Is it true that it's illegal to take corals from Egypt?

Egypt's coral reefs are found mainly along the coasts of the Red Sea, the Gulf of Suez and the Gulf of Aqaba, where more than a thousand different fish species live among 250 kinds of coral. Red Sea reefs are cited as among the richest in the world for overall species diversity.

Taking any piece of coral out of Egypt is illegal. Even if you find it dead on the beach, don’t be tempted to smuggle it in your suitcase, because airport security has special software that can detect pieces of coral by their shape.