Animals and Plants of the Pelting Forest

Because tropical rain forests are some of the oldest ecosystems on earth, they are home to a diverse population of plants and animals. In fact, around 50% of the earth'due south country-dwelling plants and animals tin be found here — with new species still existence discovered.

Rain Forest Animals

Throughout all the different layers of a tropical pelting forest, yous'll find a wide multifariousness of animals. Most of u.s. think of monkeys when we think of rain forests. Other rain forest mammals include sloths, tapirs, jaguars, ocelots, kinkajous, lemurs and agouti.

The warm, moist surroundings is also an ideal habitat for reptiles and amphibians. Many types of frogs, salamanders, snakes and lizards tin be found in most every layer of the forest.

Collywobbles and moths are plentiful in the tropics also. Many migrate, wintering in a rain forest and spending summers in our backyards.

Picture of a Blue Grosbeak
Blue Grosbeak

These pretty blue birds with the sweet voices are seen in California, Colorado, Missouri, Illinois, and New Jersey southward.

They commonly winter in United mexican states, Republic of guatemala, Belize, El Salvador, Honduras, and Nicaragua. They are occasionally seen as far south as Ecuador.

More Birds

Rain Forest Birds

Rain forests are unequaled in their richness of bird species. Some birds—such as hummingbirds, harpy eagles, spectacled owls, toucans, macaws, quetzals, hornbills and finches—make their dwelling house in the forests twelvemonth-round.

Others are temporary residents. Many of the songbirds we relish in our yards every summer spend their winters in the rain forests of United mexican states, Central America and S America—relying on the forest for refuge during the colder months.

Pelting Wood Plants

Over 200,000 species of plants thrive in rain forests. This affluence is due to the warm, humid environs and includes some of the most beautiful and interesting flora:

  • orchids
  • condom copse
  • poinsettias
  • cacao trees
  • Venus fly traps

  • passion flowers
  • peace lilies
  • brazil nut copse
  • mahogany trees
  • passion fruits

  • lianas
  • birds of paradise
  • strangler fig
  • quinine

All of the pelting wood plants work to provide food and shelter for rain forest animals every bit well equally convert carbon dioxide to oxygen.

Competition at ground level for light and food has led to some unique institute evolution. Some plants alive on the branches of other plants and use "air roots" to describe nourishment from the air. Others, like the strangler fig, will wrap themselves around (and ultimately strangle) large trees to fight for survival.

Across dazzler and interest, tropical rain forest plants contribute to modernistic medicine. Information technology is believed that approximately 25% of all Western medicines on the market today come up from plants found only in tropical pelting forests. This includes treatments for a variety of cancers, malaria, multiple sclerosis, Parkinson'due south disease, high blood pressure and more. But in that location is still then much untapped potential. According to Michael Blalick, director of the Institute of Economic Botany (role of the New York Botanical Garden), of all the known plant species, "less than 3 percent take been tested for their medical applications."