Barrier reef off Grande Terre, New Caledonia, France
© Karsten Wrobel/Getty Image
Barrier reef off Grande Terre, New Caledonia, France
'Life under the sea is better than anything they got up there,' Sebastian the crab once told Ariel. But are we doing enough to protect that underwater world? Today's image features the New Caledonian barrier reef, which wraps around Grande Terre, New Caledonia's largest island.
At over 1,500 kilometres long, it's one of the longest continuous barrier reefs in the world. Its vast 24,000-square-kilometre lagoon is home to over 2,300 fish species, endangered dugongs, green sea turtles and migrating humpback whales. However, reefs like this face growing threats—from pollution, mining runoff, rising ocean temperatures and even harmful sunscreens. Increased tourism can also strain these fragile ecosystems. So, let us do our bit and commit to reef-friendly choices: use reef-safe sunscreen, reduce plastic waste and support conservation efforts in your community or online.
Related Images
Bay of Biscay, Basque Coast Geopark, Bilbao, Spain
Martinique, Lesser Antilles, Caribbean Sea
MacKenzie Beach, Tofino, British Columbia, Canada
Omijima Island, Kita-Nagato Kaigan Quasi-National Park, Japan
Pitting Gales Point, Pembrokeshire Coast National Park, west Wales
The Needles, Isle of Wight, England
Sea stacks on the Isle of Lewis, Outer Hebrides, Scotland
Bréhat, Côtes-d'Armor, France
Bing Today Images
