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African elephant: These are large herbivores that consume both grasses and tree foliage.

Giraffe: Known as browsers, they feed on leaves and twigs from trees.

Zebra: A classic grazer of the African savanna.

Wildebeest: Herds undertake a massive migration in search of fresh grazing land.

Cape buffalo: Large herbivores that primarily graze on grass.

Rhinoceros: Both black and white rhinos are found in African savannas.

Hippopotamus: They spend their days in water and graze on grass at night.

Lions, Leopards, and Cheetahs: These are apex predators that hunt other savanna animals.

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Large mammals

Jaguar

Tapir

Giant anteater

Capybara

Giant river otter

Manatee

Spectacled bear

3 toed sloth

White-lipped peccary

Howler monkey

Spider monkey

Capuchin monkey

Pied Bare-faced Tamarin

Golden-faced saki

Armadillo

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Importance of trees - Facts about trees for kids - Why do we need trees - Simply E-learn kids

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A look at the botanical treasures, both known and undiscovered, that exist within tropical rainforests.

The widespread destruction of tropical rainforest ecosystems and the consequent extinction of numerous plant and animal species is happening before we know even the most basic facts about what we are losing.

Covering only 6 percent of the Earth's surface, tropical moist forests contain at least half of all species. The abundant botanical resources of tropical forests have already provided tangible medical advances; yet only 1 percent of the known plant and animal species have been thoroughly examined for their medicinal potentials. Meanwhile, 2 percent of the world's rainforests are irreparably damaged each year.

Approximately 7,000 medical compounds prescribed by Western doctors are derived from plants. These drugs had an estimated retail value of US$43 billion in 1985. Seventy percent of the 3000 plants identified by the United States National Cancer Institute as having potential anti-cancer properties are endemic to the rainforest. Tropical forest species serve Western surgery and internal medicine in three ways. First, extracts from organisms can be used directly as drugs. For maladies ranging from nagging headaches to lethal contagions such as malaria, rainforest medicines have provided modern society with a variety of cures and pain relievers.

* Quinine, an aid in the cure of malaria, is an alkaloid extracted from the bark of the cinchona tree found in Latin America and Africa.

* From the deadly poisonous bark of various curare lianas, used by generations of indigenous peoples in Latin America, has been isolated the alkaloid d-turbocuarine, which is used to treat such diseases as multiple sclerosis, Parkinson's disease and other muscular disorders. It also permits tonsillectomies, eye, abdominal and other kinds of surgery due to its anesthetic qualities.

Madagascar periwinkle

* From Africa, Madagascar's rosy periwinkle provides two important anti-tumor agents. One provides for a 99 percent chance of remission in cases of lymphocytic leukemia. The other offers a life in remission to 58 percent of Hodgkin's Disease sufferers. In 1960, only 19 percent had a chance for survival. Commercial sales of drugs derived from this one plant are about US$160 million a year.

* Without wild yams from Mexico and Guatemala, society would be without diosgenin and cortisone, the active ingredients in birth control pills. Until recently this plant provided the world with its entire supply of diosgenin.

Secondly, chemical structures of forest organisms sometimes serve as templates from which scientists and researchers can chemically synthesize drug compounds. For example, the blueprint for aspirin is derived from extracts of willow trees found in the rainforest. Neostigmine, a chemical derived from the Calabar bean and used to treat glaucoma in West Africa, also provides the blueprint for synthetic insecticides. However, the chemical structures of most natural drugs are very complex, and simple extraction is usually less expensive than synthesis. Ninety percent of the prescription drugs that are based on higher plants include direct extractions from plants.
Shamans and Indigenous Peoples
Finally, rainforest plants provide aids for research. Certain plant compounds enable scientists to understand how cancer cells grow, while others serve as testing agents for potentially harmful food and drug products. Tropical forests offer hope for safer contraceptives for both women and men. The exponential growth of world population clearly demonstrates the need for more reliable and effective birth control methods. Worldwide, approximately 4,000 plant species have been shown to offer contraceptive possibilities. The rainforest also holds secrets for safer pesticides for farmers. Two species of potatoes have leaves that produce a sticky substance that traps and kills predatory insects. This natural self-defense mechanism could potentially reduce the need for using pesticides on potatoes. Who knows what other tricks the rainforest might have up its leaves?

