How much do you know about corals?

As ONE°15 Marina’s coral garden continues to grow and thrive, we’d like to share some fun facts about our wondrous backyard friends. 

1. Corals come in a wide array of shapes, sizes, and colours

Some are thought to resemble deer antlers, trees, giant fans, brains, and honeycomb.

 

2. Home to almost 25% of known marine species

Known as “rainforests of the sea,” coral reefs cover less than 1% of the ocean but are home to almost 25% of all known marine species!

 

3. Corals are animals, not plants

Because they do not make their own food, like how plants do.

 

4. Coral reefs grow very slowly, at an average rate of just two centimetres per year

See updates of our corals here.

 

5. Corals outlived dinosaurs

Corals were around at the time of the dinosaurs – that’s about 500 million years ago! Some of the corals we see today have taken as much as 50 million years to form. This is one of the reasons we should worry when corals die, their population will not be recreated within a human lifetime.

 

6. Coral reefs are among the most biodiverse ecosystems on the planet

There are often more types of fish living in a two-acre area of healthy coral reef than there are species of birds in all of North America!

 

7. Coral reef systems are naturally colourful because of the algae that is present

 

8. White coral is stressed coral (and that’s not fun)

If you see a coral reef that appears white, it is a process known as coral bleaching. When there are drastic changes in temperature, light and nutrients, algae don’t find their coral home that comfortable anymore and leaves. As such, corals lose their colour and the free food given by the algae, therefore turning very pale! If the situation does not improve quickly, the coral will eventually die from disease or lack of food.

 

9. Recent studies suggest that the planet has lost approximately half of its coral reefs in the last 30 years

Marine scientists are working diligently to fight climate change and protect the coral reefs. Here in Singapore, ONE°15 Marina is playing its part in coral restoration too. Check out our coral project and read on for some eco-friendly tips on how you can do your part in your daily life to help protect the ocean and corals.