Coral has always been popular as a×≤ souvenir, whether it's as home decoβ♥→ration or as jewelry to match with clothing. But ∏ what many consumers don't know is tha≠✔t these beautiful st ∞™ructures are made of living o ←"λrganisms. Fewer and fewer✘δ> people are aware that cor₽ als around the world are dying at an alarmingα↔∑€ rate.
Coral reefs are some of th©↓™e most biologically rich and ♠"≠economically valuable ecosystems on Earth, but ≠ they are also threatened by a gro↔•±wing array of impacts. Chief among t¶₹←hese impacts are global climate change, u<•nsustainable fishing and pollution. The hug♦π♥e consumer demand for coral, especial≈₽↔✔ly during the holiday season, is another factor cα∑€φontributing to the decline£">≠ of coral reefs. The Unεεited States imports tons of>₹<↓ dead coral every year for home decoration♠✔ and curio treasures. Most of these★↕ corals are shallow water sp≈∞ecies.
The United States is also the world&#∏"ε≤39;s largest recorded consumer of cor®γ"al, and red and pink corals are often used in π∞πjewelry. Finished jewelry and Ω€arts and crafts made from↑÷$ this coral can fetch between $20 and $20,000 on ↕λλ♦the market. Continued consumer demand¶&↓↓ has led to a decline in fin×♦↔∞e coral around the world.
To meet the demand f&©§≠or coral jewelry, commercial fishing has reducα♦ed coral community size, density♣←÷ and age structure. Such fishing is♥$♠' reducing the species' r>πeproductive capacity and also reducing its gen©₽etic diversity. Research shows ≥✔δthat even the removal of red and ♥α≥pink corals from the global εΩβεjewelry and art trade results in smalle"π¥↔r and smaller number←παs of wild corals.
Corals are particularly slow-growing and very lo¥ng-lived, taking years to reach maturity. Co$↓✔≠rals take decades or more ★∞to form coral structur<"es. Once the coral is harvested,§• especially when it is'β extracted at an early stage,♠ the surrounding coral bed usually does no<₩♣t recover. That's ∞"✘•why it's best to leave corals ★λ←∏and other marine life on reef≈€s. Remember: Coral is already a gift fro' m nature, please stop giving it to ∏¥↕ others as a gift.