1 in 8 Australians can't locate Great Barrier Reef: survey

CANBERRA, May 20 (Xinhua) -- One in eight Australians can't identify the location of the Great Barrier Reef, despite its global fame and environmental importance, according to new research from the University of South Australia (UniSA).

The findings reveal a concerning lack of awareness about Australia's most iconic natural wonder, which supports more than 6,000 different species, said lead researcher and UniSA environmental science student Jarrah Taylor.

The study surveyed 113 Australians from four different states via social media to assess public knowledge about the reef. While 87 percent of the respondents correctly named Queensland as its home, a surprising 13 percent of them either guessed the wrong state or didn't know at all, a UniSA press release said on Monday.

The survey found that while many participants named general groups like fish, reptiles, and corals as inhabitants of the Great Barrier Reef, only a few could identify specific species such as clownfish, sea turtles, and sharks.

"We were not expecting participants to provide the scientific name for individual species, but we were interested to see if they could identify flora and fauna at a more niche level - for example reef sharks, manta rays, giant clams and potato cod. This was not the case," Taylor said.

Clownfish were the most frequently identified species, likely thanks to the popularity of the 2003 animated film Finding Nemo, which was inspired by the Great Barrier Reef, according to the study published in Marine and Freshwater Research, a journal under the Commonwealth Scientific and Industrial Research Organization, Australia's national science agency.

The survey found only three endangered species such as green turtles, staghorn coral, or hammerhead sharks, were mentioned by participants. Less than one percent of them identified birds, despite the reef supporting 20 seabird species, said UniSA senior author Brianna Le Busque.

It also showed 33 percent of the respondents cited climate change as a top threat, while 34 percent mentioned coral bleaching, which highlights the need for a national awareness campaign about the biodiversity and fragility of the reef, Le Busque said, adding people are more likely to support conservation when they feel a personal connection. Enditem