Rain forests are unique in so many ways. They are a place that receives rain almost every day. They are a place that animals from as small as tiny mites to as large as ferocious jaguars call home. To get started here are some very interesting facts about rain forests:
- Trees in a rain forest have very shallow roots. This is because the rain forest receives so much rain that the soil stays soft.
- Rain forest trees can grow to be as tall as 200 feet. That is bigger than the Statue of Liberty, which is 155 feet tall.
- Army ants travel in packs of about 20 million ants to a pack. There is no telling how many packs travel in one rain forest.
- In most rain forests it rains more than 200 days a year. An average of 240 inches of rain can fall every year.
- If you were to put all of the rain forests of the world together they would be about the size of the United States.
Where are rain forests located?
Rain forests are found in warm, wet areas, so most are found near the equator. You will find rain forests in Central and South America, India, the Congo River basin in Africa, southeast Asia, and the tip of Australia.
Map activity: Locate these places on a map and mark them with a star.
How does a rain forest look?
A rain forest is a very tall forest that is made up of four remarkable sections. They are:
Emergent layer: This is the top of the rain forest. This is the only part of the rain forest that actually sees the sun. This is where you would find the trees that can be as tall as 200 feet. In this part of the rain forest you will find sloths, eagles, monkeys, and other animals.
Canopy: This section is made up of trees that are around 60 to 90 feet tall. The top of the canopy gets some sun, too. It is these trees that block the sun from reaching the bottom half of the rain forest at all. In this section you will find snakes, toucans, and tree frogs. There is a lot of food to be found at this level of rain forest.
Understory: Just as the name suggests, this section is near the ground, about 40 to 50 feet above the ground. Here you will find young trees that one day will reach to the canopy and emergent layers. These trees never get any light, but they do not mind. This section is home to jaguars, panthers, and millions of insects.
Forest floor: This is a very dark part of the rain forest. There are hardly any plants to be seen because of the lack of sunlight. Here you will find giant anteaters who find many, many insects to eat.
What exactly is the weather like in a rain forest?
Temperatures can reach up to 90 degrees or more, and rarely ever fall below 70 degrees. It depends on the exact rain forest you are looking at, though, as they can vary a little depending on their location. A rain forest is very humid because of the rain mixing with the heat, which produces steam.
Why are rain forests in danger?
People cut down the trees in rain forests for the wood. Others are being consumed with fire to clear land for farming, grazing, and building roads. If people do not stop destroying the rain forests, many animals will lose their homes, and many exotic and beautiful plants will stop growing. Spread the news to family and friends about this situation. The more people who know what is happening to the rain forests, the better chance there will be to stopping it from happening.
Use the activity sheets below to learn more about rain forests! Print them out.
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