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Cover Story

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Coral Reef Alert

Corals are hardworking creatures. They build beautiful reefs in shallow tropical waters. Sea horses, starfish and other ocean animals all live in reefs. They are home to more than one-quarter of the world's marine species.

But these lively ecosystems are in trouble. Almost half of the coral reefs in U.S. waters are in poor or fair condition, says a recent government report. The National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) says rising ocean temperatures are largely to blame. Overfishing also harms reefs.

A survey published in July tells a similar story worldwide. One-third of the more than 700 species of reef-building corals are threatened with extinction. If corals die off, there will be no reefs. "If we lose the reefs, [we] lose a very important habitat," says Timothy Keeney, of NOAA.

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