Rain forests are the most diverse ecosystems on earth because of the enormous numbers of animal species present.Most of this animal diversity is made up of insects, but many other invertebrate groups are also represented. A large rain forest region, such as the Amazon Basin, may have more than ten million animal species, although most of these have yet to be described scientifically. In contrast to temperate latitude forests, animal diversity in rain forests is heavily arboreal and always greater than that found living on the ground.
As many as 200 species of trees may be found in a single acre of tropical rain forest. A single
square mile of Amazonian Ecuador or Brazil may be home to more than 1500 occur in all of
North America.
The Congo River basin, which claims nearly a fifth of the world’s remaining rain forest, is
home to such creatures as lowland gorillas and forest elephants. In this small corner of the region
the Baka pygmies make up about 60% of a sparse human population.
Many animal groups, especially insects and birds, pollinate rain forest trees. Wind is not an
effective pollinator for most plant species in this relatively closed environment. The insects
receive food from nectar and other substances, and in return they pollinate the next flowers they
visit.
Vertical stratification of trees and plants is a characteristic feature of rain forests. The upper
canopy consists of trees reaching heights of 30 to 50m (100 to 165ft). This canopy is relatively
open, with large spaces between treetops through which sunlight can pass. Even the tallest of
these trees, many of which are dicotyledons, have only shallow root systems. Much of the
rainwater travelling down these tall trunks is lost to transpiration. The upper canopy is
permanently occupied by animals, many of whom never leave the upper reaches of the forest
floor. the next lowest layer consists of a more enclosed canopy of trees, entangled with lianas and
strangler figs. Plant life in the tropical rain forest is dominated by angiosperms, or flowering
plants. The predominantly woody nature of rain forests means that most species need a long time
before they can flower. Many species probably do not reach maturity for 30 years or more.
(The following animals are a few of the thousands and millions of species that exist)
BIRDS- parakeets, hornbills, toucan, kingfisher, gray tiger herons, parrots, warblers, quetzals,
king and turkey vultures, cock of the rock, hermit hummingbird, black-necked red Cottinga.
MAMMALS- Elephants, Jaguars, sloth, duiker antelopes, armor-plated pangolin, tiger, low-land
gorilla.
MONKEYS- Orangutans, mountain gorilla, howler monkey, red wakari, white-faced monkeys,
ring-tailed lemur, macaques, Costa Rican Capuchins, African Mandrill, Aye-aye, sifaka, pygmy
marmoset.
REPTILES- Dart poison frog, rain frog, iguana, bushmaster, fer-de-lance.
INSECTS- praying mantis, rhinoceros beetle, golden tortoise beetle, spiny katydid, dead leaf
mantis, caterpillars, butterflies such as the glasswing, passion vine, dryas iulia, morpho, burmese
jezebels.
HUMANS (tribes)-Yanomami Indians (Brazil) , Baka Pygmies (West Africa),Mucajai Indians (Brazil),
Tukano Indians, (Northwestern Brazil & southeastern Columbia), Kayapo Indians (Brazil)
