E-BOOK CODE:
REAU5021
Special School Photocopy Master Edition
© IMSI
Wonders of the
Rainforest
Resource Book
by Jane Bourke
About Ready-Ed Publications
Ready-Ed Publications was established in 1984 with the purpose of creating practical classroom blackline master
activities. At the time, the role of the teacher was becoming ever more diverse with an increasing range of duties and
responsibilities within the school and school community. Since then, the role of the teacher has continued to evolve
with an escalating range of tasks and obligations, ensuring a reduction in time available to prepare work for the daily
instructional program.
Throughout these past 21 years, Ready-Ed Publications has built a reputation as publishers of Australian made, high
quality, innovative, timesaving materials for teachers of primary and lower secondary levels. In addition, all materials
are based on state or national curriculum guidelines or specific age-related interest areas and subjects.
Ready-Ed Publications aims to assist busy professionals by making available contemporary classroom materials that
contain relevant and stimulating work to support the requirements of the curriculum.
A Resource for Young Learners: Wonders of the Rainforest
© 2006 Ready-Ed Publications
Printed in Australia
Author: Jane Bourke
Typesetting and Cover Design: Shay Howard
Acknowledgements:
i.
NOAA credits: Images courtesy of National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration/Department of Commerce.
ii. AWI credits: Images courtesy of the Alfred Wegener Institute of Polar and Marine Research, Bremerhaven, Germany.
iii. Clip art images have been obtained from Microsoft Design Gallery Live and are used under the terms of the End User License
Agreement for Microsoft Word 2000. Please refer to www.microsoft.com/permission.
iv. IMSI credits: Where credited the images used were obtained from IMSI’s Masterclips/MasterPhotos collection, 1895 Francisco
Blvd, East San Rafael, CA 94901-5506 USA. www.imsisoft.com
v. COREL credits: Where credited the images used were obtained from Corel Corporation collection, 1600 Carling Ave., Ottawa,
Ontario, Canada K1Z 8R7.
vi. Photos from individual sources have been acknowledged where applicable. While every attempt has been made to acknowledge
the ownership of photos used herein, in some instances this has not been possible. If you know of the photographers for these
images, please contact the publisher so that proper acknowledgement can be given.
Cover images:
i.
Toucan, monkey – IMSI Collection
ii. Harlequin frog – © Robert Puschendorf
iii. Kaiapo shaman – © Sue Wren
iv. Blue Morpho butterfly – © Chuck Vaughan
Published by:
Ready-Ed Publications
PO Box 276
Greenwood WA 6023
www.readyed.com.au
info@readyed.com.au
ISBN: 1 86397 643 4
COPYRIGHT NOTICE FOR THIS SPECIAL SCHOOL LIBRARY PHOTOCOPY MASTER EDITION
Permission is granted for the purchaser to photocopy sufficient copies for non-commercial educational
purposes. However, this permission is not transferable and applies only to the purchasing individual or
institution.
Wonders of the Rainforest
Contents
Contents .......................................................... 3
Rainforest Wildlife ........................................ 35
Learning About Rainforests ............................. 5
Creature Feature ........................................... 36
What is a Biome? ............................................ 6
Talkin’ Toucans .............................................. 37
The Earth’s Ecoregions .................................... 7
Magic Macaws .............................................. 38
Where are these Ecoregions found? .............. 10
Interesting Insects ........................................ 39
The Rainforest Biome .................................... 11
Scary Spiders ................................................. 40
Rainforests Around the World........................ 12
Freaky Fish Alert!........................................... 41
Where are the Rainforests? ........................... 13
Tropical Mammals ......................................... 42
Layers of the Rainforests? ............................. 14
Rainforest Reptiles ........................................ 43
Features of Forests ........................................ 16
Rainforest Reptiles ........................................ 44
Why are Rainforests Important? .................... 17
Slimy Amphibians ......................................... 45
Plants and Energy ......................................... 18
Fearless Frogs ............................................... 46
Plants and Energy ......................................... 19
Colourful Creatures ....................................... 47
Rainforests and Water ................................... 20
Animal Tactics ............................................... 48
Rainforests and the Atmosphere ................... 21
The Rainforest Food Web ............................... 50
The Greenhouse Effect ................................... 22
People of the Rainforest ................................ 51
Clearing the Rainforests................................ 23
People of the Rainforest: Congo .................... 52
Rainforest Plants ........................................... 24
People of the Rainforest: Africa..................... 53
Air Plants ...................................................... 25
People of the Rainforest: ............................... 54
Climbing Plants............................................. 26
Papua New Guinea ........................................ 54
A Range of Roots ........................................... 27
People of the Rainforest: Australia ................ 55
Carnivorous Rainforest Plants ....................... 28
People of the Rainforest: Australia ................ 56
More Mean Plants ......................................... 29
People of the Amazon Region ........................ 57
Unusual Rainforest Plants ............................. 30
People of the Amazon Region ........................ 58
Unusual Rainforest Plants ............................. 31
Rainforests Under Threat............................... 59
Fruits of the Forest ........................................ 32
Saving the Rainforests................................... 60
Marvellous Medicines ................................... 33
Read about Rainforests Online ...................... 61
Forest Nasties and Goodies ........................... 34
3
4
Wonders of the Rainforest
Learning About Rainforests
How much do you really know about
rainforests? Do you imagine that the
forest floor of a rainforest is a mass of
tangled vines and jungle? Well, you
may be surprised to learn that most
rainforests have hardly any vegetation
growing on their forest floors at all.
Plants find it hard to grow there
because the other layers of the
rainforest have blocked out most of
the sunlight and sometimes the rain as
well! Because of the darkness, most
plants are not able to grow in such
regions.
You may also be surprised to learn that
rainforests play a very important role
in the earth’s ecosystem by recycling
water and cleaning the air.
And, did you know that more than half
of the entire animal species on the
planet call the rainforest their home?
Amazing really – especially when you
realise that rainforests cover only a tiny
fraction of the earth’s land surface.
© Imsi, Fraser Rainforest, Qld
Have you ever wondered exactly
what a rainforest is and how it
works? For example, does it rain
all the time, is it hot or is it cold? Can people
live in these forests? Where on earth are
rainforests found? What is a biome?
No idea? Well read on!
This book contains info on:
z rainforest locations
z rainforest features
z layers of a rainforest
z fruits of the forest
z people of the forest
z rainforest wildlife
z rainforest plants
z what is happening to the
rainforests
z how you can help
the rainforests
Read on to learn all
about rainforests, as
well as some of the
other ecoregions or
biomes that are found
on our wonderful planet.
5
Wonders of the Rainforest
What is a Biome?
A biome is a geographic area
Climate
on the earth’s surface that has
The climate refers to
a unique set of characteristics.
the weather patterns,
Each biome has a certain type
the temperature, the
of climate and contains certain
amount of light and
living things (e.g. plants and
moisture in the air.
animals). There are many
There are many different types of
different biomes around the
climates around the world.
globe, each with its own unique
life forms and different
environments.
Scientists have studied the
www.enchantedlearning.com/biomes
biomes of our earth and have
discovered that there are
hundreds of different ecoregions How many of these biomes
have you heard of?
around the globe that are all
special in their own way. In this z Desert
z Tundra
book we have grouped these
z Coniferous forest (taiga)
regions into seven basic kinds of z Deciduous forest
z Wetlands
biomes:
z Tropical rainforest
1. Tundra
z Temperate rainforest
2. Taiga
z Mountains
3. Grasslands
z Caves
z Scrub forest
4. Temperate Forest
z Freshwater marsh
5. Rainforest
z Marine
6. Deserts
z Grasslands
7. Aquatic
z Prairie
z Savanna
Biomes that occur on land are
z Swamp
restrial biomes.
called ter
terrestrial
z Arctic
Aquatic biomes include wetlands,
freshwater regions such as
ponds, lakes and rivers and
marine regions such as coral
reefs, estuaries and oceans.
Check out:
6
Wonders of the Rainforest
The Earth’s Ecoregions
Grasslands
Types of zTropical grasslands (savanna)
grasslands zTemperate grasslands
Temperature
Warm to hot and often with
a cold season
Water
Wet season, dry season
Soil Type
Fertile
Plants
Grasses and some bushes,
no trees
Animals
© IMSI
Wide variety of mammals,
birds, reptiles, insects and
spiders.
Types of
desert
desert
Temperature
zHot and dry zSemi-arid
zCoastal zCold
Water
Very hot or very cold
Almost none
Soil Type
Dry and poor quality
Plants
Hardly any vegetation.
Some small shrubs and
succulent plants (e.g.
cactus) are able to
survive the harsh climate.
© IMSI
Animals
Burrowing animals such as
kangaroo rats. Also
mammals (coyotes,
dingoes, rabbits, mice and
foxes) and some species
of reptiles, insects and
birds.
