Even though they can prove hard, sharp and dangerous, coral reefs are also fragile. They're built by little animals that live in harmony with other marine species. These ecosystems are compared to the rainforest for the extraordinary biodiversity that thrives in them.
They provide food to millions of people and also help protect the coasts from the waves. Corals are threatened by pollution, destructive fishing techniques (like dynamite or cyanide), sea temperature rise or natural predators like starfish.
The World Wildlife Fund works at creating Marine Protected Areas so that all people, institutions and industries interacting with coral ecosystems can do so in respect of the environment. Their campaign in New Caledonia led to the listing of 2/3 of the island's lagoon (the largest on Earth) on Unesco's World Heritage list.
WWF is currently conducting field studies in French Polynesia to identify the most important areas of coral reef to protect. Rip Curl has been proud to support WWF since 2006 in this long term campaign.
