14/09/2026
Plot twist: coral isn’t a rock 🪸😭
Corals are animals — and what we think of as a single coral is actually a colony made up of thousands of tiny animals called polyps.
Each tiny polyp has a mouth and tentacles. Hard corals build calcium carbonate skeletons, creating the reef structures we see underwater.
Soft corals are different: they don’t build the same hard skeleton. Instead, their flexible bodies are supported by tiny internal structures, allowing them to sway and move with the current.
So when you look at a coral reef, you’re not looking at some underwater pile of rocks.
You’re looking at a living, growing ecosystem made up of hard corals, soft corals and countless other organisms — providing food, shelter and a home for an incredible amount of marine life. 🐠
And that’s why even touching coral can cause damage.
Look, don’t touch. 🪸💙
Follow along for more ocean content 🥰