7
Wonders of the Rainforest
Tundra
Types of
tundra zArctic tundra zAlpine tundra
Temperature
Very cold
Water
Very dry
Soil Type
Frozen soil – known as
permafrost
Plants
Mainly lichens, mosses and
low lying shrubs
Animals
© IMSI
Mammals such as
lemmings, foxes, wolves,
polar bears; birds such as
ravens, falcons, terns;
insects such as flies,
mosquitoes, grasshoppers
There are hardly any
reptiles or amphibians
living in these regions
Taiga
(Coniferous forest)
Temperature
Cool all year round
Water
Average
Soil Type
Poor rocky soil
Plants
Trees known as conifers
which include pine trees,
fir trees and any tree
species with needle-like
leaves.
Animals
© IMSI
Animals such as deer,
bears, moose, weasels,
foxes and chipmunks.
8
Wonders of the Rainforest
Temperate Forest (Deciduous forest)
Temperature
Cool season and then warm season
Water
Average
Soil Type
Fertile soil
Plants
Deciduous trees (trees that shed their
leaves). Trees include oak, maple,
beech, jarrah, karri.
Animals
© IMSI
Many mammals such as squirrels,
rabbits, skunks, foxes and many
species of birds. Also home to some
reptile and insect species.
Tropical Forest
Temperature
Nearly always warm
Water
Very wet all year around
Soil Type
Thin soil lacking in nutrients
Plants
A wide variety of plants.
Hundreds of different tree
species and plenty of plants
with large leaves. Vines,
mosses, ferns and palms are
very common.
Animals
© IMSI
Lots of bird species, small
mammals such as bats and
plenty of insects.
9
Wonders of the Rainforest
Where are these Ecoregions found?
Alpine
tundra
10
Tropical
Rainforest
Tropical
grasslands
Desert
Temperate
grasslands
Temperate
Forest
Taiga
Arctic
tundra
Marine
Wonders of the Rainforest
© IMSI
The Rainforest Biome
Now it’s time to
explore the rainforest
biome. Rainforests
are found in
tropical and
temperate regions
of the world. Most of
the world’s rainforests
opical rainforests.
are known as tr
tropical
What is a Tropic?
A tropic is a hot, wet region that makes a
wide belt around the centre of the earth.
opic of
These regions are known as the tr
tropic
Cancer
Cancer, which lies above the equator and
opic of Capricor
n, which lies directly
the tr
tropic
Capricorn
below the equator.
The rainfall in the tropics is very high and
the weather is always hot. Nearly all
rainforests are close to the equator because
this is the part of the earth that stays warm
all year round.
In these regions, the temperature falls
between 23° and 27° Celsius and is the
same for winter and summer.
Tropical rainforests stay green all year and
because of the warm, moist climate,
rainforest plants also grow very fast.
Rainforests are home to a great variety of
animal and plant species. In fact, out of all
the different types of biomes, the tropical
rainforest biome is home to the greatest
variety of species.
AUSTRALIAN
RAINFOREST
AREAS
Wet Tropics
Australia’s rainforest
regions mostly lie in
an area known as the
Wet TTropics
ropics
“W
ropics”” in Far
North Queensland.
This area has the
highest recorded
rainfall in Australia.
The region includes
the Daintree River
and rainforest and
the Atherton
Tablelands.
11
Wonders of the Rainforest
Rainforests Around the World
Tropical rainforest areas are
found in Africa, Asia, Central
and South America, Australia
(in far north Queensland) and
on the Pacific islands. The
world’s largest tropical
rainforest is the Amazon
rainforest in South America,
which covers about a third of
the continent. Tropical
rainforests cover only about
6% of the earth’s surface.
The bands around the earth’s
equator (0 degrees latitude)
are where you will find most
of the world’s tropical
rainforests. Most of them lie in
opic of
the area between the tr
tropic
Cancer (23.5° North latitude)
opic of Capricor
n
and the tr
tropic
Capricorn
(23.5° South latitude). This
region is 4800 kilometres
and is usually just
referred to as “the
tr
opics”
tropics”
opics”.
Naturally, rainforests are
found in the tropical
regions of South and
Central America, Africa,
Oceania (the islands around
Australia) and Asia.
12
The equator is an imaginary
circle around the earth,
exactly halfway between the
north and south poles.
Temperatures at the
equator are high which
means water evaporates
very quickly, and as a result
it rains often, particularly
over forest areas,
Tropic of
Cancer
The
Tropics
Tropic of
Capricor
n
Capricorn
Wonders of the Rainforest
Where are the Rainforests?
Olympic
Rainforest
(temperate)
NORTH
AMERICA
MAJOR
RAINFORESTS
Rainforests of
Southeast Asia
AFRICA
Rainforest
of Central
America
Amazon
Rainforest
EUROPE ASIA
Congo River
Basin Rainforest
SOUTH
AMERICA
Madagascar
AUSTRALIA
Rainforest
ANTARCTICA
The Amazon River Basin in South
Amazon
America is the location for the world’s
largest rainforests. Sadly, at least 40% of
Rainforest:
the original rainforest has been
The Lungs of
destroyed.
the World
Learn more about the Amazon rainforest z This rainforest is over a
at this site:
billion square acres in
www.eduweb.com/amazon.html
area.
z It is spread over the
African
countries of Brazil,
Venezuela, Colombia,
rainforests are
Ecuador and Peru.
located in the
Sometimes this area is
Congo River
known as Amazonia, as
Basin
the Amazon River runs
Basin. The other
through these countries.
rainforest areas of the world, such as the
z More than half of the
Daintree rainforest in northern
world’s 10 billion plant and
Queensland, are much smaller in area.
animal species live in
tropical rainforests. And
Temperate rainfor
ests are not found in
rainforests
one fifth of the world’s
the tropical regions. There are
fresh water is found in the
temperate forests along the Pacific coast
Amazon Basin.
z
More than 20% of the
of the United States of America and
world’s oxygen is produced
Canada (from northern California to
by the Amazon rainforest.
Alaska), in New Zealand, Tasmania,
The plants and trees
recycle carbon dioxide and
Chile, Ireland, Scotland and Norway.
turn it into oxygen
They cover less area than tropical
through a process called
rainforests and are much cooler regions.
photosynthesis
photosynthesis..
13
Wonders of the Rainforest
Layers of the Rainforests?
A rainforest has different layers of
plant growth that are sometimes
tas
referred to as stra
stratas
tas. They include:
The Emergent Layer
Taller than all the other
plants in the forests are giant
gent trees,
trees called emer
emergent
which grow to heights of 35
to 75 metres. They have
small leaves, umbrellashaped crowns and tall
slender trunks. The trees of a
tropical rainforest stay green
all year round.
Emergent Layer
Canopy
Understorey
Forest Floor
The Canopy
© Lidz Ethnographics
The next layer, the canopy
canopy,
is like a thick green carpet.
This layer is made up of
flat-topped trees that grow
to 20 to 30 metres in
height. The leaves of these
trees block out a lot of the
sunlight making some areas
of the rainforest quite dark.
14
The Understorey
The Forest Floor
Below the canopy are small
trees that usually grow to
heights of less than 4.5
metres, creating a shorter
layer of very young trees and
shrubs that will later go on to
form the canopy layer. Hardly
any sunshine reaches this
area so the plants have to
grow larger leaves to reach
the sunlight. Most plants in
this layer rarely grow taller
than three metres. Many
animals live here including
jaguars, red-eyed tree frogs
and leopards and there is also
a large variety of insect
species that call this place
their home.
When you think of a
rainforest, you may picture a
jungle scene in your mind and
you probably think of a mass
of tangled vines and bushes
that you would need to cut
through to move forward.
Well, unlike most of the
movies and cartoons you may
have seen, a real rainforest
has a fairly basic forest floor
that is usually clear of bushy
plants as there is not enough
sunlight for these plants to
survive. Instead, you would be
more likely to see seedlings,
herbs and ferns growing on
the forest floor as these types
of plants can survive in dark
areas.
© Chris Lyon
Wonders of the Rainforest
15
Wonders of the Rainforest
Features of Forests
What are the main differences between
tropical and temperate rainforests?
Tropical
Rainforest
z
z
z
z
z
z
z
z
z
Warm temperature.
Hundreds of tree species.
Trees generally have broad leaves.
Trees are approximately 50-100
years old.
There are lots of different kinds of
ephiphytes in these rainforests.
Ephiphytes include orchids,
bromeliads, ferns and mosses.
There is a fast decomposition rate.
Rainforests lie between the tropic
of Cancer and the tropic of
Capricorn.
They receive rainfall regularly
throughout the year (200
centimetres to a metre per year).
