Interested in the rainforest?
We are too!
Keep reading for fun facts about the rainforest!
A rainforest is a very lush, wet, and warm forest with tremendously tall trees.
They are called rainforests because they get a lot of rainfall.
Rainforests cover approximately 6% of the Earth’s land.
They help to regulate our climate and they provide much of the world’s oxygen.
They are actually Earth’s oldest living ecosystem, and they are extremely essential to life on Earth.
Take a look of some these other fun and interesting facts about rainforests!
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Rainforest facts for kids
There are two types of rainforests
The two types of rainforests are tropical and temperate.
The most well known type of rainforest is the tropical rainforest.
Tropical rainforests are found closer to the equator, while temperate rainforests are found along coastlines.
Tropical rainforests tend to be hotter and get more rain than a temperate rainforest.
There are rainforests on every continent except for Antarctica
The world’s largest rainforest is the Amazon in South America.
The Congo in Africa is the second largest rainforest.
Southeast Asia and Australia both have smaller rainforests scattered across the continents.
The Pacific Northwest in North America, and even Northern Europe are also home to rainforests.
Who knew?
A rainforest has four layers
The four layers that make up a rainforest include the emergent layer, the canopy layer, the understory, and the forest floor.
The emergent layer is the top of the very tallest trees that emerge from the rainforest.
The canopy layer is below the emergent layer.
It is made up of all the tree leaves and branches that touching one another or are connected with vines.
Below the canopy is the understory where plants and small trees that do not need a lot of light grow.
The bottom layer is the forest floor.
Not much grows here because it is very, very dark.
However, what does fall to the forest floor decomposes quickly and is turns into nutrients for the growing trees and other living things in the rainforest.
It takes a few minutes for rain to hit the forest floor
The trees in a rainforest are so close together, that it takes ten minutes for rain to reach the forest floor!
That’s amazing!
The rainforest provides us with everyday foods
Delicious treats like coffee, sugar, and chocolate come from places like rainforests.
Rainforests also gives us tasty fruits like bananas, pineapples, and acai berries.
Many spices come from the rainforest, as well.
Seasonings such as cinnamon, ginger, paprika, and more grow in rainforests!
Rainforests are home to over half the world’s plant and animal species
Roughly 30 million different species of plants and animals are in the world’s rainforests.
As many as 1,500 flowering plants, 750 species of trees, 150 species of butterflies, and 400 species of birds can live in a four square mile patch of rainforest.
Wow!
The rainforest is home to many animals
From the bottom of the bare forest floor to the highest treetops, many animals call the rainforest their home.
Living amongst the trees are big animals like jaguars, tigers, bobcats, bears, and gorillas.
Alongside of these larger animals are small monkeys, snakes, bats, sloths, and lizards.
There are also birds, butterflies, frogs, small bugs and insects.
Many more animals live in the rainforest, too.
That sure is a lot of wildlife!
People live in the rainforest
Tropical rainforests are home to tribes of indigenous people who rely on their surroundings to survive.
They forage fruits, hunt food, build their own shelters and make their own medicine with resources from within the rainforest.
Some tribes that call the rainforest home include the Huli Tribe, the Mbuti tribe, and the Yanomami tribe.
Interesting rainforest facts
In conclusion, every rainforest, from the Amazon to the Congo, is vital to life on this planet.
Each rainforest has its own unique ecosystem with diverse groups of plants, animals, and people who rely on them.
What did you think of these awesome rainforest facts?
Let us know!