Coral reefs, also known as “the rainforests of the sea”, are well known for their beauty and vibrant colours, but apart from that, they are extremely important, both ecologically and economically. Unlike other marine ecosystems, coral reefs support more species per unit area, including about 4,000 species of fish, 800 species of hard corals, and hundreds of other marine lives. This does not include the millions of undiscovered species that take shelter along coral reefs. About 500 million people around the globe rely on coral reefs for food, income, and coastal defense. Drugs are currently being developed from coral reef plants and marine life extracts as a possible treatments for diseases like cancer, arthritis, bacterial infections, heart disease, and more. They also protect coastlines from the damaging effects of waves and tropical storms. Coral reefs have an estimated global value of £6 trillion each year, due in part to their contribution to the fishing and tourism industries and the coastal protection they provide. However, coral reefs are deteriorating and dying at an alarming rate due to human and natural pressures that range from overfishing and degradation to ocean acidification and climate change. Scientists have estimated that 75% of the world’s corals are at risk and at least 10% have already died. Once coral reefs are damaged, they are less able to support the many creatures that inhabit them and the communities near them. When a coral reef supports fewer fish, plants, and animals, it also loses value as a tourist destination.