These forests remain warm and
frost free all year long (average
temperatures are between 21°
Celsius and 26° Celsius) with very
little daily change in temperature.
Temperate
Rainforest
z Cool temperature.
z Less than 20 tree species.
z Trees generally have needle-like
leaves.
z Trees are approximately 500-1000
years old.
z There are only a few kinds of
ephiphytes in these rainforests and
they are usually mosses or ferns.
z There is a slow decomposition rate.
z A temperate rainforest must
receive at least 150 centimetres of
rain a year to be classified as a
rainforest.
z The region covered by temperate
rain forest experiences mild, wet
winters and cool, foggy or cloudcovered summers. The mild winters
permit year-round growth of the
conifers, while the mild summers
reduce the possibility of drought.
Some forests that are found in tropical regions are not
classified as rainforests. Forests that receive uneven amounts
of rainfall (e.g. monsoons followed by a dry season) are
known as moist deciduous forests. Trees in these forests may
drop their leaves in the dry season.
16
Wonders of the Rainforest
Why are Rainforests Important?
Rainforests play a very important role in the earth’s
ecosystem. Just as all of the parts of an individual
ecosystem are important, the earth’s rainforests have a
special role in the entire planet’s ecosystem. SO, without
rainforests, the world’s delicate environmental balance
would be upset.
Rainforests provide us with many useful
things such as medicinal plants, fruits and
trees and are home to many millions of plant
and animal species. However, did you know
that rainforests also play a key role in
cleaning up the earth’s atmosphere?
How do they do this?
Well, it’s quite an amazing process.
Humans and other animals breathe in
oxygen and combine it with food and
gy
water to make ener
energy
gy.
When humans breathe out, they
produce a gas called carbon dioxide
(CO2). This process is called respiration
espiration.
Other things can produce carbon
dioxide as well, such as cars, factories
and gases left over after a fire has taken
place.
Carbon dioxide isn’t much use to
humans, however, it is required by plants
to create energy. In fact, plants use this
carbon dioxide and sunlight to create
oxygen and water. This process is known
as photosynthesis and it evens up the
balance of gases in the earth’s
atmosphere.
THE LUNGS
The rainforests, with
their huge amounts of
plant life, are
sometimes called the
“lungs of the earth”,
as they produce clean
air for animals to
breathe.
17
Wonders of the Rainforest
Plants and Energy
All plants need sunlight,
water and air so they can
grow and store energy.
Some plants require more
sunlight than others. In a
rainforest the trees in
gent layer
the emer
emergent
grow towards the sun
so that they can
absorb the sunlight into
their leaves.
© FriedmanArchives
The plants in the understor
understorey
ey
est floor do not
and on the for
forest
require as much sunlight, yet
they still use the process of
photosynthesis to produce
energy for growth.
Sunlight is absorbed
through a plant’s
leaves and then enters
the plant’s cells. The
cells are so tiny that
they can only be
seen using a
microscope.
Inside the cells is
a substance
known as
chlor
ophyll
chlorophyll
ophyll,, which
catches the sunlight as it falls
on the leaf. The chlorophyll is
oplasts
contained in chlor
chloroplasts
found in each cell.
18
Wonders of the Rainforest
Plants and Energy
Carbon dioxide also comes
into the leaves through tiny
holes underneath each leaf.
Water comes up through the
roots and flows into the leaves
as well. Through these
processes, the leaves have
sunlight, water and air in
them.
Using the sunlight as energy,
the chlorophyll changes the
air and water into sugar or
plant food that allows the
plant to grow. The water in
the leaves also
keeps the whole
plant healthy by
making the leaves
firm to allow the
plant to hold its
shape.
So, the process of
photosynthesis helps
plants grow and also provides
oxygen for humans and other
animals. Basically, for growth
to occur, plants need animals
to provide carbon dioxide and
animals need plants to
provide oxygen!
What is
Chlorophyll?
Chlorophyll is the substance that
makes the leaves of plants green.
Without chlorophyll plants would
not be able to photosynthesise.
Did You
Know?
Photosynthesis is
sometimes
described as the
most important process
on the planet. Learn more about
plants and plant processes at:
mbgnet.mobot.org/bioplants/
food.html
19
Wonders of the Rainforest
Rainforests and Water
The Water Cycle
In addition to cleaning the air, the
rainforests also recycle and clean water.
Like photosynthesis, the water cycle is a
natural process and is happening all the
time.
Rainforest
Recycling
of rainfall. Because of the high
temperatures in these regions, the water
evaporates from the rainforest soil, rivers
and leaves of the plants and rises, where
it condenses to form clouds above the
trees. When enough water vapour is
collected in the clouds, it rains clean
rainwater.
By recycling the water in this way,
rainforests help to keep the earth’s
weather patterns stable.
All of these processes work together
as a system, creating a balance in
the natural environment.
20
© IMSI
Not only do rainforests
recycle water, they also
remove the carbon
dioxide that is released
into the atmosphere
through a number of
human activities such
as the burning of coal.
The rainforest trees
and plants remove
carbon dioxide from the
How do rainforests recycle water? atmosphere and store
it in their roots, stems,
During the day, rainforests receive a lot
leaves and branches.
Wonders of the Rainforest
Rainforests and the Atmosphere
Did you know
that the earth’s
atmosphere works a
lot like a
greenhouse?
You may have heard
the term “greenhouse effect”, but what
does this actually mean?
Well, the greenhouse effect is a natural
occurrence that warms the earth and
allows it to support life. It occurs when
gases in the earth’s atmosphere allow
the sun’s energy to reach earth and
heat up the oceans and land. The
earth’s greenhouse effect allows light to
get in but does not allow the heat out,
similar to a garden greenhouse.
The earth’s atmosphere is made up
mostly of the gases oxygen and
nitrogen. However, the atmosphere also
contains traces of gases such as carbon
dioxide, methane and ozone which trap
some of the radiation and keep it inside
the earth’s atmosphere.
Without these gases (known as
gr
eenhouse gases)
gases the temperature of
greenhouse
the earth would be very cold – in fact
the earth would be covered with ice!
Everywhere would look like Antarctica.
Greenhouse
Gases include:
Carbon dioxide (C02):
Produced by the
burning of fossil fuels
(such as coal, oil, and
gas) and the burning
of vegetation in
deforestation.
Methane (CH4):
Produced by
biological decay,
animal waste and
plant burning.
Chlorofluorocarbons
(CFCs):
Produced by
industrial processes
and products such
as aerosols.
Nitrous oxide (N20):
Produced by
fertilisers and the
burning of fossil fuels.
21
Wonders of the Rainforest
The Greenhouse Effect
In the past, forests have helped keep the
balance between the world’s vegetation
and the amount of carbon dioxide in the
atmosphere.
Back before human civilisation began,
the increases in carbon dioxide were
usually a result of volcanic eruptions.
Forests helped to restore the balance by
releasing oxygen into the atmosphere
through the process of photosynthesis
photosynthesis.
Today, only about half of the forested
areas remain and this is not quite
enough to keep a healthy balance. In
addition, humans have created more
carbon dioxide through the burning of
fossil fuels.
It is thought that carbon dioxide levels
began to increase around 1850. Since
then, billions of tonnes of greenhouse
gases have caused an imbalance
in the earth’s natural greenhouse.
22
Did You
Know?
The Tuvalu islands in
the Pacific Ocean
experienced four
cyclones in 1941, which
was an average year.
In 1989, at a time
when more than 30%
of the earth’s
rainforest areas had
been destroyed,
Tuvalu endured 21
tropical cyclones!
Wonders of the Rainforest
Clearing the Rainforests
What effect does clearing the
rainforests have on our atmosphere?
Well, when rainforests are
cleared, large amounts of
greenhouse gases are
released into the atmosphere.
Scientists believe that
rainforest destruction can lead
to things like global
warming, where the
temperatures rise across the
earth.
When rainforests are cleared,
it also means that there are
less forests to remove the
carbon dioxide from the
atmosphere (through
photosynthesis) and this will
affect the earth’s natural
balance in the future.
Changes in the atmosphere
can greatly affect the earth’s
weather patterns. These
changes can lead to global
warming and possibly an
increase in natural disasters,
earthquakes,
such as earthquakes
cyclones and tsunamis.
23
Wonders of the Rainforest
There are thousands of plant
species that are unique to
rainforest regions. Biologists say
that there are at least 250,000
plant species on earth. Of these,
about 160,000 are classed as
tr
opical plants. Each of these
tropical
plants has special adaptations that
allow it to grow in the humid
rainforest environment.
ORCHID
© IMSI
Rainforest Plants
This is the name given to plants
that grow above the ground
surface. These plants use other
plants or objects to help them
grow. They do not have roots that
grow in the ground. Because these
plants grow on other plants, they
are able to get to positions where
they can reach the sunlight. Plants
such as ferns, mosses and orchids
are examples of epiphytes.
