Amazing Rainforests By:Shay McCool and Emma Kalau

What is a rain forest? A rainforest is a place where lots of things grow because they are warm and it rains everyday. Also a Rainforest covers only 6% of the earth. They also help keep the earth cool and make the air healthy to breath. Rainforests are the oldest living communities of life on the planet..

Location of Rain Forests Rainforests are located in different continents such as North America, South America, Africa, Eurasia, and Australia. There are a lot of tropical rainforests near the equator.

Emergent Layer There are many animals in the Emergent Layer including the sloth, Harpy eagle, butterflies and parrots. The trees in the Emergent layer are about 200 feet from the ground. The leaves and branches of this layer take the most light, heat, rain and punishment from the winds.

Harpy eagles

Canopy Layer The Canopy is the largest layer of all of the layers. Many kinds of plants take advantage of the canopy’s light by growing high up in the trees. Different animals like toucans, spider monkeys, sloths, iguanas, and many others live in the canopy layer.

Monkeys

Understory Layer This layer is usually dim because most sunlight is blocked by the canopy’s branches and leaves. Frogs, coatis, iguanas, monkeys, kinkajous, porcupines and ocelots make their homes in the trees and in the plants that go on tree trunks.

Jaguars

Forest Floor The Rainforest floor is a dark, wet place. Very little sunlight reaches the forest floor. Leaves, branches, vines, rotted fruit, and animal leftovers eventually falls to the forest floor. Animals that live on the forest floor are armadillos, mice, ants, tapirs, earthworms, anteaters, and jaguars.

Deforestation Many of the foods, medicines, and household items we depend on come from Rainforests. Rainforests supply us with many foods and products we use every day. Loggers often destroy all the plants in a patch of Rainforest to get a few trees that they want.

People of the Rain Forest Certain people have lived in the Rainforest for thousands of years. Rainforest tribes live in structured communities with their own cultures and customs. Although they have rights according to international laws, they are often mistreated and their land is stolen or invaded.

Rafflesia

Plants to cure cancer

Save t he Rainforest !!!