Monday, August 1, 2011

Belize Barrier Reef

Belize Barrier Reef is a series of coral reefs located on the coast of Belize, about 300 meters (980 feet) offshore in the north and 40 kilometers (25 miles) south of the state borders. Belize Barrier Reef is the 300-kilometer (190 mile) length of 900 kilometers (560 miles) long Mesoamerican Barrier Reef System, which is continuous from Cancun on the northeast corner of the Yucatán Peninsula through the Riviera Maya to Honduras so that one of the largest coral reef system in the world after the Great Barrier Reef in Australia and New Caledonia Barrier Reef.

Belize Barrier is also home to whale sharks, manta rays, dugongs, shellfish, lobster and other sea creatures. However, a very beautiful place is threatened with extinction. Since 1998, the Belize Barrier in the waters of Latin America are experiencing thinning and lost 50% of reefs in some areas. This is caused by global warming, pollution from agriculture, the increase in tourists, the development of the beach facilities and destruction by cruise ship.

Charles Darwin described as "the most remarkable reef in the West Indies" in 1842.


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