FERN
MOSS
AND LICHEN
Check out these interesting rainforest plants online:
mbgnet.mobot.org/sets/rforest/plants/inter.htm
24
© IMSI
Ephiphytes (Eppy-fites):
© IMSI
Let’s have a look at
some of the things
you can expect to
see growing in a
rainforest:
Wonders of the Rainforest
Air Plants
Ephiphytes are sometimes
known as air plants
Bromeliads
Bromeliads are a large
opical epiphytes
family of tr
tropical
and are among the most
beautiful plants on the
planet. They usually have
sword shaped leaves and
are able to hold a lot of
water. Pineapples and
Spanish moss belong to the
bromeliad family.
© IMSI
© IMSI
This is because they do not
need to have their roots in
soil. An epiphyte gets
nutrients and water from the
air and also from the host
plant. Sometimes the roots
will develop later and other
times the plant may damage
the host plant. Epiphytes are
able to reach the sunlight
more easily if they grow on
another plant rather than the
forest floor. Even though
epiphytes grow all over the
world, they are mostly found
in moist tropical forests.
25
Wonders of the Rainforest
Climbing Plants
Connecting Liana Vines, © IMSI
Liana Vines
Lianas are a type of woody
climbing vine which are very
common in tropical rainforests.
They come in all shapes and
sizes and some types can grow
to almost a kilometre in length!
These vines begin life on the
forest floor but use trees for
support as they climb towards
the sunlight.
liana
Liana is the word used to
describe the climbing pattern of
these vines. Some common
examples of lianas include
philodendrons, monkey ladder
and also rattan palms which
are found in the rainforests of
Asia. Rattans are used to
make things like baskets, ropes
and wicker furniture.
Leaping Lianas!
Did you know …
z that 90% of the world’s vines
are found in rainforests?
Special Features:
Lianas have special sucker roots
(called tendrils) which they
attach to trees. They are also
able to wind themselves around
a tree’s trunk. Once the lianas
reach the sunlight, they often
spread out and move on to
other trees, creating a network
of vines which help to keep the
trees standing during strong
winds. However, usually if one
tree falls down, they will take
with them the other trees that
are tangled with the vines!
26
z they produce fruits and flowers
which animals feed on?
z they provide a way for animals
to travel between trees without
having to come down to the
ground?
And most impor
tantly:
importantly:
Did you know that Tarzan swings
through the rainforests using
lianas? If he used a normal vine he
would fall, as only lianas have
that rope-like strength to
support such a weight.
Wonders of the Rainforest
A Range of Roots
© Epiicenter.com
Rainforests have soil that is
usually low in nutrients.
Most of the nutrients
available are near the
surface level and so most
trees of the rainforest have
very shallow roots. Buttress
roots are a special feature
of some of the very tall
trees. These types of roots
grow out from the base of
the tree, allowing the tree
to gather more nutrients
from the surrounding soil.
Another purpose for these
roots is that they stop the
tree from falling over.
Sometimes these roots
grow as high as five metres
above the ground just like
the ones in this picture!
Stilt Roots
op rroots
oots as
Stilt roots (or pr
prop
they are sometimes known as)
are another common sight in
rainforests.
Trees such as mangroves, that
grow in wet muddy soil, need
a different kind of support
system, especially if the area
is likely to flood. Stilt roots are
a bit like giant pitchfork
prongs. They come out from
the trunk and grow
downwards, planting
themselves firmly in the
ground. This action helps to
keep the tree standing.
© Virginia Kline
buttress roots
27
Wonders of the Rainforest
Carnivorous Rainforest Plants
We’ve all heard of animals that eat
plants. But have you heard of plants
that eat animals?
Even more unique is the pitcher
plant
plant, found in the rainforests of
south-east Asia. The pitcher
plant grows to about 10 metres
tall and may have “pitchers”
which are up to 30 centimetres
in length. These pitchers are
usually crammed full of digested
insects. Eeeww!
These scary plants are also able
to eat small mammals and
reptiles that attempt to steal the
insects from the pitcher!
28
Common Name:
Venus fly trap
Scientific Name:
Dionaea muscipula
© Shawn Worst, 2005
Well, it’s true. Some plants
obtain their nutrients from
animal matter. One of the best
known carnivorous plants is the
Venus fly trap
trap. Most of the
carnivorous plants have some
kind of cavity filled with a strong
smelling nectar that attracts
insects such as ants and flies.
Inside, the sides are steep and
lined with downward pointing
hairs. Once insects go into this
cavity, they usually get trapped
in the hairs.
Common
Name:
Pitcher
plant
Scientific
Name:
Nepenthes
rafflesiana
Wonders of the Rainforest
More Mean Plants
There are lots of different
species of sundew plants and
over half of them are found in
the tropical regions of
Australia. The lance-leaved
sundew seen below is found in
the rainforests of Far North
Queensland. This sundew
species has leaves in the
shape of a lance and these
can grow up to 20 centimetres
in length.
Common Name:
© Shawn Worst, 2005
Lance-leaved sundew
Check out
www.meanplants.com
Scientific Name:
Drosera adelae
The sticky leaves are
covered in dew and
attract insects which are
then trapped and digested!
29
Wonders of the Rainforest
Unusual Rainforest Plants
Check out the world’s largest flower!
Common Name:
Rafflesia
Scientific Name:
Rafflesia arnoldii
ONE METRE
Flower Facts
z Rafflesia plants have
hardly any stems and
no leaves!
asites
z They are par
parasites
asites,
which mean they live
off other plants.
z The flower can weigh
up to kilograms.
z There are 18 rafflesia
species.
z The flowers smell like
rotting meat!
30
Measuring just over a metre
across, these brightly coloured
and very rare rafflesia flowers
take around nine months to
develop into a flower from a
bud.
During this process the buds
are sometimes referred to as
“brown cabbages” as they are
not really a pretty sight. When
the bud is fully developed, the
petals start to uncurl. The
actual flower may take up to
18 hours to completely open
up. After about six days the
flower deteriorates and turns
into brownish slime!
There are many different
rafflesia species and they are
found in the rainforests of
Indonesia and Borneo.
Wonders of the Rainforest
Unusual Rainforest Plants
The strangler fig is a
very strange plant indeed.
Common Name:
Strangler Fig
© Worldisround.com
Scientific Name:
Ficus aurea
It is a very fast growing tree
and starts life as a parasite
where it lodges itself in the
cracks of the bark of a host
tree. After the seed has
germinated, it develops air
roots which take in nutrients
and water from the air and
the host tree.
The roots then grow until they
reach the ground and then
start an underground root
system. This is when things
get scary!
The strangler fig then starts to
“strangle” the host tree. New
branches grow and if they
reach the ground, they send
out roots and new shoots.
These trees are very common
in the rainforests of Central
America.
31
Wonders of the Rainforest
Fruits of the Forest
©IMSI
Did you know that almost
3000 types of fruit grow in
tropical rainforests? Only
about 200 are actually
eaten today but ancient
peoples such as the Indians
of the rainforest, used to
consume as many as 2000
different fruit species.
What are you eating?
At least 80% of the diet of developed countries such as
Australia and New Zealand came from the rainforest.
How many of these tropical delights have you eaten?
FRUITS
z Figs
z Oranges
z Lemons
z Bananas
z Guavas
z Pineapples
z Mangoes
z Tomatoes
z Coconuts
z Avocados
32
NUTS
z Brazil nuts
z Cashew nuts
GRAINS
z Rice
VEGETABLES
z Corn
z Potatoes
z Yams
SPICES
z Black pepper
z Cayenne
z Pepper
z Chocolate
z Cinnamon
z Cloves
z Ginger
z Sugar
z Tumeric
z Coffee
z Vanilla
Wonders of the Rainforest
Marvellous Medicines
Rainforest medicine
Medicine Men
Apart from all the beautiful
food sources, rainforests
also give us a range of
medicines. Most of these
medicines come from
plants and about 25% of
the world’s medicine comes
from tropical rainforest
ingredients.
Many indigenous tribes live in
rainforest areas in South
America. Medicine men (called
shamans) also live in the
rainforests although most of the
medicine men that are left are
now more than 70 years old.
Kaiapo Shaman © Sue Wren, Brazil.
The remedies made from
these plants include
medicines that help to fight
cancer and other deadly
diseases.
These men are very wise and over
time they have passed their
wisdom on to other people in
their tribal groups. They have
gathered their own knowledge
from the medicine
men before them
and their knowledge
of indigenous plants
and their medicinal
properties is very
valuable.
It is important that
these medicine men
are able to share
what they know
about plants.
