▁moder ately ▁common . ▁It ▁is ▁less ▁sus cept ible ▁to ▁cor al ▁ble aching ▁than ▁some ▁related ▁species ▁because ▁it ▁occurs ▁in ▁deeper ▁water . ▁The ▁population ▁tr end ▁for ▁this ▁species ▁is ▁unclear , ▁but ▁the ▁main ▁thre ats ▁faced ▁by ▁cor als ▁in ▁general ▁are ▁related ▁to ▁climate ▁change ▁and ▁the ▁mechanical ▁destruction ▁of ▁their ▁cor al ▁re ef ▁habit ats ; ▁increasing ▁damage ▁from ▁extreme ▁weather ▁events , ▁rising ▁sea ▁water ▁temper atures ▁and ▁ocean ▁acid ification . ▁The ▁International ▁Union ▁for ▁Conserv ation ▁of ▁Nature ▁has ▁ass essed ▁the ▁conservation ▁status ▁of ▁this ▁species ▁as ▁being ▁a ▁" near - th re aten ed ▁species ". ▁All ▁cor als ▁receive ▁protection ▁by ▁being ▁listed ▁on ▁C IT ES ▁Append ix ▁II . ▁ ▁References ▁ ▁Category : L ob oph yl li idae ▁Category : Anim als ▁described ▁in ▁ 1 9 7 5 ▁Category : N ear ▁threatened ▁animals <0x0A> </s> ▁Hay ▁is ▁a ▁town ▁in ▁the ▁western ▁River ina ▁region ▁of ▁south ▁western ▁New ▁South ▁Wales , ▁Australia . ▁It ▁is ▁the ▁administrative ▁centre ▁of ▁Hay ▁Sh ire ▁local ▁government ▁area ▁and ▁the ▁centre ▁of ▁a ▁prosper ous ▁and ▁product ive ▁agricult ural ▁district ▁on ▁the ▁wide ▁Hay ▁Pla ins . ▁ ▁Loc ated ▁approximately ▁mid way ▁between ▁ ▁Sydney ▁and ▁Ad ela ide ▁at ▁the ▁j unction ▁of ▁the ▁St urt , ▁C obb ▁and ▁Mid - West ern ▁High ways , ▁Hay ▁is ▁an ▁important ▁regional ▁and ▁national ▁transport ▁node . ▁The ▁town ▁itself