Corals

Corals are marine invertebrates that form colonies of interconnected polyps, which are critical to preserving the health of coral reefs and the ocean’s food chain. Corals provide important habitat for a variety of marine species and serve as shelter, spawning grounds and nurseries. They also play an essential role in the global carbon cycle and are a valuable source of potential medicines and compounds. Climate change, overfishing, and pollution are among the main threats to coral reefs. Humans must take steps to protect them including imposing sustainable fishing practices, protecting harvest areas, and reducing pollution inputs.