33
Wonders of the Rainforest
Forest Nasties and Goodies
miracle
medicines
Madagascar P
eriwinkle:
Periwinkle:
The rainforests produce plenty
of exotic fruits and berries but
did you know that the
rainforests contain many
poisonous plants as well?
Some berries and nuts might
look tasty but you should
always be careful about what
you eat as some of those
berries can be poisonous.
Also, a lot of the food that
animals such as birds and
monkeys feast on, can turn
out to be very dangerous to
humans!
34
Two special medicines
created from this plant
have increased the
chances of survival for
children who are
suffering from
leukaemia.
Scientists and
chemists are now
working alongside the
rainforest medicine men
to find cures for some
of the world’s major
diseases. In the process
they are learning about
the healing properties
of native plants.
Wonders of the Rainforest
Rainforest Wildlife
Tropical rainforests are home to many
of the earth’s most unusual animals.
Some of the rainforest
animals that you may be
familiar with are jaguars,
gorillas and tarantulas, but
have you ever heard of a
macaw, a capybara or even a
piraiba?
Half of the world’s species of
animals (mammals, fish,
birds, insects, spiders and
amphibians) live in tropical
rainforests.
· z A single pond in the
Amazonian rainforest can
be a home for a greater
variety of fish that is found
in ALL of the rivers in
Australia?
·z A
square
kilometre of rainforest in
Indonesia or Borneo may
contain more than 700 tree
species, which is more than
the total number of tree
species in North America?
© IMSI
There are so many species of
wildlife that some have not
even been identified or
named yet.
To give you an idea
of how varied the
wildlife is in a
rainforest, did you know ...
You can read about rainforest animals at this site:
www
.blueplanetbiomes.org/rnfrst_animal_page.htm
www.blueplanetbiomes.org/rnfrst_animal_page.htm
35
Wonders of the Rainforest
Creature Feature
How many of these rainforest
dwellers have you heard of?
assassin bug – bugs that eat bugs
bir
d ea
ting spider – tarantula
bird
eating
bintur
ong – a furry mammal
binturong
bonobo – chimpanzee
capybara – world’s largest rodent
chlam
ydosaurus – the frilled lizard
chlamydosaurus
dragonfl
y – hovering insect
dragonfly
green iguana – plant eater
ho
wler monke
y – loudest monkey
howler
monkey
quetzal – beautiful bird
serv
val – long-legged wild cat
ser
siamang – long-armed ape
tarsier – enormous-eyed mammal
ta
wny fr
ogmouth – strange name!
tawny
frogmouth
36
Wonders of the Rainforest
Talkin’ Toucans
Toucans live in
the rainforests
of South
America and
are some of the
noisiest birds in
the forest. They
can make all
sorts of strange sounds
like barks, croaks and
grunts.
© IMSI
The toucan is famous for its
colourful plumage and its
enormous, brilliantly coloured
bill. Its fascinating beak may
be black, blue, red, brown,
green, white, yellow or a
combination of all of these
colours. The area around the
toucan’s eye is bare of
feathers but it is often brightly
coloured.
Toucan Trivia
z There are at least 40
different toucan species.
z Toucans live in small flocks.
z They mate once a year.
z Toucans sleep in hollow trees.
z Small toucan species grow to
about 36 centimetres long.
z Larger species reach 64
centimetres.
z They feed mainly on small
fruits.
z Toucans use their bill to tear
off larger fruits from trees.
z When a toucan sleeps, it
turns its head right around
and places its bill down the
centre of its back.
z During the breeding season,
the male and female toucans
take turns in sitting on the
eggs. The eggs hatch after
two weeks and the young
toucans stay in the nest for
about eight weeks.
Check out the Toco Toucan:
.org/Anlife99/jerejones/tocotoucanindex2.htm
www
www..whozoo
whozoo.org/Anlife99/jerejones/tocotoucanindex2.htm
37
Wonders of the Rainforest
Magic Macaws
The macaw is a large parrot
with an array of coloured
feathers that may include
blue, light blue, red, yellow
and green. These birds have
long pointed wings and a
heavy, powerful bill.
The lower beak of the macaw
is black but the upper part of
the beak is light in colour. The
different species of macaws
vary in size from 30 to 100
centimetres.
Macaws live in the rainforest
areas of Mexico, through
Central America and south to
Argentina.
Long Live the Macaws!
Common Name:
Scarlet Macaw
Scientific Name:
Ara macao
• The scarlet macaw is one of
about 18 different types of
macaws.
• They are excellent climbers
and nest in hollows in trees.
• They have the same mate for
life.
• The female usually lays two
to four eggs and the
incubation time is 24 or 25
days.
• The young fledglings stay with
their parents for up to a year.
The diet of the scarlet macaw
is insects and the fruit and
nuts of jungle plants.
© IMSI
© IMSI
Did you know that macaws can
live to be over 100 years old?
Meet a Macaw
Read and see more on the scarlet macaw:
.belizezoo
.org/zoo/zoo/birds/mac/mac1.html
www
www.belizezoo
.belizezoo.org/zoo/zoo/birds/mac/mac1.html
38
Wonders of the Rainforest
Interesting Insects
Goliath Beetle
Rainforests are also home to
some of the biggest living
insects on the planet. The
largest insect alive is the
enormous goliath beetle
that lives in the rainforests
of Africa. These massive bugs
can weigh up to 100 grams and
measure up to 10 centimetres long!
The different species range in colour
from completely white to all black. They
sometimes have markings on their backs.
Even though their exoskeleton is like
heavy armour, the huge beetle is still,
amazingly, able to fly.
Goliath beetles use their long claws to
pierce vines and drink the sap inside.
They also eat dead plants,
nectar, pollen of plants and
animal waste.
Giant
Goliath
This beetle first
appeared on the
earth some 300
million years ago
and scientists
think they may
have been even
bigger in size than
they are now!
Common Name:
Goliath Beetle
Scientific Name:
Goliathus regius
© Chuck Vaughan
Blue Morpho Butterfly
Morpho means “beautiful”
and the beautiful morpho
butterfly species are one of the
Common Name:
prettiest insects on the planet. There are
Blue Morpho
about 80 different morpho species and
Scientific Name:
nearly all of them are found in the
Morpho rhetenor
rainforest regions of South America.
These fabulous insects have a wingspan
of between 75 to 150 millimetres..
Check out more of these beautiful insects at:
www.butterflyutopia.com/gallery.html
39
Wonders of the Rainforest
Scary Spiders
Happy Face Spiders
Happy face spiders live in the
rainforests of Hawaii. They are
very small spiders – only about
10 millimetres long.
How did this spider get
its funny name?
Each spider has a pattern on
its back that looks just like a
happy face. These markings
help to keep predators away.
The happy face spider lives
and crawls around tree trunks
and leaves. It eats only small
flies, ants, crickets and other
insects that are caught in its
web. This unique spider is
rarely seen because it is so
small and it lives nowhere else
in the world.
Read a story about
this spider at:
Bird Spider of
South America
This scary spider is
classified as a tarantula and
is the largest spider in the
world. It can grow to 9
centimetres long and can
spread its legs to about 18
centimetres.
Some bird spiders live in
trees where they feast on
small birds! Others live on
the forest floor in the
Amazon rainforest in Brazil
and are known to eat small
reptiles and amphibians.
© IMSI
.thinkquest.org/J002043/
library
library.thinkquest.org/J002043/
40
Wonders of the Rainforest
Freaky Fish Alert!
The rainforest is home to some of the world’s most deadly (and ugly)
tropical fish! Read about some of the creatures below.
Prowling Piranhas
z There are about thirty species of
z
z
z
z
z
Creepy Catfish
z Catfish are found in fresh water
z
rainforest regions as well as other
parts of the world. They are a very
strange looking fish and have welldeveloped feelers on their heads.
These feelers look a little like the
whiskers of a cat, which is the
reason for the name.
In the rivers that run through the
rainforests of South America, there
is a giant catfish that can grow up
to three metres long and weigh up
to 225 kilograms. It is called a
pir
aiba and it eats other fish. It
piraiba
especially
likes to eat
piranhas!
© IMSI
z
piranha that live in the rainforests
and rivers of South America. They
swim in cloudy, slow moving water
that has a temperature between
24°C and 27°C.
Piranhas have deep bodies that are
flattened on the sides.
Most piranhas are olive-green to
blue-black, with red or orange
coloured bellies.
The most common species is the
red piranha, which can grow to
nearly 30 centimetres long.
Piranhas are carnivorous fish yet
are also known to eat plants,
making them omnivorous. They have
27-36 teeth and powerful muscles
that operate the lower jaw.
Sometimes piranhas swim alone
and sometimes they swim in
schools. A school of piranhas may
attack a much larger animal and
bite away pieces of its flesh with
their sharp triangular-shaped teeth.
