Fun Fact 2: Rainforests are populated by trees that create canopies of different heights which are habitats for different species (types) of animals and plants. There are two types of rainforest; a rainforest will either be a Tropical Rainforest or a Temperate Rainforest
Fun Fact 3: The rainforests that surround the earth's equator are classed as tropical rainforests. Tropical rainforests are found in South America, Africa and Asian continents. Types of animal that you will find in a tropical rainforest include: chimpanzee, gorilla, Indian cobra, orangutan, jaguar, monkey, leopard, parrot, iguana and the tree frog
Fun Fact 4: Temperate rainforests are much cooler in temperature, and there are less temperate rainforests on the planet. They can be found along the Pacific coast of the USA and Canada, New Zealand, Tasmania, Chile and Europe. The types of animals that you will find in different temperate rainforest can include: puma (mountain lion), bear, gray wolf, elk (deer), Siberian tiger, snow leopard, kangaroo and wombat
Fun Fact 5: Tropical rainforests are divided into 4 different strata (layers or zones) the emergent, canopy, understory, and forest floor. Different types of animals, insects and plant life are found in each stratum
Fun Fact 6: The emergent layer of a rain forest can be described as the very top of the rainforest; the tops of the trees can elevate to 270ft (81m). Here can be found a multitude of birds, butterflies and insects
Fun Fact 7: The canopy zone of the rainforest contains the upper parts of the trees, an area that elevates to 65-130ft (20-40m) high. The animals found living in the canopy strata vary according to location they can include; different types of birds, orangutan, monkeys, flying squirrels, tree frogs, lizards and insects,
Fun Fact 8: The understory layer in the rainforest is positioned under the leaves of the tree but above the ground, this area is a cool dark environment. The animals found living in the understory strata vary according to location they can include; spiders, snakes, lizards, insects, leopards and jaguars
Fun Fact 9: The forest floor layer of the rainforest only receives 2% of sunlight; therefore not many plants survive there and it is very much plant free; it mainly consists of rotting vegetation, decaying plants and animal waste. The animals found living in the forest floor strata vary according to location they can include; gorillas, jaguars, leopards, insects, spiders and reptiles
Fun Fact 10: The rainforest is a difficult environment for animals to survive in as they compete for food, sunlight and increasing loss of natural habitat; in the decades many animals living in the rainforests have become endangered or classified 'At risk' - vulnerable to becoming endangered or even extinct
Fun Fact 11: The most common creatures in the rainforest are Insects. They live in every zone of a rainforest. There are also more small animals than large and more vegetarians (planet eaters) than carnivores (meat eaters)
Fun Fact 12: Most insects and animals are at risk of being eaten by other creatures in the rainforest, so many have developed ways to defend themselves including the use of camouflage. Chameleons are able to change color to blend into their surroundings, insects often resemble sticks and butterflies can be hard to detect within leaves and vegetation. Bigger animals also use camouflage; the sloth for example, is covered in green algae, and travels at a very slow pace which help to conceal them from predators
Fun Fact 13: Brightly coloured animals can be found within the rainforest, many using their vivid colours as a warning to predators that they are poisonous and should be left alone, some creatures including frogs, insects and butterflies mimic the poisonous defence approach, even though they may not be poisonous the mimicry works as an effective deterrent
Fun Fact 14: Are tropical rainforest animals endangered? Yes. 50% of the world's plant and animal species live in the tropical rainforests, yet it has been estimated that an area the size of two football fields was being destroyed every second! The Amazon rainforest is considered one of the most endangered areas in the world and the animals are put at risk largely to deforestation (the process of removing trees and forests). Deforestation rates have reduced slightly in recent years, conservation and protection has rapidly increased to preserve some destruction, however many species of tropical rainforest animals including; orangutan, jaguar, gorilla, brown spider monkey, yellow-crested cockatoo, poison dart frogs all remain on the critically endangered list, they could face an extremely high risk of extinction in the immediate future
Fun Fact 15: Are temperate rainforest animals endangered? Yes. Over 50 of the planets temperate rainforests have already been destroyed which accounts for them being more endangered than the tropical rainforest! Examples of endangered temperate rainforest animals include; red wolves, elk, bison, elephants, gorillas, turtles and tortoise |
