Coral reefs are built by tiny animals called coral polyps, which secrete calcium carbonate to form hard skeletons, creating large reef structures over thousands of years in warm, shallow oceans. These important ecosystems provide habitats for 25% of marine life, protect coastlines, and support human communities but are threatened by pollution, overfishing, and global warming, which can lead to coral bleaching. Corals rely on a symbiotic relationship with photosynthetic algae, zooxanthellae, whic