Not nice!
Piranhas have a keen sense of smell
that leads them to blood in the
water. They eat fruits and seeds
that have fallen in the water as well
as native fish, amphibians, cattle
and young caiman (a species of
crocodile).
41
Wonders of the Rainforest
Tropical Mammals
Hairy Capybara
Lazy Sloths
The capybara is famous for being
the world’s largest living rodent.
These funny looking creatures live
near swamps, ponds, lakes and
rivers in the Amazon rainforest of
South America.
z The body length of a capybara ranges
Sloths spend most of their lives
upside down in trees and are
found in the jungles of the
Amazon in South America.
from 1 metre to 1.3 metres and its
shoulder height is 45 centimetres to
60 centimetres. A male can weigh
between 36 to 70 kilograms and a
female can weigh 40 to 72 kilograms.
z Capybaras have tough skin that is
z These super lazy mammals sleep
covered with thin brown or red hair.
z Their front legs have four toes and are for up to 15 hours a day and spend
the rest of their time eating.
shorter than their back legs, which
z Sloths eat leaves and buds.
only have three toes.
Because they burn the energy that
z Capybara means “master of the
the food gives them very slowly,
grasses” in the language of the
they don’t need much food.
Guarani Indians. They feed on the
grasses that grow in or near water. z Some species of sloth also eat
twigs, fruits and small prey.
z Capybaras live in groups and
communicate with each other using · z Sloths are hunted by many animals
such as snakes, jaguars and even a
whistles and barks.
large eagle-like bird called a harpy.
z When they are on the ground,
To help them hide from predators,
capybaras cannot walk on their feet.
sloths have long grey or brown hair
Instead, they have to pull their body
that makes them difficult to see in
along. In water, they are known to be
the rainforest. In the rainy season,
very good swimmers.
their hair can be covered in a coat
of algae, which makes them even
harder to see and gives them a
green tinge so that they look a
little bit like a moving bush!
42
Wonders of the Rainforest
Rainforest Reptiles
Crawling Caimans
Amazing Anaconda
Caimans belong to the
same reptilian family as
crocodiles and alligators.
They live in the rainforest
rivers of Central and
South America.
The anaconda, also known as the
water boa, is the largest known snake
in the world and is found only in tropical
South American rainforest regions.
There are many stories of anaconda
sightings where the anaconda is over
30 metres long but most of these stories
are exaggerated. However, a few cases
have been confirmed where the snake
has reached 10 metres in length which
is certainly large enough! The longest
anaconda length ever recorded is 11.4
metres.
© IMSI
The dwarf caiman is the
smallest species and
grows to about 1.5
metres long. The
spectacled caiman can
grow up to 2.5 metres in
length.
Two common types of anacondas are
the green anaconda and the yellow
anaconda. They are both known for
their bad tempers and are very eager
to bite anything that gets in their way.
Green anacondas can grow to twice the
length of yellow anacondas.
© Roberto Plomp
The black caiman is an
endangered species. It is
the largest of the caiman
species and can grow up
to 5 metres in length.
43
Wonders of the Rainforest
Rainforest Reptiles
Yellow
anaconda:
This anaconda is a semiaquatic boa species,
spending a lot of time in
the water but also living
on the land. It is found in
South America, in Bolivia,
Paraguay, Uruguay, north
eastern Argentina and
western Brazil.
Anaconda Facts
Anacondas have olive-green
skin, often with many black
rings or spots.
z Their bite is not poisonous,
however, their many teeth
can inflict deep wounds.
z Anacondas usually bite
things when cornered by
enemies.
z The males of the species
are much smaller than the
females.
green
anaconda:
This anaconda can be
found in the drainage
areas of the Orinoco
and Amazon Rivers in
South America. The
typical habitats of
these animals are
swamps, marshes,
brush covered banks of
rivers and streams.
Read on if you dare!
Like all boa constrictors, an anaconda kills its prey by coiling itself
around the animal, squeezing it until it suffocates, and then
swallowing the animal whole! Anacondas have a jaw that is able
to be unhinged so that they can fit very large animals through
their mouth. Many of these animals are much wider than the
anaconda itself and these scary snakes are known to swallow
animals that weigh more than half their own body weight!
Snake your way to: www.extremescience.com/BiggestSnake.htm
Only the largest anacondas ever attack large mammals. Usually
the anaconda preys on smaller mammals such as small deer, the
capybara, the tapir (the largest native mammal in the Amazon)
and caimans. They also eat small birds, fish and aquatic
mammals.
It usually takes a long time for an anaconda to digest an animal
and they may not need to eat anything else for several months.
During this time, the anaconda is extremely lazy and spends most
of its time basking in the sun along a riverbank.
A large female boa constrictor can give birth to as many as 50 live young at a time!
44
Wonders of the Rainforest
Slimy Amphibians
The rainforest biome is home to thousands of amphibian species.
Courtesy Microsoft Design Gallery
An amphibian is an animal that
spends part of its life in water
and part on land. There are over
4,000 kinds of amphibians,
including frogs, toads,
salamanders, newts and
caecilians. All of these animals
have scaleless skin and most of
them hatch from eggs laid in
water or moist ground.
Amphibians usually begin life in
the water as tadpoles
tadpoles. As they
develop into adults, they start
to look very different to how they
looked when they were young.
Some adults continue to live in
water, but most spend their lives
on land. Almost all amphibians
return to the water to find
mates and produce young.
Curly Caecilians
A caecilian looks like an
earthworm but is actually a
legless, tailless amphibian.
Some types of caecilians are
aquatic but most live in
burrows in the swampy areas
of tropical rainforests.
© IMSI
What is an
Amphibian?
Most caecilians are about 30
centimetres long. Even though
they have eyes, they are not
able to see very well. Instead,
they have a tentacle that comes
in and out of a groove on the
side of their head and this is
their main sensory organ.
Amphibian =
double life
Most amphibians start life in the
water and live on land when they
reach their adult life stage.
45
Wonders of the Rainforest
Males are capable
of making a
number of
sounds, such as
clicking sounds,
croaking,
whistling and
burping. Noisy!
In South America,
males start “calling” at
the beginning of the rainy
season that occurs between
October and March.
Some of the most interesting
features of frogs are the
noises they make. It is
mostly the male frog that
croaks. He does this to
attract female frogs for
breeding and also to warn
away other male frogs from
his territory.
Ribbit! Did you know that frogs are thought to be
one of the first groups of animals on earth to start
making noises in an effort to communicate.
Check out some other frog sounds at this website:
.frogsonice.com/froggy/sounds.shtml
www
www.frogsonice.com/froggy/sounds.shtml
46
Poison arrow frog
Frogs are amphibians
and live on every
continent of the
world except
Antarctica. The
tropical
rainforest regions
contain the
highest number of
species of frogs.
Poison arrow frogs and tree
frogs are among the most
common frogs found in
tropical areas.
© IMSI Red-eyed tree frog
Fearless Frogs
Wonders of the Rainforest
Colourful Creatures
Even though salamanders look like lizards,
they are actually another type of amphibian.
Most salamanders live on land in rotten logs,
under rocks, in caves and in other cool, dark,
moist places. However, they choose to mate
and lay their eggs in water.
Some salamanders spend their whole lives in the
water, while others never go into water at all.
Special
Salamander
Features
© IMSI
Slippery Salamanders
Green Iguana
© IMSI
Iguanas are not amphibians but they are
definitely colourful. These reptiles usually live
in deserts or other dry habitats, but a few
species live in tropical rainforests. The green
iguana, also called the common iguana, is
found in regions ranging from Mexico to
southern Brazil and Paraguay. Green iguanas
can grow to 1.8 metres in length and have a
large flap of skin called a dewlap at their
throat and a crest of scales along their back
and long tail. Their colour ranges from grey to
green, with brown bands around the body and
tail. Green iguanas and their eggs are often
eaten for food and are sometimes captured
for the pet trade. As a result, green iguanas
are in danger of extinction in many areas.
A few types of
salamander are hard
to see in their natural
environment because
they have moist, dark
skin. Others are very
brightly coloured.
To protect themselves
from predators, the
brightly-coloured
salamanders
sometimes give off a
poison through their
skin when they are in
danger.
Salamanders also
have a long tail which
helps them swim.
Their strong sense of
smell and sticky
tongues enable them
to catch worms and
insects.
47
Wonders of the Rainforest
Animal Tactics
The
animals of
the rainforest
live in different
regions of the forest. For instance, a
range of bird species will be found flying
about the emergent layer and also in
the canopy layer. Tree-loving animals
such as sloths will also be found in the
canopy region, while larger mammals
such as jaguars will live on the forest
floor. Insects are about the only animal
group that will be found living in all
sections of the rainforest.
