How are coral reef born?

Coral reefs are not born, they grow. Coral reefs are colonies of tiny animals called coral polyps that live in warm, shallow waters. These animals secrete a hard exoskeleton made of calcium carbonate which forms the reef. Over time, as more and more polyps build their exoskeletons on top of each other, a coral reef grows. This process is very slow, and it can take thousands or even millions of years for a coral reef to form.

Coral reefs are important because they provide food and shelter for a wide variety of marine life, and they also help to protect coastlines from erosion. Unfortunately, coral reefs are threatened by a number of human activities, including climate change, pollution, and overfishing. It is important to protect coral reefs so that they can continue to provide their many benefits to the environment and to humans.