This series reveals how the reef was created, and how it is constantly changing; responding to rhythms of weather, tides, the sun and the moon. Although the reef’s ecosystem covers an area larger than Great Britain, only 7% of it is actually coral reef. The rest of the ecosystem is comprised of various habitats, namely islands, jungle, mangrove swamps, sand flats and sea grass meadows – and they are all connected by a giant deep-water lagoon. These habitats are dependent on each other, and in turn without them the reef would not survive.

From the turtles that migrate thousands of miles across the Pacific Ocean to whales travelling to Australia each year from the Antarctic, creatures cover vast distances to get to the reef. The final episode reveals how the reef is crucially connected to the rest of the planet, and how climate change will ultimately affect its future.

Great Barrier Reef captures the magic of this incredible environment, revealing its natural beauty and its surprising secrets, and why it is so crucial to life on Earth.

Great Barrier Reef will be broadcast from Sunday, 20 January at 18:00 on BBC Knowledge, channel 184 on DStv. The series will include three episodes.