Is it alive? Yes.

Is it a plant? No—even though it roots into the ocean floor like a plant would.

Is it an animal? Yes—even though it has no face.

Coral are invertebrates related to jellyfish. They use their tiny arms to grab passing food (unlike plants, which make their own food). Individual corals are called polyps (PAH-lips). They join together to build complex, statue-like structures on the sea floor. Lots of these tiny animals together make a reef—a huge home for other sea life.

. . . And Why Does It Matter?

Coral reefs matter—and not just to fish. Underwater reefs act as barriers. They help protect people on land from surging storm waves caused by hurricanes. And reefs make productive fishing spots. Human diets and economies depend on healthy reefs for communities to fish.

Many coral reefs are in trouble. Seawater acidity, pollution, and water temperatures all affect coral health. In harmful conditions, the tiny corals may eject the brightly colored algae that grow on their reef. These algae are the corals’ primary food and oxygen source. When the algae go, the reef will “bleach,” or turn bone-white. That color shift almost always means that individual polyps in the colony will die—usually bringing death to the reef. Many non-coral marine animals survive these stresses. But they still need a home.

God made people the crown of His creation. He gave us a big job: caring for the world. So people scout for solutions. Some plant new coral in reefs. Others breed coral types that survive stress well. They save them in “super-coral” banks in case people need them in the future. Others make artificial reefs.

And some people find reefs! We didn’t know about the hidden Galápagos reef. But God is all-knowing. He saw the reef all along.