The chemical components of plants that medicine men use in healing rites could conceivably be building blocks for new drugs or even cures for such scourges as cancer or AIDS.
What You Can Do
For thousands of years, indigenous groups have made extensive use of the materials contained in the rainforest to meet their health needs. Forest dwellers in Southeast Asia, for example, use around 6,500 different plants to treat their ills. Shamans were the first medical specialists in indigenous communities, and their traditional methods are known to be effective in treating both physical and psychological ailments. The World Health Organization estimates that 80 percent of the people in developing countries still rely on traditional medicine for their primary health care needs. Without money, access to, or faith in modern facilities, indigenous people depend on shamans, herbal healers, and rainforest plants for their survival. Shamans also play a crucial role in helping scientists to discover the potentials of plants. As one scientist has said, "Each time a medicine man dies, it is as if a library has been burned down. There is much yet to be learned from local shamans, yet their individual and cultural survival is seriously threatened as modern loggers, miners, multinational corporations, and landless farmers invade and decimate the forest.

Tropical forest plants serve as vital resources for the eradication of disease, but we could easily lose these plants as well as the traditional knowledge that can unlock their potential if tropical ecosystems and indigenous cultures are not preserved intact. The future health and welfare of humanity will be determined, to a great extent, by the fate of the rainforests. There are no easy answers to the social and environmental crises facing the rainforest today. But one important step towards saving the rainforest is to increase public recognition of the importance of rainforest medicines in our modern pharmacopoeia and the importance of preserving the primary habitats of these flora. You can do your part by educating yourself and others about the rainforests and the forces that are destroying them. Countless books and environmentally friendly travel opportunities exist, such as research documentation and in-depth Amazon tours.

Notes and other sources:

The Unseen Garden: Research at the Missouri Botanical Garden. St. Louis: Missouri Botanical Garden, 1987.
Jackson, D. "Searching for Medicinal Wealth in Amazonia." Smithsonian. February 1989.
Plotkin, M. "The Outlook for New Agricultural and Industrial Products from the Tropics." In E.O. Wilson, ed. Biodiversity. Washington D.C.: National Academy Press, 1988.
Caufield, C. In the Rainforest. Chicago: University of Chicago Press, 1984.
Farnsworth, N. "Screening Plants for New Medicines." In E.O. Wilson, ed. Biodiversity. Washington D.C.: National Academy Press, 1988.
Peterson, D. The Deluge and the Ark. Boston: Houghton Mifflin, 1989.

Information aquired from Rainforest Action Network

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Rainforest Medicine - Healing Medicines From The Amazon

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A look at the botanical treasures, both known and undiscovered, that exist within tropical rainforests. The widespread destruction of tropical rainforest ecosystems and the consequent extinction of numerous plant and animal species is happening before we know even the most basic facts about what we are losing.

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1. Name of animal and by

2. Conservation Status

3. mammal, reptile, bird

4. description

5. diet and diet class

6. interesting fact

7. biome

8. Your own choice

9. Why threatened

10. What could humans do to remove the threat?

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Geography - People of the Rainforest (Primary School Geography Lesson)

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choose one of the following activities

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The rainforest is a type of ecosystem. An ecosystem is a community of living things that are connected and rely on one another and on their surroundings to meet their needs. Rainforests are some of the richest ecosystems on Earth. No other type of ecosystem supports as many different kinds of living thing.

Many products useful to people come from rainforests. Bananas, chili peppers, mangoes, pineapples, and many kinds of nuts come from rain forests. Cacao is the plant that gives us chocolate. It grows in the rainforest understory. Many medicines are also made from rainforest products. And there are probably many more medicines to be discovered.

Many native people live in the rainforest. They make their living by hunting, fishing, collecting forest products, and farming.

Source: World Book Kids, 2017

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Collinson Library: THE AMAZING AMAZON: The rainforest

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The rainforest is a type of ecosystem. An ecosystem is a community of living things that are connected and rely on one another and on their surroundings to meet their needs. Rainforests are some of the richest ecosystems on Earth. No other type of ecosystem supports as many different kinds of living thing.

