Rainforest vegetation on the Caribbean island of Dominica
Click on image for full size
NBII Digital Image Library - Randolph Femmer, photographer
Tropical Rainforests
Have you ever been to a rainforest? Rainforests have very different trees than the ones you might climb in your yard.
Thousands of species of plants and animals live in the rain forests of the world. But what makes them so different?
Rain forests get 80 inches of rain a year! That is a lot compared to the rest of the world. The temperature
almost never changes. It is always warm and muggy!
You have probably seen a movie where people are walking through the jungle. There are all kinds of plants in the way.
But in the real rainforests, tall trees take up most of the space. They block out the Sun, so other plants can't grow below them.
Now we can explore the tropical rain forest even further. Click on insects, birds, mammals, reptiles and primates.
Shop Windows to the Universe Science Store!
Our
online store includes
issues of NESTA's quarterly journal, The Earth Scientist, full of classroom activities on different topics in Earth and space science, as well as
books on science education!
You might also be interested in:
There are many species of insect in the rain forest. Some of the prettiest butterflies you will ever see are found here. This image shows a postman butterfly. Isn't it pretty? Tarantulas also live in the
...more
There are many pretty birds in the tropical rain forest. There are over 300 species of parrot in the rain forest. The scarlet macaw is one of the biggest ones. It can reach 3 feet in length. Toucans are
...more
The tropical rain forests of the world are full of reptiles. There are many snakes in the jungle. The anaconda is one snake family. They can grow to 30 feet long. Anacondas wrap around their prey and
...more
Biomes are large areas of the world where there are similar plants, animals, and other living things. The living things are adapted to the climate. Explore the links below to learn more about different
...more
Forests cover almost a third of the land surface on Earth. A new report is out about forests and how they impact global climate. Scientists know that forests help lessen global warming, so they are now
...more
The winds in the Southeast Pacific mainly blow from south to north. They affect the weather and climate in the region. They also affect the climate in other places around the world. Air near the equator
...more
Scientists discovered the fossils of a gigantic snake. It lived in South America 60 million years ago. It was longer than a school bus and weighed 1140 kilograms (2500 pounds). This snake was a constrictor,
...more
