RAINFORESTS

DEFINITION OF RAINFORESTS:

Rainforests are the Earth's oldest living ecosystems. They are so amazing and beautiful and they have more interesting facts to be known about Rainforests.

The rainforests covers only 6% of the Earth’s surface but they contain more than ½ of the world’s animal species and plants.

It can be described as a tall and dense jungle.  The name “Rain Forests” derived from the reason “the high amount of rainfall it gets per year”.  The climatic condition of a rain forest is very hot and humid. The animals and plants that exist in the rainforests naturally adapts to this climatic condition.

RAINFORESTS - HIGHS AND LOWS:

           

30 million species of plants and animals live in tropical rainforests. At least two-thirds of the world's plant species, including many exotic and beautiful flowers grow in the rainforests.

            Many animals which spend their whole life on treetops and they never come to the ground. These animals without encountering each other in their lifetime live on a single tree. The life in the tropical forest is so strange like this and the tropical rainforests are found all along the Equator, in East Asia, Africa, Australia and South America.

            Abundant plant life exists in rainforests because they receive heavy rainfall and enough sunlight. The trees in these forests grow taller and taller, and spread their branches out in canopy. The trees can grow taller than 60 meters, which is the height of a 16-storey building. Variety of monkeys, bats, eagles and other birds which live on the tree at this height never come down to the ground. They live at this height by building their nests in the branches and prey on other animals which live at this height. They even get their water from the hollows of trees, where it accumulates.

            Though these animals may never come down to the ground, they travel long distances along the canopy, either by flying or by jumping from one tree to another. In fact, for the animals the world changes drastically at different heights of the tree. At the ground level, there is very little sunlight, because of the thick canopy overhead. Here, one fan find ferns, mushrooms and burrowing animals and insects. Most animals here feed on fruits that fall from the branches. The tall trunks of the trees are covered with thick vines, creepers and lianas. Some ferns and orchids also grow on the trunks and branches. A variety of insects and tree frogs have adapted themselves to life at this level.

            At the very top of the canopy is another lifestyle. The animals here get to see the open sky and sunlight. Many ferns grow atop the canopy, too. The tropical jungles are the thickest in the world.

WHERE ARE THE RAINFORESTS:

Australasia

Millions of years ago, Australia, New Zealand and the island of New Guinea formed part of a great forested Southern Continent, isolated from the rest of the world.   Today these countries contain many different species of animal that occur nowhere else.

Undergrowth in Australia's tropical forests is dense and lush.  The forests lie in the path of wet winds blowing in from the Pacific.

Africa

            The world's second largest rainforests are found in Central Africa.  To the south east, the large island of Madagascar was once intensively forested, but now much of it is gone.

High cloud forest, mangrove swamps and flooded forests are found in Africa.  The island of Madagascar is home to many unique plants and animals not found anywhere else in the world.

Central America

The Central American was once entirely covered with rainforest, but large areas have been cleared for cattle ranching and for sugar cane plantations purposes. 

The jungles and mangrove swamps of Central America contain many plants and animals found nowhere else in the world.  Central America is famous for its large number of tropical birds, including many kinds of parrots.

The Amazon

            The Amazon jungle is the world's largest tropical rainforest.  The forest covers the basin of the Amazon, the world's second longest river.

The Amazon is home to the greatest variety of plants and animals on Earth.  about 1/10^th of all mammal  and a 1/5^th  of all the world's plants and birds species are found in Amazon tropical rainforest.

INTERESTING FACTS OF RAINFORESTS:

• More than half the animals and plants on Earth are found in rainforests. In fact, scientists believe the deep within the jungles and canopies exist many plants and animals which have not yet been discovered by humans.
• The rainforests are also called the Pharmacy of Earth because many of the plants which grow here have medicinal properties.
• 1 out of 4 ingredients in our medicine is from rainforest plants.
• Giant bamboo plants can grow up to 9 inches a day in the rainforests.
• The trees of a tropical rainforest are so densely packed that rain falling on the canopy can take as long as 10 minutes to reach the ground.
• In the moist rainforests of South America, sloths move so slowly that algae are able to grow in their fur.
• Some rainforest monkeys are omnivores, eating both animals and plants.
• The forests of Central Africa are home to more than 8,000 different species of plants.
• Flying animals of Asian rainforests include frogs, squirrels and snakes.
• More than 2,000 different species of butterflies are found in the rainforests of South America.
• 80% of the flowers in the Australian rainforests are not found anywhere else in the world.
• Bats are essential for the pollination of many tropical foodstuffs such as bananas and mangoes.
• Kola nut of rainforest is used to make Coca Cola.
• The rubber used to make tyres of cars and bikes we used comes from rainforests.
• Lemurs are found in the rainforests of Madagascar.
• The rafflesia plant which is the largest flower in the world are found in the rainforests of Sumatra and Borneo. It smells of rotting meat to attract flies for pollination.
•  The cacao tree, from which the cocoa beans for making chocolate grow is found the rainforests.

 FACTS TO BE SEEN WITH GRAVE CONCERN:

• Over half of the rainforests of Earth have already been destroyed by humans.
• Experts say that every year around 50,000 species of plants and animals from rainforest are becoming extinct.
•  An area of a rainforest the size of a football field is being destroyed each second.

PRESERVATION OF RAINFORESTS (Our work to protect Rainforests):

            The world's rainforests are currently disappearing at a rate of 6000 acres every hour (this is about 4000 football fields per hour).   When these forests are cut down, the plants and animals that live in the forests are destroyed, and some species are at risk of being made extinct.  Further, the balance of the earth's eco-system is disrupted because of the large-scale harvesting of lumber from the rain forests.  We need the rain forests to produce oxygen and clean the atmosphere to help us breathe.  We also know that the earth's climate can be affected, as well as the water cycle.  Rainforests also provide us with many valuable medicinal plants, and may be a source of a cure from some deadly diseases.

Forests can be managed effectively without endangering rare species of plants and animals and without risking global environmental damage.  Companies that harvest timber should not be allowed to "clear cut" large areas of forest and they will be insisted the need to plant new trees after they cut old trees down.  As a world community, we must be careful not to destroy the resources in the rainforests which serves the future generation.

Illegally, many animals like parrots and iguanas from the rainforests are being imported one country from other countries.  As a world community with a view to protect the plant and animals species should not buy these animals, since this encourages other people to import more animals illegally.

Most of the products that we use such as rubber, coffee and rain forest lumber come from rainforests. Rainforests are cut down to harvest the timber and also to make room for farms to grow coffee and spices. The world community needs to be thoughtful about the way we consume these products which comes out of rainforests resources, and support companies and programs that make a commitment to safe environmental practices.

Lets us save the nature and save the world and make this planet a place to live for Future Generation!!!