Our World

Bad News for Fish

Lager species of coral are dieing and being replaced by smaller species. While the problem may not seem highly important it is because it is an effect of human pollution. The water around the Virgin Islands, Jamaica else where in the Caribbean is being polluted and over fished, leading to the destruction of the coral life there. The smaller corals can not hide the marine life depending on their protection. So not only is this affecting the coral plants but it is a cause of extinction of the fish that live in the coral.
The species of the boulder star coral is most as risk. The coral takes hundreds of years to grow and could possibly be completely gone in 50 years because of this destruction.
Another cause of this problem is the increasing water temperatures. The big coral can not survive with warm waters. Researchers hope that when the water does eventually cool down there will be enough of the big corals left to reproduce the reef again. This can take many many years. If nothing is done researchers expect up to 60% of the worlds coral to be gone by 2030.
It is sad to see how much our world is changing due to both human and natural problems. The pollution and over fishing done in the Caribbean mostly comes from tourists from the US. It is another less positive way that just the US alone can change the environment.
The entire article with additional information from researchers can be found at http://msnbc.msn.com/id/15512381/
If you want to find a way to help this destruction and protect our wild life check out the web site http://www.reefrelief.org/ to see what you can do

posted by Anonymous @ 11/01/2006 08:02:00 PM