more and more developments have arisen such as restaurants, hotels, and many more.

19. Shipping accidents and oil spills happen near the Great Barrier Reef

Image source: Reddit

Shipping accidents and spillages have happened near the Great Barrier Reef which of course has led to extensive damage to the reef system. Unfortunately, the location of the Great Barrier Reef means that it is near to a shipping route where ships are sailing every single day. This means that the likelihood of accidents nearby increases. Physical damage, oil spills, and invasive species are just some of the problems this poses.

20. Some species only exist within the Great Barrier Reef

Image source: Reddit

The Great Barrier Reef is a hotspot of diversity and it is the home to a huge number of species. These species are endemic, meaning that they are exclusive to the region. There are kinds of creatures we would never have seen before if it were not for The Great Barrier Reef. This also comes with its own issues, for example, if The Great Barrier Reef no longer exists, neither do these creatures.

21. There are issues with indigenous rights

Image source: Reddit

There have been issues with the Indigenous Australian community due to their long-standing connection and cultural beliefs around the Great Barrier Reef. They have historic traditions which revolve around land and water and The Great Barrier Reef is massively important to them. Respecting this is essential, but there are problems due to how the reef has been treated.

22. The Great Barrier Reef has many shipwrecks

Image source: Reddit

The Great Barrier Reef is also known to have several shipwrecks scattered throughout the area. Throughout history, ships have sailed into the network of the reef system and found themselves stuck, or the ship ruined. These shipwrecks now stay on the ocean and have actually become an important part of the reef where sea life has made a home and they encourage habitats to grow.

23. Spawning happens simultaneously

Image source: Reddit

Coral spawning is when the corals release the eggs. The spawning is an amazing phenomenon because the reef system does it simultaneously and it is something that can actually be witnessed. The cycle depends on circumstances such as the moon cycle, water temperature, and sunset/sunrise times. When they are released together at the same time the chances of fertilization are higher.

24. The reefs are becoming disconnected

Image source: Reddit

Reef systems are all connected, much like the root system of trees in a  rainforest. Essentially they all have pathways and a nervous system that connects them all together. But the reefs are now becoming disconnected and fragmented meaning their strength is being destroyed. The consequences of this mean that there will be less biodiversity and less genetic diversity in the coral reef systems!

25. There are a lot of irresponsible tourism practices

Image source: The Australian

Irresponsible tourism practices happen in the Great Barrier Reef almost every day. Boats have begun sailing closer and closer to the Great Barrier Reef, even anchoring directly onto the corals to show guests a close-up experience. Tourists then sometimes pick corals to have a kind of 'souvenir; or they touch the corals and swim too close perhaps even stepping on them, all of which massively damages the reef. Particularly when this is happening frequently.

26. Oxygen levels in the ocean have decreased

Image source: Reddit

Due to levels of pollution rapidly rising, the marine life in the ocean is struggling to cope, just as animals all over the earth are also struggling. The ocean in recent history has been used more or less as a dumping ground for waste and it continues to be abused which is causing less and less oxygen levels in the water, meaning sea life cannot survive.

27. Invasive species have been introduced

Image source: Reddit

Each natural place has its own balance of nature and wildlife. When an invasive species is introduced, it wipes out all of the native species. Not only does this kill the species that naturally inhabited the place but it also then effects with the food chain and the entire balance as all creatures and nature are dependent on one another. This is what is happening with the Great Barrier Reef, the entire ecosystem has become unbalanced.

28. Noise and light levels also destroy the reef

Image source: Reddit

The ocean cannot escape light and noise, they both travel in water. Because the Great Barrier Reef is one of the most visited areas of the world, the levels of noise and light pollution have skyrocketed. These all interfere with the natural habitat of the living sea life within the reef and disturb them, just as they would do with any living being. It can damage, and scare necessary marine life away from the reef.

29. Illegal coral mining takes place

Image source: Reddit

Coral mining is when materials are extracted from the coral, then to be sold. When the coral is removed it damages the entire reef structure and it then reduces the entire resilience of the reef meaning its ability to recover is reduced. It is, of course, an illegal practice and there are efforts to stop this from happening, but that doesn't always mean that it is stopped entirely and it poses a big threat to the Great Barrier Reef.

30. The Great Barrier Reef is essential for the health of the sea

Image source: Reddit

Without the Great Barrier Reef, the health of the entire ocean will plummet. The Great Barrier Reef is vital to maintaining the balance of the ocean's ecosystem and without it, the ocean may not be able to sustain itself. It is called the 'rainforest of the sea', because of the abundance of nature and wildlife it holds and sustains and the complex interactions it has formed with its own reef systems.