Prowling Predators
Most animals in the rainforest are in
danger of being eaten by predators.
These animals have a range of tactics
to help them avoid being eaten:
Camouflage
z Stick insects can
look like trees and
twigs.
z Some butterfly
species can look like
the leaves of plants.
z Sloths often
develop a greenish
tinge when their fur
becomes covered
with a layer of
algae. This allows
them to hide
between trees.
z Some lizard
species, such as
the chameleon,
physically change
their appearance to
blend in with their
surroundings.
© IMSI
This occurs when an animal blends into
its environment, making it difficult for a
predator to see it. Some animals can
make
themselves
virtually
invisible while
they are not
moving.
Creative
camouflage
48
Wonders of the Rainforest
Poisonous animals, such as the poison
arrow frog, are brightly coloured with
distinct markings and patterns. This
helps other animals know that they are
poisonous. If a predator eats one of
these animals it will usually get sick and
may even die. If it does survive, it will
remember the markings and know
better next time!
Mimicry
The monarch
butterfly is
another example of the use of
interesting markings. This poisonous
insect warns many predators to stay
away. The monarch gets its poison
when it is at the caterpillar stage of its
life cycle. It eats the toxic milkweed
plant and the poison stays in its system.
Animals that prey on a monarch
butterfly will usually become very sick
and vomit, however, they do not die.
Harmless butterflies, such as the viceroy
butterfly, try to imitate the monarch
butterfly to keep predators away.
Mites and ticks: These
tiny little creatures can
be just as scary as the
bigger rainforest beasts!
They can cause itchy
swellings which can lead
to headaches and
numbness.
Cr
eepy cr
awlies: Spiders,
Creepy
crawlies:
scorpions, centipedes
and wasps are just a few
of the bugs that can give
you a painful bite or
sting.
Leeches: These blood
sucking nasties will
attach to the skin and
cause all sorts of
trouble. The best way to
get rid of them is to
expose them to a flame
or sprinkle salt on them.
Snakes: We all know the
dangers of snakes and in
the rainforest, there are
plenty!
© Corel
Unusual Markings
Wandering
around the
rainforest?
Look out for …
49
Wonders of the Rainforest
The Rainforest Food Web
for animals to compete for
habitats due to the amounts of
rainforest areas being
destroyed.
The rainforest animals are
made up of both meat eaters
car
nivor
es
(car
carnivor
nivores
es) and plant eaters
herbivor
es
(herbivor
herbivores
es). Like most food
webs that exist throughout the
world, there are more planteating animals than meateating animals and there are
also more plants for the plant
eaters to eat. Smaller animals
outnumber the larger animals to
even up the food web. This
explains why insects are the
most numerous of animal
species.
However, if a species becomes
extinct, then the balance of the
food web can be affected and
this can cause all sorts of
problems in the food chain.
the food web
Tertiary Consumers
(eat secondary consumer)
Secondary Consumers
(eat primary consumer)
Primary Consumers
(eat producers)
There is a lot of competition
between animal species to hunt
prey and find food sources.
There is also an increased need
Producers
(plants)
Two examples of a rainforest food chain:
50
Secondary
Consumer
Primary
Consumer
Producer
Tertiary
Consumer
Wonders of the Rainforest
People of the Rainforest
Adapting to the
Environment
Rainforest people have
adapted to the rainforest
climate and environment over
thousands of years. This
means that their bodies have
developed certain physical
features that are specially
suited to a rainforest
environment.
For example, rainforest people
do not need to drink as much
water as other people as they
get plenty of water from the
foods that they eat.
Rainforest groups live in all of
the major rainforest areas of
the world. Each group is
unique with its own rich culture
and ancient traditions. All of
these groups have a great
respect for their rainforest
home.
Sweating?
Not the rainforest people!
Because the air is so full of
moisture, sweating doesn’t
actually cool the body as the rate
of evaporation is low.
Endangered
Cultures:
Sadly, all of these indigenous
tribes are in danger of dying out
in the future because the areas
they live in are being destroyed.
© Corel, Huli tribesmen of Papua New Guinea.
Thousands of plant and animal
species call the rainforests
home, but did you know that
millions of people also live in
these areas? In fact, there are
about 50 million tribal people –
or indigenous people – that
depend completely on the
forests for food and shelter.
The rainforest people live in
harmony with the environment.
They have been using a range
of rainforest plants and
animals without causing any
harm to them or their habitat.
They have taught other people
about the unique food and
medicines that the rainforest
can provide.
51
Wonders of the Rainforest
People of the Rainforest: Congo
The Pygmies
The pygmies are one of the shortest
groups of people on the planet. They
grow to about 1.2 metres tall. The
pygmy tribes are hunter-gatherers, which
means that they hunt animals such as
antelopes, pigs, fish and even monkeys.
They gather fruits, berries, yams and
nuts for their food. The men use tools
such as spears, arrows and nets to help
them hunt. Like the early Australian
Aboriginal groups, the women are
responsible for collecting the nuts and
berries. These tribal groups are nomadic
which means they move on to other
areas of the rainforest once the food
supplies are low. By doing this, they give
that section of the rainforest
time to replenish.
Pygmy Tribes
The Bambuti, the
Batwa, the Bayaka and
the Bagyeli are names
of some of the pygmy
tribes found in the
rainforest regions of
Africa. Did you notice
that all of these names
start with “Ba”?
Well, “Ba” means people.
Learn more about the
pygmy tribes at:
www
.pygmies.info
www.pygmies.info
52
Pygmy Clay Statue from Cameroon, Central Africa. © Paul Niuewnhuysen
Pygmies of the Congo © David Mendosa, 1967 www.mendosa.com
Read about some of the tribal rainforest
groups that live in the Congo in Africa.
Wonders of the Rainforest
People of the Rainforest: Africa
and the governments of
that region are
encouraging them to
settle in an area and
farm the land.
The Baka pygmy
tribe is found in
Cameroon in central
Africa. They hunt animals
such as antelopes, pigs and
monkeys and go fishing in the
rivers. They gather honey, wild
yams, berries and other
This people of this group are
plants. The forest provides all
also known as honey
their needs, however, they
gatherers. A bird called the
often work for nearby farmers
greater honeyguide flies to the in exchange for farming
beehives to show the Mbuti
produce. Like most tribes in
where the honey can be
Africa, this pygmy tribe is in
found.
danger of disappearing as the
rainforest areas are destroyed.
This tribe is in
great danger of
dying out as
much of their
rainforest habitat
has been
destroyed. The
Mbuti tribe are a
nomadic people
Baka Huts © The Rainforest Foundation 2004
The Mbuti are a pygmy
group that live in the
Ituri forest in the
rainforests of Congo
and Zaire in Africa.
They make their
clothing from leaves
and other rainforest
materials, although they often
don’t wear many clothes due
to the heat. The Mbuti build
homes from the branches and
leaves.
53
Wonders of the Rainforest
People of the Rainforest:
Papua New Guinea
The Huli are one of
hundreds of tribes
found in the
rainforests and
remote highland
areas of Papua New
Guinea. Like the pygmy tribes the
Huli also live as hunter-gatherers,
although they do plant and
harvest crops. In their villages, the
men and women live separately
and the men are known for their
colourful headdresses, which play
a big part in Huli ceremonies.
©COREL Huli man with traditional headdress
The headdresses are made of
actual human hair and are
decorated with flowers, feathers
and fur.
54
For some fascinating
images, be sure to check
out this site on the web:
www
.papuanewguinea.net/
www.papuanewguinea.net/
Wigmen.html
The Gimi are another group of
indigenous rainforest people
that live in the highlands of
Papua New Guinea. The men
hunt small mammals and birds,
and the women look after
gardens of sweet potatoes
and other similar crops.
The Penan of Borneo, north
of Papua New Guinea, are
often thought to be the most
ancient of the rainforest tribes
with records showing that they
have lived there for almost
40,000 years!
Wonders of the Rainforest
People of the Rainforest: Australia
Most of the tropical rainforest in Australia
is found in a small area of Far North
Queensland known as the “Wet Tropics”.
What did
they know?
z The Ngadjonji knew that some
fruits and seeds could be
eaten straight away while
others contained poisons and
only parts of them could be
eaten.
· zThey knew which parts of
which plants could be used as
medicine for certain illnesses.
· zIt was important that the
Ngadjonji
The
are an
plants were harvested at a
indigenous people that live in
certain time of the year. The
Ngadjonji
used
their
the rainforest regions of Far
knowledge to find the best
North Queensland in the
materials to create woven
Daintree River National Park.
baskets and bags and they
These people have lived in the
used the buttress roots of
trees to make weapons.
rain jungles for thousands of
years. They have a great
knowledge of the region that
has been passed on by their
ancestors. They have a deep
respect for nature and
understand the cycles and
processes of the environment.
