Coral Reefs are ocean habitats which are rich in life. Coral polyps are tiny animals that live in colonies around rocks. It is these creatures which build the reefs with their own hard outer case, attached to the rocks. Over thousands of years this creates and forms coral reefs. Coral reefs are found in about 100 countries.

Some of today’s coral reefs actually began growing as early as fifty million years ago. However, most established coral reefs are between 5,000-10,000 years old. Although size can sometimes point to the age of a coral reef, it is not a general rule of thumb. Factors such as coral species, water temperature, food availability and oxygen levels, will all have some bearing on the growth and age of a coral reef.