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25 Facts About the AMAZON RAINFOREST | 25 FACTS

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The rainforests are often referred to as "Earth's Lungs" because of the importance they play in our global ecosystem.

However the trees and animal life that call the rainforests home are in serious danger.

Check out the infographic below to discover interesting facts about rainforests, and find some inspiration for how you can make a difference in saving them.

Has this infographic changed how you think about the rainforest? Tweet us @greenerideal and let us know.

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Rainforest Facts - Infographic | Greener Ideal

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The rainforests are often referred to as "Earth's Lungs" because of the importance they play in our global ecosystem. However the trees and animal life that call the rainforests home are in serious danger. Check out the infographic below to discover interesting facts about rainforests, and find some inspiration for how you can make a difference in saving them.

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| Cuisine

It's impossible to take a trip to your local grocery store without encountering quinoa, maca or goji berries stocked on the shelves. In recent years, we have been overloaded with information about various " superfoods " and how they can aid with fighting off diseases, weight loss and improving your overall health.

Quinoa and maca, the famous Incan superfoods from the Andes mountain region, have already made their mark on North American and European diets, but as scientists expand their research, a new wave of superfoods are hitting the market. In the depths of the Amazon rainforest, nutrient-rich superfoods have been healing the Amazon indigenous population for centuries.

Here are the top 7 Amazon superfoods to start including in your daily diets (and to try on your Amazon river cruise!):

1. Acai Berries - Glowing Skin

Acai berries grow in the Brazilian Amazon rainforest. They are tiny purple berries (similar to grapes) and grow on palm trees. Acai berries have been considered a superfood for a few years, because of their antioxidant, high fiber and healthy fat properties (omega fatty acids). These berries help support healthy hair, skin and nails.

Acai is also known to aid with digestive problems by keeping your digestive system in optimal function. Their high vitamin C content protects you from cardiovascular diseases and increases your overall energy. When it comes to superfoods, acai berries are the whole package.

Now, there are a large variety of acai products available in the market. You can incorporate acai into your daily diet by adding acai to your salad, oatmeal, cereal or dessert. You can also blend the berries with your morning smoothie, or if you're daring enough, add them to your salty evening meal. It's been said that acai berries are a mixture of red wine and chocolate, what more could you ask from a fruit!?

2. Camu Camu Fruit - The Cold Doctor

Camu camu is rumored to be the new Acai berry. This fruit is becoming increasingly popular as a health supplement for its high antioxidant and anti-viral properties. This superfood grows in the Amazon rainforest of Peru and Brazil. It is about the size of a lemon and completely full of vitamin C.

Camu camu is used for medicinal purposes to fight off cold sores, herpes and your common cold. This superfood has been used to fight inflammation and because it contains Valine (an amino acid), camu camu prevents muscle breakdown and it is important for your nervous system's cognitive function.

If you are lucky enough to be traveling through Peru or Brazil, take advantage of this superfruit and drink it in freshly squeezed juices (or cocktails). Unfortunately you will not be able to find the camu camu fruit in your average North American grocery store, but you can consume it in powder or tablet form. Blend your camu camu powder in your favorite smoothie recipe for an optimal health boost!

3. Maracuya (Passion Fruit) - Stress Reliever

Maracuya, known as passion fruit, has a surprising amount of health and medicinal benefits. Passion fruit can be found all over South America, particularly in the Amazon region. It's about as big as a grapefruit, and has a juicy interior with an abundance of seeds. A cup of passion fruit contains about 25% of your daily recommended amount of carotenoids (Vitamin A). Vitamin A is crucial for maintaining healthy skin and good vision.

The rich vitamin C content of the passion fruit will help you absorb iron from all of your daily meals. Passion fruit seeds are also abundant with insoluble fiber, which will help your digestive tract run smoothly. It's recommended to blend passion fruit in your morning juice or smoothie to kickstart your fibre intake for the day.

The most interesting health benefit of passion fruit is that it is a natural stress and anxiety reducer. A tall glass of passion fruit juice will help you clear your mind and unwind after a stressful day. Trust us, this works!

