[Panel 1]
Secrets of the sand
The sand on Nishibama Beach gives the impression of being a beautiful, flawless white. Under magnification, however, you can see that it is actually composed of grains of different colors. That’s because the sand is in fact made up of coral fragments and the remains of shellfish and other creatures that live on coral reefs, pulverized over time. To learn more about coral, why not drop in to the Sango Yuntaku-Kan Visitor Center in Aka Harbor?
[Panel 2]
Coral on the Rocks
Young corals live on the surface of rocks. When swimming, please take great care not to stand on any rocks or the coral growing on them. This will help preserve the coral for everyone to enjoy.
[Panel 3]
Skeleton of Young Coral
This is what the skeleton of a young coral looks like. Over the next few years, the long, perpendicular skeleton will grow into a columnar structure to support the body of the coral. When swimming, please take care not to tread on the young corals so their skeletons can grow properly.
[Panel 4]
Coral—Plant or Animal?
Coral may look like a plant, but in fact it’s an animal related to the sea anemone. As this picture shows, coral polyps have countless semi-transparent tentacles which are used to catch and digest their prey.