Did you know a coral reef environment includes 1/3 of all of the world’s marine fish species? There is always something new to be found at the coral reef. Continue reading today’s blog for a quick fact sheet about coral reefs. What reefs have you explored? Share your adventures with us on Facebook!

1. The coral reefs in and around the Florida Keys contain more than 45 species of stony coral, 5 different species of sea turtles, 1,700 mollusk species, at least 35 species of octocoral and 500 fish species! 
2. The coral reef protects our coastlines from treacherous storms such as hurricanes.
3. A coral reef is one of mankind’s main food sources.
4. The coral belongs to the same family jellyfish and anemones.
5. A single coral is known as a polyp and live together with other polyps and develop into a coral reef colony. A polyp eats using its tentacles to sting other small organisms such as plankton.
6. A coral reef only develops in shallow areas, less than 150 feet in depth. In order to grow and develop they must receive an adequate amount of sunlight.
7. Even though a coral reef habitat contains more than 5,000 different saltwater fish species, it’s still less than 1% of the ocean.
8. A coral reef is killed by human contact. It’s important to keep a safe distance when snorkeling and diving.
9. The coral reef is second to the rainforest in biodiversity of species.
10. A coral reef habitat is threatened by climate change, ocean acidification, overfishing, and fisherman using dynamite, pollution and invasive fish species.

Did you learn something new about the coral reef in today’s blog?