4. Cupuacu - The Pain Killer

Cupuacu is a superfruit that grows in the Amazon region. It grows on a tree of its same name, and the fruits are the size of a large mango. The cupuacu has been cultivated by indigenous peoples for centuries, but only now it is in the North American spotlight because of its extremely potent vitamins, antioxidants and essential nutrients.

The primary health benefit of this amazon superfood is heightening the body's immune system and lowering blood pressure. It has a caffeine like effect, but does not actually contain any caffeine. Your body will not experience the caffeine crash. Anyone suffering from high cholesterol will benefit from consuming cupuacu as it is known for lowering the body's overall cholesterol level through lipid inhibition.

The natives of the Amazon use cupuacu for pain relief, especially during child birth. The theacrine component which gives you energy also works wonders as a natural anti-inflammatory. You can apply it directly to your skin, or consume it.

5. Aguaje - Miracle Fruit

The aguaje fruit is another Amazon nutrient-rich superfood that is cultivated by the local people living within the Peruvian Pacaya-Samiria National Reserve. The aguaje fruit has three times more vitamin A than a carrot and is packed with protein, vitamins and oils. It's also very high in vitamin C content and often used to make jam, juice and ice cream.

Aguaje is known as a miracle fruit because it's used to treat burns. When applied directly to a burn, the high vitamin A, vitamin E and oil content soothes the wound. The rich beta-carotene component is known to protect from sun damage and is used as a natural sunblock. Aguaje has been used to treat various skin conditions like psoriasis and eczema. The natural anti-inflammatory reaction tames redness and calms the skin.

The reason for this Amazon miracle fruit's new found fame is for its phytoestrogens (plant based estrogens). It is nicknamed the "Curvy Fruit" because it naturally increases female curves. It balances hormones levels during "that time of the month," eases hot flushes during menopause and even restores fertility. Check your local health foods store to see if Aguaje supplements are stocked on their shelves. This miracle fruit is something you'll want to start including in your daily diet.

6. Raw Cacao - An Antioxidant Powerhouse

Who doesn't love chocolate? Cacao is one of the easiest superfoods to incorporate into your daily diet and routine. It's easy to blend cacao powder in a smoothie, or add a spoon to your morning cereal or oatmeal. Being the purest form of chocolate, it is an antioxidant powerhouse (40x the antioxidants of blueberries), so you don't have to feel guilty consuming it.

Make raw cacao apart of your regular diet to benefit from natural energy, mental alertness and focus. Cacao also has more calcium than cow's milk and is the highest plant-based source of iron. It's full of magnesium for a healthy heart and brain. Why not try baking a batch of raw cacao brownies for the ultimate comfort superfood.

7. Sacha Inchi Seeds - Amino Acid Boost

Our last Amazon superfood, but certainly not the least, is full of protein. Packing a whopping 75% protein and 25% Omega-3's by size, the Sacha Inchi seed contains all of the essential amino acids your body needs. Sacha Inchi has been cultivated in the Peruvian Amazon Rainforest for centuries and is now becoming widely used to promote weight loss. Some say that the seeds help burn excess abdominal fat.

Sacha Inchi seeds are also used to fight off depression, high cholesterol and prevent heart disease. It can be consumed as a snack, in tablet form or as an oil. Our tip - why not roast the Sacha Inchi seeds for a perfect, tasty afternoon snack.

Other Posts You May Enjoy:

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Top 7 Amazon Superfoods | Rainforest Cruises

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It's impossible to take a trip to your local grocery store without encountering quinoa, maca or goji berries stocked on the shelves. In recent years, we have been overloaded with information about various "superfoods" and how they can aid with fighting off diseases, weight loss and improving your ov

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Boomkwekerijen M. van den Oever & Zonen B.V.

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CAN WE LIVE WITHOUT TREES ? - UK | Best educational video (all ages)

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1.  Make a list of food that you have eaten that may have originated from the rainforest.
2.  Choose one rainforest food to research and make a BOOK CREATOR book about it.
3.  Plan a 3 course menu for the JUNGLE RESTAUARANT using fresh rainforest ingredients.
Make your menu as exciting as possible
Include
-entree
-main
-dessert
-cool names of the dish
-description of the meals using lots of adjectives
- beautiful presentation
-in big books using a full page

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Half of the world's tropical forests have been cleared or degraded. What is affected by deforestation? Read on for more deforestation facts.

