Coral reefs are called “the rainforests of the sea” for good reason! Coral reefs only take up about 1% of the ocean floor, but host about 25% of all ocean species. They provide complex, three-dimensional habitat for a huge variety of plants and animals—large and small—and protect many young fish species as they grow.

Coral reefs are also kind of like speed bumps—their structure helps slow down and shrink waves as they hurtle towards shore, which helps protect coastlines from hurricanes, cyclones and tsunamis. Coral reefs protect shorelines in 81 countries around the world, sheltering the 200 million people living along those coasts. On top of all that, they provide services for countless coastal communities by providing food, recreation, tourism, jobs and more!

Unfortunately, stressors such as climate change, ocean acidification, diseases, overfishing, sedimentation and pollution have degraded reefs around the world. Some fared worse than others: Elkhorn (Acropora palmata) and staghorn (Acropora cervicornis), two species of reef-building corals, have declined between 92-97% since the 1970s. On top of it all, the ocean is acidifying due to increased carbon dioxide, making it harder and harder for corals to build the physical structure of the reef. Thankfully, people are hard at work trying to replenish coral populations with coral reef nurseries to ensure they survive for generations to come. However, the best way we can help corals—and the animals that depend on them—is by cutting carbon emissions and limiting the effects of climate change.