Hobbies And Interests
Rainforest Trees
In general, rainforest trees have trunks that soar straight up for more than 100 feet before branching into a canopy of leaves. Tree bark is thin and smooth, as trees in this wet environment do not need adaptations like thick, rough bark to preserve water. These tall trees are a key part of the rainforest's climate as they release gallons of water into the atmosphere each year. Contrary to the name -- rainforest -- it does not rain all the time in many of these areas, as the moisture from the trees creates the thick cloud cover that keeps the forest warm and humid. Some types of rainforest trees include the coconut tree, with its familiar hard-shelled fruit; durian, which can live for up to 150 years and produces a smelly fruit that attracts animals that help disburse its seeds; and the Kapok tree, with its umbrella-shaped canopy that provides shelter to many animals.
Amazon Rainforest Animals
The Amazon jungle is the world's largest tropical rainforest and is home to about 1/10 of all mammal species in the world. Some of the many unique Amazon animals include spider monkeys, jaguars and pygmy marmosets. Spider monkeys are at home in the rainforest's canopy and use their powerful tails to hold on to branches and travel quickly through the trees as they search for seeds, leaves and fruit. Jaguars are the world's largest cats and hunt their prey by stalking then ambushing it from dense rainforest cover. Pygmy marmosets, the world's smallest monkeys, are only 5 inches long and live in the rainforest understory, where they tap trees for their sap.
African Rainforest Animals
The diversity of animals in the African rainforest is so boggling that scientists continue to identify new species. Some unique African rainforest animals include the African forest elephant, gorillas and the pygmy hippopotamus. The elephants of the rainforest are smaller than those living on the African savanna. They move through the forest opening up trails used by other animals, and let light into the jungle to help plants grow in the process. Gorillas, including the mountain gorilla, are vegetarians and spend most of their day eating leaves and plant shoots. There are only 780 mountain gorillas left, as of 2011, and intense efforts are being made to save the species. The pygmy hippopotamus is about 5 feet long and weighs about 420 lbs. and spends most of its time alone or in small groups. They do not spend much time immersed in water like their larger cousins.
South Asia Rainforest Animals
Rainforests in this part of the world are disappearing at a greater rate than any other due to development by humans. Many of its animals, like the Bengal tiger, are threatened with extinction. Bengal tigers are orange brown with black stripes that help it camouflage in the trees as it hunts. It is now protected by guards in many national parks, to ward off poachers. The Sumatran rhinoceros is also threatened and survives in small areas of the Malaysian and Indonesian rainforests. The smallest species of rhinoceros, they are a dark gray-brown, covered with hair and both the male and female sport two horns.