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PRODUCTS FROM THE RAINFOREST

Cocona juice from
the Peruvian rain forest Items which can be harvested from the rainforest include chicle, used in making gum; latex, the main ingredient of rubber; allspice, which serves as both a spice and medicine; rattan, used for making baskets; and a number of key ingredients for medicines. Rainforests also produce a large variety of resins, tannins, steroids, waxes, bamboo, flavorings and dyes stuffs used to make consumer goods such as lubricants, glue, golf balls, nail varnish, deodorant, tooth paste, shampoos, mascara and lipstick.

Among the foods that originated in the rainforests and are still produced there are pineapples, bananas, citrus fruits, yams, cocoa, sago, cassava, heart-of-palm, avocado, papayas, mangos Brazil nuts, winged beans and several edible oils. Spices that come from rainforest plants are vanilla, nutmeg, cinnamon and black pepper. Some plants have multiple purposes. The South American babassu is being raised as a source of edible oil, margarine and shortening and ingredients for detergents, soap or plastics.

"One can only guess," journalist Peter White wrote in National Geographic, " at the number of new pharmaceuticals, fibers, vegetable oils and other materials waiting to be discovered." In the 1980s, scientists harvested protein from the wing base of insects that could tolerate bending far longer than any other material. One scientist told National Geographic: "This is just what I want for paint---wouldn't it be nice to have a paint you can stick over a door and it can bend with the hinge. Once we know its structural properties, we may build those insights into plastic, or whatever structure breaks down with continual flexing. There could be thousands of applications."

One of the tragedies of deforestation is that a managed forest yields a higher rate of income in perpetuity than a cleared parcel of land used for timber, ranching or agriculture. One study determined that a hectare of forest could yield $500 worth of fruit, nuts, latex, rattan and other products a year, for a total of $10,000 over 20 years, more than could be earned from the same plot over the same period by timber extracting, ranching or farming. The plot could be worth even more if medicinal plants and valuable oils are extracted..

Websites and Resources: Rainforest Action Network ran.org ; Rainforest Foundation rainforestfoundation.org ; World Rainforest Movement wrm.org.uy ; Wikipedia article Wikipedia ; Forest Peoples Programme forestpeoples.org ; Rainforest Alliance rainforest-alliance.org ;Rainforest Portal rainforestportal.org ; Prince's Rainforest Project rainforestsos.org/about-rainforests ; Nature Conservancy nature.org/rainforests ; National Geographic environment.nationalgeographic.com/environment/habitats/rainforest-profile ; Rainforest Books:

Book: The Private Life of Plants: A Natural History of Plant Behavior by David Attenborough (Princeton University Press, 1997); Portraits of the Rainforest By Adrian Forsythe.

Websites and Resources on Rainforest Animals: Rainforest Animals rainforestanimals.net ; Rainforest Animal Photos mongabay.com ; Rainforest Plant Photos rain-tree.com/plantimages ; Rainforest Animal Photos leslietaylor.net/gallery/animals ; Rainforest Plants wheatonma.edu/rainforest ; Enchanted Learning enchantedlearning.com/subjects/rainforest ; Amazon Plants junglephotos.com
Medicines from the Rainforest
Drugs from the rainforest include quinine (from the cinchona tree, used for treating malaria), ipecac (used make people vomit certain poisons), emetine (from a South American plant, used to cure amoebic dysentery); Tubocurarine and curare (muscle relaxants used in surgery, derived from poison frogs), resperine (from a Southeast Asia plant, use t o alleviate hypertension); picrtoxin (from the Levant berry of South and Southeast Asia, used to relieve convulsions and restore breathing after barbiturate overdose); Salagem (used to reduce the side effects of radiation treatment on cancer patents) and cocoa (cocaine).

Tea made from a kind of yam found in Mexico was used for birth control by rainforest women for hundreds of years. In the 1960s, drug companies discovered its potential and isolated and reproduced the active ingredient, diosgenin, giving birth to "the pill."

