Coral Gallery Gerald Durrell Jersey Zoo

Pink Sea Fan Coral

Eunicella verrucosa

RANGE: Western Ireland, South West of England and along the English Channel as far as east as Portland Bill and Kimmeridge just beyond.

HABITAT: Below tidal influence under 30 feet and thrives in relatively sheltered areas of rocky seabed or on boulders.

SIZE: Slow growing. Long lived. May take decades to attain 1- 2 feet.

DIET: Coral polyps feed mainly on the tiny larvae of sea creatures such as shell fish which they catch with their tentacles.

CONSERVATION STATUS: Scarce. Exact status in Britain is unknown and research is under way. May be at risk from fishing as vulnerable to physical disturbance living its whole life in one place.

NOTES: Made up of a colony of tiny anemone-like polyps. There is a white variety or morph that prefers to live in waters further south of Britain..There are a dozen or so species of coral to be found around Britains coastline.

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Coral reefs around the world, which, may have existed for tens of millions of years, are being damaged and destroyed by pollution, tourism, explosives and global warming. It is estimated that 1/10th may already have gone. Only a one degree temperature change causes death and bleaching of the coral in the reef. This destruction means that life that is dependent on the reef is also lost.

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Coral reefs around the world, which, may have existed for tens of millions of years, are being damaged and destroyed by pollution, tourism, explosives and global warming. It is estimated that 1/10th may already have gone. Only a one degree temperature change causes death and bleaching of the coral in the reef. This destruction means that life that is dependent on the reef is also lost.

Acknowledgements

http://www.coastlink.org/kimmeridge

Thanks to Purbeck Marine Wildlife Reserve (and the reserves very helpful staff) at Kimmeridge, Dorset for allowing me to take the photo. Well worth a visit at any time but try to get there at very low tide when the seashore rock beds and pools are uncovered. Take extreme care though the rocks at low tide are very slippery!

.Also:-

http://www.marlin.ac.uk

Click an endangered living world to go to ArkGallery Homepage

Email us by clicking here The@Arkgallery.org

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