An unidentified rainforest group in Far North Queensland.
Photo courtesy of Cairns Historical Society.
55
Wonders of the Rainforest
People of the Rainforest: Australia
© IMSI
The Kuku Yalanji are another
rainforest group of Far North
Queensland and live near
Mossman Gorge. Like the
Ngadjonji, they live in harmony
with the environment.
Sometimes the Kuku
Yalanji are
referred to as the
Kuku Yalariji
Find out more about
them by visiting:
www
.daintreerainforest.com/aboriginal.html
www.daintreerainforest.com/aboriginal.html
The rainforest Aboriginal people are
the original owners of the Wet
Tropics rainforests. At least 20
different Aboriginal groups live in
these regions and the rainforest
plays a big role in their culture and
spirituality.
The natural features of the
rainforests such as the waterfalls,
rivers, mountains, smimming holes
and trees are very important to
these people as they symbolise
natural features that were created
in the Dreaming or the Dreamtime.
Over thousands of years, these
groups have passed on their
valuable knowledge of the
rainforests to younger generations
through stories, songs and dances.
Today’s rainforest people have
learnt how to use the rainforests
for food and medicine while at the
same time knowing how to respect
the environment and to preserve it
for future generations.
Today, the Wet Tropics rainforest
regions are listed as a World
Heritage Property for its natural
values. The Aboriginal rainforest
peoples are hoping to have the area
recognised for its indigenous
cultural values to protect the native
peoples of these areas.
Source: Wet Tropics Management Authority, Rainforest
Aboriginal Heritage, 2005.
56
Wonders of the Rainforest
People of the Amazon Region
The Amazon River
basin is home to
thousands of
tribal groups.
The Yanomami people live in the rainforests of South America in
Venezuela and Brazil and are known as a Native American people. Today
about 95% of the Yanomami live deep within the Amazon rainforest as
compared to the 5% who live along the major rivers. The word
“yanomami” means “human being”.
Yanomami tools:
zfire sticks
zcooking vessel
and
zquiver
arrows
zliana bag
The Huaorani people live in the rainforests of Ecuador in
South America and their name also translates to “human
beings”. This tribe is described as semi-nomadic as they
usually move to another area after ten years. As hunters and
gatherers, they also try to live off the land but go to great
lengths to ensure that no animal or plant species is
endangered through their
activities. They make sure that
the natural resources are not
over used. The Huaorani live in
small villages and grow maize
(corn), peanuts, sweet potatoes,
chilli and many different fruits.
Huaorani Children, Courtesy of CPC Ecuador Project
zwrestling clubs
57
Wonders of the Rainforest
People of the Amazon Region
Amazon Hut © www.mongabay.com
Caring for the Land
The rainforest people respect
the land that they live in and
realise that it is a precious
resource.
While many of the rainforest
peoples move around to find
better food sources, some of
them build homes like the
huts above and even plant
small gardens and farms.
The rainforest people are
very careful with their use of
the land. Usually, they will
start by clearing a small area
of land. This is done by
burning. Once the land is
clear, they will plant a variety
of plants for both food and
58
Amahuaca people. Source Unknown
The Amahuaca are located in the tropical
jungles of Peru. They build houses of sticks
thatched with palm leaves, which are built
on stilts or rafts to protect them from
floods. They are self-sufficient and take
everything they need from the rainforests,
making sure that resources are used wisely.
medicine. After a few years,
the soil becomes very low in
nutrients as the plants have
used them up. Crops won’t
grow very well in this soil and
weeds start to grow. The
rainforest “farmers” will then
move their crops to another
area that will be cleared by
burning. The old area is left to
recover and usually 10 - 50
years will go by before crops
are planted there again. This
gives the soil time to renew its
nutrients.
Rainforest
People Today
Because the world’s rainforest areas
are now much smaller, many farmers
have smaller areas of land to choose
from. There are also many nonindigenous people using the land for
farming. Many rainforest groups in
Indonesia and Africa, have to remain
in one area and that land becomes
overused until it is not able to be
used for farming at all.
Wonders of the Rainforest
Rainforests Under Threat
© IMSI
Many of the world’s rainforests are
under threat because they are being
Did You
cleared for mining, farming and
Know?
logging. The clearing can result in the
destruction of many different species of z Tropical rainforests
are the world’s oldest
plants and animals.
living ecosystems.
Biologists and other
z Over 78% of the
researchers
world’s old growth
estimate that 130
forests have been
logged.
different plant and
animal species are
z The rainforests of
India, Bangladesh,
lost every day as they are either
Sri Lanka and Haiti
destroyed in the logging process or
have been completely
have died because they have no home.
destroyed. The
This means approximately 50,000
Philippines has lost
species each year are becoming extinct
55% of its rainforest
in that region.
and Thailand has lost
45% since 1960.
If you study a four kilometre square
area of rainforest, the range and
number of species is amazing. You
would most likely discover at least 1500
species of flowering plants, 750
different species of trees, 125 species of
mammals, 400 various species of birds, Extinct Species
havee
These species hav
100 species of reptiles and
died out because of a
60 species of amphibians,
loss of rrainfor
ainfor
est
ainforest
as well as 150 different
habitat.
species of butterflies.
z Saber-toothed tiger
That is a lot of wildlife!
z Megatherium – the
Check out:
www.tooter4kids.com/
giant ground sloth
Rainforest/animals.html
© IMSI
59
Wonders of the Rainforest
Saving the Rainforests
Many people believe that the
rainforest’s value lies in its
timber. Once the timber is cut
down then the rainforest is
destroyed.
There are many other things
that the rainforests provide us
with, and today, most people
are making efforts to preserve
these precious environments.
Experts say that by leaving the
rainforests standing, we can
harvest the nuts, fruits and
oils from plants that give us
special products. In this way,
the rainforest is worth even
more to humans as these
products are available every
season.
The Truth about
Rainforests
z Rainforests once covered
approximately 14% of the Earth’s
surface. Today, only 6% remains.
z Every second 1 ½ acres of
rainforest are destroyed.
z Nearly half of the world’s plant and
animal species are in danger of
dying out as their rainforest
habitat is destroyed.
z Rainforests are being destroyed by
governments, landowners and
logging companies for the timber
they contain.
It makes sense to keep the
rainforests as they are, rather
than cutting them down to
make room for cattle farming
or timber plantations. There
are plenty of things you can do
to help the rainforests.
© IMSI
Get on the net and learn how!
www.rainforestheroes.com/kidscorner/
60
Wonders of the Rainforest
Read about Rainforests Online
VIR
TU
AL RAINFORESTS:
VIRTU
TUAL
Rainforest at Night
www.nationalgeographic.com/
earthpulse/rainforest/index_flash.html
Virtual Rainforest Tour
www.bsrsi.msu.edu/rfrc/tour/index.html
Pachamama Rainforest Tour
www.pachamama.org/tour/
Virtual Tour
www.bgreen.com.au/rainforest01.html
USEFUL CL
ASSROOM WEBSITES:
CLASSROOM
Photosynthesis and Plant Biology
mbgnet.mobot.org/bioplants/main.html
Rainforest Links
www.teachers.ash.org.au/jmresources/
rainforest/links.html
About Plants
www.mcwdn.org/Plants/PlantsMain.html
What’s it Like Where You Live?
mbgnet.mobot.org/sets/rforest/
Explore Africa’s Rainforest
www.pbs.org/wnet/africa/explore/
rainforest/rainforest_overview_lo.html
Rainforest Biomes
www.blueplanetbiomes.org/
rainforest.htm
Magical Rainforests
www.panda.org/news_facts/education/
middle_school/habitats/
tropical_forests.cfm
Interactive Classroom - Vanishing Forests
www.wwf.org.hk/eng/education/ttrain/
ihintforest.html
National Geographic - Rainforests at
Night
www.nationalgeographic.com/
earthpulse/rainforest/index_flash.html
Rainforest Australia
www.rainforest-australia.com/
Tropical Forests
www.tropical-forests.com/
Ngadjonji People of Far North
Queensland
129.78.191.70/ngadjonji/default.html
African Rainforest Peoples
www.pbs.org/wnet/africa/explore/
rainforest/rainforest_people_lo.html
Indigenous People of The Rainforests
www.adventure-life.com/amazon/
indigenous_people.php
CONSERV
ATION AND A
CTION
CONSERVA
ACTION
GROUPS
Rainforest Heroes
www.rainforestheroes.com/
kidscorner/
African Rainforest and River
Conservation
www.africa-rainforest.org/home.html
Rainforest Action Network
www.ran.org/
World Rainforest Information Portal
www.rainforestweb.org/
61