2008 is the International Year of the Reef as declared by NOAA, the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration. Reef animals and plants dwell on and among rocks, sunken vessels, or the centuries old constructions of stony corals. Reef-building corals generally thrive within the tropics and subtropics from about 30°N to 30°S latitudes. This issue of Land, Sea & Air features coral reefs - one of the most diverse and endangered habitats in the world.

Students of all ages can dive in and explore coral reefs through the following classroom activities. In the Schooling Fish activity, kids in kindergarten through third grade can learn why some fish species school. Fourth through eighth grade students can discover who eats what in the Weave a Food Web activity. High school students can practice their geography skills and find out where the world's corals reefs grow in the Exploring Coral Reefs activity.

Immerse your class in the ecology and inhabitants of coral reefs in this SeaWorld and Busch Gardens Coral Reef Infobook.

Visit this virtual aquarium for a glimpse of several kinds of ocean critters that call coral reefs home.

Feeding aggregations of whale sharks seasonally appear in tropical coastal sites, often above or near coral reefs. Read Dr. Brent Stewart's Blog to find out more about a study on the ecology of whale sharks that visit coral reefs off the coast of Kenya, Africa.

Coral reefs are one of the most endangered habitats in the world. Human activities such as overfishing and development of coastal areas impact nearby coral communities. In addition, ocean acidification - from higher-than-normal levels of carbon dioxide in the Earth's atmosphere - also threatens corals' ability to construct their calcium carbonate skeletons. The SeaWorld & Busch Gardens Conservation Fund has provided numerous grants to help protect coral reef ecosystems around the world including the following.

You and your class can see coral, reef fishes, and other reef animals at any SeaWorld park during an Instructional Field Trip.