About 25 percent of the pharmaceutical drugs sold in the United States are derived from 40 plants, about and 40 percent of the all drugs sold are extracted from plants, animals, fungi and microorganisms. Drugs that come from plants include aspirin (from white willow bark), digitalis heart medication (from foxglove), and the cancer treatment taxol (from the Pacific yew tree). No doubt there are more out there to discovered. Only about 1 percent of the worlds 265,000 flowering plants have been examined for potential drugs.

Rainforest People and Medicines

In their daily lives rainforest people, who often don't have access to modern medicine, treat wasp stings with certain leaves, soothes burns with a red sap, get rid of skin fungus with crushed leaves, and "make you skinny" with juice extracted from a "sweet-smelling plant." In Africa, the shavings of Gracinia tree are used to treat diarrhea. In South America, leaves for one plant are chewed raw to reduce a fever and boiled and rubbed on the skin around snake bites. Another plant is brewed into tea for suppressing colds and coughs and berries are used to treat centipede bites. [Source: Donald Dale Jackson, Smithsonian magazine, February 1989]

Most medicines are taken from the roots, bark, leaves and saps of plants and then made into a "tea" or external poultice. To treat diabetes with the bark and fruit from a medium-size tree, South American shaman told Smithsonian magazine, "You take boiling water and put pieces of bark in it. You take a glass of it. It gives people the qualities of a tiger and makes them strong, very strong...If the patients with the disease aren't treated, they die."

Some rainforest medicines "cures" are probably little more than placebos and some remedies are down right preposterous. In some parts of South America, for example, headaches are "cured" by witch doctors who suck them out through their fist or stick a large bumblebee under the patients hat.

Scientists, Rainforest People and Medicines

Some of the rainforest chemicals that biologists and pharmacologists are interested in the most are toxins. These often hold the most promise for combating diseases because the toxins are often harmful to disease-causing viruses, bacteria and microorganisms. One plant used to treat rheumatism was picked out for investigation because its bark seem to ward of insects and fungi.

"Antidote plants" that often grow very close to poisonous plants are also studied. One shaman described in the Wall Street Journal showed the scientists a fern that has potential as a potent analgesic that grew near a species called the Devil's garden tree, which gives off a chemical that prevents other plants from flourishing. "The fact that the fern can overcome a chemical threat means it could have its own chemical arsenal," one of the scientists said.

Scientist often are forced to make snap decisions in the field on which plant to study and which to ignore because investigating them can be so expensive. When the scientists followed by Smithsonian magazine was shown a plant used against headaches that also generated visions and made "it possible to see the future," he commenting "Hmm, that not so good," worrying about the potential side effects."

Some scientists investigating the use of herbal medicines by shamans try not to influence shamans by asking them directly about medicines. They converse about the weather, their children and approach the subject they are interested in a circular fashion. Describing scientists who use pictures, Thomas Burton, wrote in the Wall Street Journal, "The botanists show the medicine man photographs of patients with various symptoms, such as rashes and swelling of viral and fungal origin, yellow eyes associated with hepatitis, and foot sores typical of diabetes. They don't steer the shaman in any direction; they keep poker faces, betraying neither excitement or displeasure."

Mark Plotkin, Shaman's Apprentice

Mark Plotkin with Wauru chief Dr. Mark Plotkin, the author of Tales of the Shaman's Apprentice and Medicine Quest: In Search of Nature's Hidden Cure , is a major advocate for the belief that miracle medicines and marketable goods can be found in the rainforest. Plotkin's Amazon Conservation Team is supported by actress Susan Sarandon and Todd Oldham. [Source: Donald Dale Jackson, Smithsonian magazine, February 1989]

The son of a Jewish shoe salesman from New Orleans, Plotkin dropped out of the University of Pennsylvania's biology department because he was more interested in studying whole organisms rather than cells. Plotkin later studied at Yale and Tufts and worked at the Harvard Botanical Museum under Dr. Richard Evans Schultes, who inspired Plotkin and others with tales of Indian rituals and hallucinogenic potions. Plotkin began working with shaman in South America as part of his studies to be an ethnobotanist. His reputation grew when he was featured on the cover of Smithsonian magazine and was described as real life Indiana Jones and the Carl Sagan of the rainforest.

