http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Belize_Barrier_Reef
The Belize Barrier Reef is a series of coral reefs straddling the coast of Belize, roughly 300 m (0.2 mile) offshore in the north and 40 km (25 mile) in the south within the country limits. The Belize Barrier Reef is a 300 km (185 miles) section of the Mesoamerican Barrier Reef System which is continuous from Cancun on the northeast tip of the Yucatan Peninsula of Mexico and continues through to offshore Guatemala, making it the second largest coral reef system in the world after the Great Barrier Reef in Australia. It is Belize's top tourist destination, attracting almost half of its 260,000 visitors, and vital to its fishing industry [1].
Charles Darwin described it as "the most remarkable reef in the West Indies" in 1842.
The Belize Barrier Reef is home to a large diversity of plants and animals, one of the most diverse ecosystems of the world:
- 70 hard coral species
- 36 soft coral species
- 500 species of fish
- hundreds of invertebrate species
With 90% of the reef still needing to be researched, it is estimated that only 10% of all species has been discovered
A large portion of the reef is protected by the Belize Barrier Reef Reserve System, which includes seven marine reserves, 450 cays, and three atolls. It totals 960 km² (370 miles²) in area, including:
- Glover's Reef Marine Reserve
- Great Blue Hole
- Half Moon Caye Natural Monument
- Hol Chan Marine Reserve
- Cays include: Ambergris Caye, Caye Caulker, Caye Chapel, St. George's Caye, English Caye, Rendezvous Caye, Gladden Caye, Ranguana Caye, Long Caye, Maho Caye, Blackbird Caye, Three Coner Caye.
Because of its exceptional natural beauty, significant on-going ecological and biological processes, and it contains the most important and significant natural habitats for in-situ conservation of biological diversity (criteria VII, IX, and X), the Reserve System has been designated as a World Heritage Site since 1996.
Despite these protective measures, the reef is under threat from oceanic pollution, uncontrolled tourism, shipping, and fishing. Hurricanes, global warming, and the resulting increase in ocean temperatures are a particularly significant threat [3], causing coral bleaching. It is claimed by scientists that over 40% of Belize's coral reef has been damaged since 1998 [4].
- http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Belize_Barrier_Reef
- ^ BBC News - 12 June 2006
- ^ Belize Barrier Reef Case Study
- ^ BBC News - 4 May, 2000
- ^ BBC News - 12 June 2006
http://www.travelbelize.org/scubasnork.html
- The Belize Barrier Reef
Spanning Belize's coastline for 185 miles is the Belize Barrier Reef with dive sites inside and outside of the reef. Just outside look for Spur and Grove formations - narrow canyons of corals are great for spotting grouper and the occassionally eel.
Inside the reef, patch reefs are covered with hundreds of brightly colored fish and coral species.
For something a little different, try snorkeling or diving near a mangrove colored island "the nursery of the sea" where you are sure to find tiny barracuda, snapper and other fish whose parents you might have seen in deeper water.
Northern Belize
- Mata Rocks
- Hol Chan - Belize's first marine reserve where the fish are huge and quite adapted to human presence.
- The Wall
- Shark Ray Alley
- Stingray Flats
Central Belize
- Goff's Caye
- Rendevous Caye
Southern Belize
- Tobacco Caye - great spur and grove formations just east of the island.
- South Water Caye Marine Reserve - Belize's largest marine reserve.
- Silk Cayes - home to the world's largest population of whale sharks during the months of February to May.
- Gladden Spit
- Laughingbird Caye - Belize's smallest marine reserve.
- Sapodilla Cayes
Coral Atolls
Belize boasts three offshore atolls: Turneffe, Glover's Reef and Lighthouse Reef. Together they easily provide over a hundred dive and snorkeling sites for the adventurous visitor.
A. Turneffe Atoll, the largest of three atolls found in Belize, is 30 miles long. The water dept measures between 55 and 65 feet.
Some dive sites in this atoll are Hollywood, Jill's Thrill, Cabbage Patch, the Elbow, The Coral, Gorgonian Bluff, the Secret Spot, Birthday Reef and Rendezvous Wall.
Snorkeling areas are Bat Brook Shallows and Billy Bob's Shallows.
B. Glover's Reef, which is most south of the three, is often overlooked. It has a diameter of some 40 miles with over 700 shallow patch reefs in its interior.
C. Lighthouse Reef is the farthest from the mainland but unlike Glover's Reef gets plenty of visitors. Depth near the reef is around 9 feet.
The great Blue Hole at the center of Lighthouse Reef is described as one of the best dive sites on Earth and a must for all advanced divers. It has a dept of 480 feet with stalactites at 130 feet. Other diving sites are Manta Wall, the Zoo, Cathedral and Half Moon Wall.