Sea turtle wearing a GoPro shows beauty of Great Barrier Reef

New video from the World Wildlife Fund shows what the Great Barrier Reef looks like from a turtle's point of view. And what a view!

Researchers in Australia secured a GoPro to a sea turtle's shell and followed it as it swam through Australia's Great Barrier Reef. The reef is the largest system of coral reefs on the planet and designated a UNESCO World Heritage Site.

The stunning footage is part of a campaign to raise awareness about the reef's declining health and amp up pressure on Australia to continue efforts to protect it.

On Wednesday, the UNESCO World Heritage Committee declined to put the reef on its "in danger" list. The list currently consists of 48 World Heritage sites, many threatened by pollution, unchecked human development, war and natural disasters. The organization said it would continue to monitor Australia's progress to restore the reef's health over the next four years.

The GoPro footage is part of a WWF collaboration with local researchers to understand the effect climate change and pollution are having on sea turtle populations, according to Charlie Stevens, a spokesman for the WWF in Australia. He says researchers have used a variety of methods to monitor sea turtle behavior.

Gallery: UNESCO World Heritage Sites

Stevens said the camera eventually fell off the turtle's back and the researchers were able to retrieve it. He says over the past few years hundreds of dying and dead sea turtles have washed up on the shores off the Great Barrier Reef.

"We're keen to find out what might be causing these strandings and whether it's from poor water quality and pollution and if so, what the contaminants might be that are affecting turtle health," Steven told USA TODAY Network in an email.