Plotkin has spent a great deal of time among in the Amazon rainforests among tribes such the Sikiyan-Chikena. In one of his books he described a Sikiyan-Chikena shaman who treated a woman who was near death with severe diabetes with concoctions made herbs and vine sap gathered from the forest. The morning after she took the concoction her blood sugar had returned to normal and within a few days she was healthy enough to return to work. "I was knocked over," Dr. Plotkin told the New York Times. "He literally raised that woman from the dead."

Book: Tales of the Shaman's Apprentice and Medicine Quest: In Search of Nature's Hidden Cure by Mark Plotkin.

Drug Companies and the Rainforest

Even though some scientists say the search for new drugs in the rainforest is "quixotic," and fueled by "naive, over-optimistic expectations," the major drug companies have offices in Iquitos, Peru and other Amazon cities, invested large amounts of money in research and very secretive about what they are doing.

Merck & CO. made a $1 million dollar deal with Coast Rica's National Institute of Biodiversity to screen plants, insects and micro-organisms for medicinal compounds. G.D. Searle & Co and Pfizer have similar arrangements with U.S. botanical gardens.

The drug companies primarily collect specimens and ship them to North American or European laboratories where they are analyzed and tested. One of the hot issues is whether drugs made from the rainforest can be patented.

Shaman Pharmaceutical

Shaman Pharmaceutical has sent people to the rainforest in West Africa, Papua New Guinea, Ecuador and Peru to investigating plants with compounds that could be used to fight diabetes and viral and fungal infections and looking for an effective nonaddictive painkiller. Hundred of pounds of stems, roots, bark and berries collected are sent back to California for analysis in five-foot-long duffel bags. About 20 percent of the company's budget is earmarked to help finance water, school and social welfare projects in exchange for knowledge about medicinal floras. The company gave one jungle community $5,000 to build an airstrip, new school and water system and provide it with doctors.

None of the drugs Shaman Pharmaceutical worked on panned out. By the late 1990s their stock had slid to practically nothing and the company announced it dropped its quest for new drugs from the rainforest and was concentrating dietary supplements." One scientist with the company told the New York Times, "The rhetoric ran away from reality. And the whole thing has backfired. We have not found new drugs. And the fact that the idea is deeply flawed was never questioned."

Yes, Indians have found effective treatments in the forest but many of the most promising plants have already been screened, beginning with Spanish conquistadors, and the ones that yielded medicines, such as quinine and curare, have already been exploited.

Perfume Companies in the Rainforest

Representatives from perfume companies, looking for new fragrances and scents, mostly from orchid,. are also in the rainforest. Employees of Givaudan Roure, a company that creates fragrances for perfumeries and other companies, has sent employees to the rainforest in French Guiana and hired rainforest scientists to assist in the search for new fragrances.

The scientist often check out flowers that attract moths because the scents that attract them and usually considered pleasant by humans. To take samples, the scientists use "head space" technology---equipment used by beer brewers to analyze the air above beer head and determine when fermentation process is complete--- to trap the air and scent around a flower. The air is captured in a globe then directed through a cylinder of absorbent material called Tenax that is sealed when it is filled. The cylinders are taken to a lab and the gases are analyzed with a mass spectrometer.

Rattan

Rattans are climbing palms native to southeast Asian. The have tough and slender stems as thick as a man's finger and tendrils with hooks sharp enough to rip a shirt or scrape skin. The hooks are used to attach to trees so the plants can climb upwards. In the forest they flourish as parasitic vines that cling to the forest with "multiple throned tentacles" hundreds of feet long.

rattan furniture

Rattan palms yield a fiber called, obviously enough, rattan that is prized for making furniture, baskets, mats, brushes, hampers, and even canes. The strongest and most valuable part of the vine is the skin. The fibers are covered with spines which are used for climbing up the trunks of trees.

