The Mesoamerican barrier reef, which stretches 900 kilometers from Cancun t o the Yucatan Peninsula, is one of the most splendid natural formations anywhere on the earth today. Abundant sea life, crystal waters, and a teeming, interwoven ecosystem of astonishing diversity has steadily drawn tourists to Belize's sterling shores, travelers who might have come first to search out world-famous Maya ruins, which lie deep in the country's lush tropical forests.
The reef boasts a multitude of natural reserves, over 450 cays, three atolls, and remarkable formations like the Great Blue Hole - a sinkhole that links caves over 400 feet deep to an otherwise shallow surface, like a great marine dot in the sparklingly transparent shallows. Hundreds of invertebrate species scuttle between the cracks and crevices of the miles and miles of hard coral, made from the excreted exoskeletons of over 70 species of coral polyps. These tiny animals band together in great communities, alongside more than 36 species of their colorful cousins, the soft corals, and wave their tiny tentacles in the tepid currents in hopes of snaring microscopic food particles.
The Belize barrier reef itself is constructed from the hard outer skeletons of over 70 species of coral. Tiny, communal animals with soft bodies and tiny tentacle arms, the coral polyps build their exoskeleton as a defense against predators, which can in turn provide a bountiful home for an entire marine ecosystem to develop around.
The reef itself is built from the exoskeletons of over 70 species of coral that continue to inhabit the area. This includes more than 36 species of soft coral, arms drifting serenely in the current, which aid the growth of the reef by helping to direct food towards the tiny, waiting tentacles of the sedentary reef coral's polyps. These corals, along with hundreds of their invertebrate cousins inhabiting the reef's caves and crevices, form the backbone of an ecosystem that supports life on a grand scale, from jellyfish to marine mammals like dolphins and porpoises.
A Profile of Marine Life
One of the most easily-recognized denizens of the reef's blossoming ecosystem is the sea star, or starfish. These often-colorful creatures can sport anywhere from five to fifty arms, and, though they might appear motionless, use a multitude of tiny, tube-like appendages under their bodies to locomote about the ocean floor. Feeding mostly on mollusks, like snails, oysters, and clams, starfish use their arms to pry open the protective shells of their prey, and some species make use of specially adapted, pointed tube-feet to glide across the sandy bottom if the need for a quick escape arises. Though they have no true eyes, photosensitive patches, as well as sensitivity to touch, temperature, and water-borne chemicals allow the starfish to probe their environment, in search of prey or a good hiding spot from ocean carnivores that would make a meal - or a quick snack - of something like them.
The remarkable diversity of the reef's ecology is, astoundingly, a product of only ten percent of the species suspected to inhabit, as large swaths of the area have never been fully explored nor documented by science. Just a short dip will find you sharing the water with sea turtles, stingrays, marine mammals - even sharks, though typically not of the threatening variety. The nearly invisible clarity of the water will enable you to capture your chance encounters vividly and, no doubt, revisit your time in the waters off Belize barrier reef time and again. Who knows? With so much of the area unexplored and untouched by man, maybe you'll be the first to see something truly unique swimming up from the ocean depths. There's only one way to find out!
The reef boasts a multitude of natural reserves, over 450 cays, three atolls, and remarkable formations like the Great Blue Hole - a sinkhole that links caves over 400 feet deep to an otherwise shallow surface, like a great marine dot in the sparklingly transparent shallows. Hundreds of invertebrate species scuttle between the cracks and crevices of the miles and miles of hard coral, made from the excreted exoskeletons of over 70 species of coral polyps. These tiny animals band together in great communities, alongside more than 36 species of their colorful cousins, the soft corals, and wave their tiny tentacles in the tepid currents in hopes of snaring microscopic food particles.
The Belize barrier reef itself is constructed from the hard outer skeletons of over 70 species of coral. Tiny, communal animals with soft bodies and tiny tentacle arms, the coral polyps build their exoskeleton as a defense against predators, which can in turn provide a bountiful home for an entire marine ecosystem to develop around.
The reef itself is built from the exoskeletons of over 70 species of coral that continue to inhabit the area. This includes more than 36 species of soft coral, arms drifting serenely in the current, which aid the growth of the reef by helping to direct food towards the tiny, waiting tentacles of the sedentary reef coral's polyps. These corals, along with hundreds of their invertebrate cousins inhabiting the reef's caves and crevices, form the backbone of an ecosystem that supports life on a grand scale, from jellyfish to marine mammals like dolphins and porpoises.
A Profile of Marine Life
One of the most easily-recognized denizens of the reef's blossoming ecosystem is the sea star, or starfish. These often-colorful creatures can sport anywhere from five to fifty arms, and, though they might appear motionless, use a multitude of tiny, tube-like appendages under their bodies to locomote about the ocean floor. Feeding mostly on mollusks, like snails, oysters, and clams, starfish use their arms to pry open the protective shells of their prey, and some species make use of specially adapted, pointed tube-feet to glide across the sandy bottom if the need for a quick escape arises. Though they have no true eyes, photosensitive patches, as well as sensitivity to touch, temperature, and water-borne chemicals allow the starfish to probe their environment, in search of prey or a good hiding spot from ocean carnivores that would make a meal - or a quick snack - of something like them.
The remarkable diversity of the reef's ecology is, astoundingly, a product of only ten percent of the species suspected to inhabit, as large swaths of the area have never been fully explored nor documented by science. Just a short dip will find you sharing the water with sea turtles, stingrays, marine mammals - even sharks, though typically not of the threatening variety. The nearly invisible clarity of the water will enable you to capture your chance encounters vividly and, no doubt, revisit your time in the waters off Belize barrier reef time and again. Who knows? With so much of the area unexplored and untouched by man, maybe you'll be the first to see something truly unique swimming up from the ocean depths. There's only one way to find out!
About the Author:
Duende Tours is a tour operator with a special focus on adventure vacations in Belize, Guatemala and Mexico. See to find out more or go to Belize Tours.
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