The Great Barrier Reef is the largest coral reef in the world which is located off the northeastern coast of Australia. There are more than 2,900 coral reefs, 600 continental islands, 300 coral cays, and thousands of animal species. The animal species includes fish, mollusks, echinoderms, sharks, sea snakes and many more.
Let’s meet these 8 great animals living in the Great Barrier Reef with their amazing characteristics!
- Hard Corals
People might think that corals are plants, not animals. However, they are animals and they inhabit the Great Barrier Reef the most. There are about 360 species of hard coral, including bottlebrush coral, bubble coral, brain coral, mushroom coral, tabletop coral, and many more.
Hard corals are also known as stony corals. They congregate in shallow tropical waters and help build coral reefs. These coral reefs grow in various aggregations, including plates, branches and mounds.
- Sea Anemones
Sea anemones are small marines invertebrates that are relatives to coral and jellyfish. They come in many shapes, colors, and sizes. They can be as small as 1.5 cm and others can be up to 1.8 m in diameter.
They have tubular bodies with a central gut cavity. They also have beautiful colors which make them become one of the colorful sea creatures.
Sea anemones are carnivores, meaning that these animals consume animal matters, such as fish, mussels, worms, shrimp, zooplankton, crustaceans and tiny marine larvae.
- Sharks
You will not always be able to see reef sharks as they are not always lingering around. Compared to other species, reef sharks are considered to be pretty harmless. There are many species of reef sharks, but the most common ones seen among the reef are the white tip and blacktip reef sharks.
White tup shark, just like its name, is identified by a white tip on the fin with a flat and blunt snout. It is typically slim and snout. Meanwhile, the black tip shark is identified by the black tip located on the dorsal and caudal fins with white underbelly and darker tops.
They are not always swimming around, but they can be spotted. If you’re able to spot it, then you’re lucky! They are known to rarely pose a threat or danger to divers or snorkelers, unless being provoked. Despite the fact that reef sharks are harmless, you still have to be careful and cautious of your surrounding.
- Sea Turtles
There are 7 species of sea turtles in the Great Barrier Reef, including the green turtle, loggerhead turtle, hawksbill turtle, flatback turtle, Pacific ridley turtle and leatherback turtle.
The green, loggerhead, and hawksbill turtles are commonly found on coral cays while flatback turtles prefer continental islands. Unfortunately, these turtles are currently classified as either vulnerable or endangered species in these endangered sea turtles species.
- Sea Snakes
There are around 15 sea snakes which are endemic to the Great Barrier Reef, including the large olive sea snake and the banded sea krait. Similar to other reptiles, sea snakes breathe by using their lungs, but they can absorb a small amount oxygen from the water.
They are also equipped with specialized glands which function is excreting excess salt.
All species of sea snakes are venomous and listed as one of the most dangerous sea creatures, though they are less of a threat to humans compared to cobras, Eastern corals or copperheads.
- Jellyfish
Do you know that jellyfish are some of the Earth’s oldest creatures? Jellyfish are not fish at all, but they are classified as the invertebrate zooplankton whose bodies are comprised of as much as 98% water.
There are more than 100 species of jellyfish living in the Great Barrier Reef, including the infamous stinging blue bottles and box jellyfish. You can also find the Irukandji jellyfish, one of the tiniest and most venomous jellyfish species.
- Giant Cuttlefish
The giant cuttlefish is the largest cuttlefish of them all and can grow up to 1 meter in length and weigh 10 kilograms. It is famous as the master of camouflage and color change.
Cuttlefish are considered as the very intelligent creatures. They have one of the largest brain to body mass ratio of any invertebrate. They are closely related to octopuses and squid, but they have one single internal bone which supports the fleshy part of the body.
Unfortunately, due to overfishing and habitat degradation, the cuttlefish population is greatly impacted.
- Dugongs
Dugongs are marine mammals which look similar to manatees and distantly related to elephants. Despite the fact that they are mammals, they are herbivores; the only mammals that are herbivores. They mainly feed on the vast sea grass beds of the Great Barrier Reef area.
Their body is around 3 meters long and weigh around 400 kilograms. They have whale-liked fluked tails and they use their front flippers to maneuver and balance.
The Great Barrier Reef is considered as one of the last sanctuaries for dugongs as they are listed as vulnerable to extinction.
Many animals are exposed to extinction, just like being listed as animals extinction in the 20th century. We need to stop this. See these reasons why species are endangered and take actions!