Ningaloo Reef facts for kids
| UNESCO World Heritage Site | |
|---|---|
 |
|
| Location | Western Australia, Australia |
| Criteria | Natural: (vii), (x) |
| Inscription | 2011 (35th Session) |
| Area | 705,015 ha (1,742,130 acres) |
Ningaloo Reef is a huge coral reef located off the coast of Western Australia. It stretches for about 260 kilometers (160 miles) along the North West Cape. This amazing reef is one of the biggest in the world!
The reef is home to many different kinds of coral. You can find about 200 types of hard coral and 50 types of soft coral here. More than 520 kinds of fish also live on the reef.
Contents
Amazing Animals of Ningaloo Reef
Many incredible animals call Ningaloo Reef home. You might spot giant whale sharks, graceful manta rays, and huge humpback whales. Gentle dugongs, which are like sea cows, also live here. You can even see a special fish called the Potato Cod.
The reef is also a very important place for sea turtles. Six of the world's seven types of sea turtles visit Ningaloo. These include the Green turtle, Loggerhead Sea Turtle, Hawksbill turtle, and Flatback turtle. They come to the reef to feed and lay their eggs.
Ningaloo Reef Marine Park
To protect this special place, the Ningaloo Reef Marine Park was created. This park covers a huge area of about 5,000 square kilometers (1,930 square miles). It helps keep the reef and its animals safe.
People from all over the world love to visit Ningaloo Reef. It is a very popular spot for scuba diving and snorkeling. Visitors can swim among the colorful corals and see the amazing marine life up close.
Related pages
Images for kids
-
Whale shark at the reef located off the Ningaloo Coast
-
A manta ray with remoras at Ningaloo Reef.
-
Part of the coral reef pictured underwater in 2012.
-
A large clam pictured underwater in 2012.
-
The Ningaloo Coastline, in 2012.
-
Divers explore a ship wreck adjacent to the coral reef.
-
Stegostoma fasciatum (zebra shark) pictured on the reef in 2007.
-
Cape Range National Park and Ningaloo Reef from the air.
-
Whale sharks
See also
In Spanish: Costa de Ningaloo para niños
