It’s one of the 7 wonders of the world and the largest living structure on planet Earth. It’s a magnificent creation of nature so massive that it’s visible from space. It’s home to 600 species of coral, 1,625 species of fish, 30 species of whales and dolphins, 133 species of sharks and rays, and many sea turtles, birds, crustaceans, and sea snakes. It’s the one and only Great Barrier Reef, and it’s in trouble.
Recently, I read the article, “Dead At 25 Million Years Old”, which discussed the current condition of Australia’s Great Barrier Reef. While it’s impossible to deny the sickening and declining state of the reef, we should not be declaring it dead. Not yet, anyway.
So what’s the problem with calling the Great Barrier Reef dead? Put simply, when we consider something dead, we lose hope. We give up on trying to make a change, to save, to protect the reef, because it’s “dead”. It’s understandable why some may consider the Great Barrier Reef to be deceased. Ocean temperatures have increased due to climate change, which has lead to bleaching events within some areas of the delicate reef.
The Great Barrier Reef is in great trouble and parts of it are dying, but it is not dead, and us humans must understand the nature of the reef and work together to save and protect what we can.
Surveys conducted by the Great Barrier Reef Marine Park Authority and Queensland Parks and Wildlife Service have studies areas of bleaching throughout the reef. While some areas have devastating amounts of coral bleaching, others have very little coral bleaching. Some types of coral are more resilient, making them less affected by the warmer water.
The bleaching of coral is also not a death sentence, as some reefs eventually recover if water temperatures don’t increase further. Within a decade, “dead” areas of the reef could be covered in coral again!
Scientists are currently working hard to protect the Great Barrier Reef, using techniques to help coral adapt and 3-D coral printing. The Marine Park Authority constantly surveys the current state of the reef, and has plans, such as the Reef 2050 Plan, set in place to protect the reef, minimize damage, and target the causes of destruction.
The Great Barrier Reef Foundation is currently running over 20 research projects on the reef, along with over 30 science and government partners, all working together to save our natural treasure in distress.
The Great Barrier Reef is not dead. Despite warming ocean temperatures due to climate change, there is still a chance that we can save the reef, and possibly bring parts of it back to life. We cannot give up hope yet, and we are not giving up hope. With scientific breakthroughs and greener, more-thoughtful, communities, our ocean’s greatest wonder will remain the beautiful feat that it’s always been. We will continue researching, respecting, caring, and quite possibly saving. We will not give up, for our reef is not dead.