Once a rattan establish itself on a tree it can climb to the top of the canopy and sprout huge palm-leaves that can block out the sun on its host plants. Rattans continue to grow vigorously even if their weight overwhelms branches and brings the host plants crashing to the ground. They can grow to length of over 500 feet, giving them longer stems than any other plant, and thereby, by some standards, making them the world's longest plants. .

Like other palms, rattans are nearly always unbranched and grow only from the bud at their end. If something happens to the bud, the plant can die. The crown is often very tasty and animals like to eat it. Their sharp spines for protection.

Rattan palms have some very complicated relationships with other forms of life. The tips of some species of rattan are protected by small black ants that produce a loud hissing noise by banging their heads on dry husks when disturbed and mass together and viciously bite any intruders. In return the rattan provides the ants with a place to nest and raise aphids, which turn feed on sap in the rattan and in turn excrete a liquid called honey dew that the ants feed on. [Source: David Attenborough, The Private Life of Plants, Princeton University Press, 1995]

Uses and Kinds of Palms

Palm tree trunks are used in the construction of houses, boats and bridges that cross canals. They are used to make grids and fences. Elastic fibers that the cover the trunks are used to make camel and horse saddles. Parts of the leafstalk are used as trowels by mason and as beaters by washerwomen. Mats, plates and baskets are made with stalks. Among the other things made with palms are dye, paper, surfboards, and wax.

See Coconuts, Dates, Palm Oil, Palm Hearts, Food

Bamboo

In the short term bamboo reproduce by sending up new stems rather than by producing seeds. A single root may produce as many as 100 stems. These stems breaks the soil with it nodes already formed and can grow as much as a meter in a single day. Bamboo doesn't have rings like a tree. The hollow nodes are already developed when they emerges in the spring and grows like an uncoiling party favor.

There are more than 500 species of bamboo. Some species of bamboo'such as Bambusa Arundinacea of India and Phyllostacys and China---reach heights of 100 feet. Bamboo is both flood- and drought resistant. Hikers who run out of water in the Malaysian rainforest can get about a canteen's worth by boring a hole right above the joint of large stalks of bamboo.

Bamboo is used for all kinds of things: homes, musical instruments, food, scaffolding, Bamboo has been made into a fabric used to make denim trousers. Surprisingly soft, it is naturally antimicrobial and odor resistant.

Image Source: Mongabay mongabay.com

Text Sources: The Private Life of Plants: A Natural History of Plant Behavior by David Attenborough (Princeton University Press, 1997); National Geographic articles. Also the New York Times, Washington Post, Los Angeles Times, Smithsonian magazine, Natural History magazine, Discover magazine, Times of London, The New Yorker, Time, Newsweek, Reuters, AP, AFP, Lonely Planet Guides, Compton's Encyclopedia and various books and other publications.

&copy 2009 Jeffrey Hays

Last updated March 2011

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PRODUCTS, MEDICINES AND PERFUMES FROM THE RAINFOREST

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PRODUCTS FROM THE RAINFOREST Cocona juice from the Peruvian rain forest Items which can be harvested from the rainforest include chicle, used in making gum; latex, the main ingredient of rubber; allspice, which serves as both a spice and medicine; rattan, used for making baskets; and a number of key ingredients for medicines.

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Do this activity in your general book

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The word Amazon instantly conjures up a vision of a gigantic forest that is alive and full of exotic animals and trees. Indeed, the amazon rainforest is the largest tropical rainforest on Earth, but that's just one of the amazing things about it.Let's find out more about this forest that is more than 6 million square kilometers.

13 Fascinating Facts about the Amazon Rainforest

1. The Amazon rainforest is roughly the size of 48 continuous US states and covers around 40% of the South American Continent. It stretches across Brazil, Bolivia, Peru, Ecuador, Colombia, Venezuela, Guyana, Suriname and French Guiana!

2. The Amazon river that flows through the amazon rainforest is the world's largest river by volume, and the second longest river in the world (the first being the Great Nile)

3. The Amazon rainforest is estimated to have around 40000 plant species!

4. The forest floor is completely dark. Less than 1% of the available sunlight makes it to the floor, because of the thick tree canopy above. In fact, even rainwater takes around 10 minutes to reach the ground. Think about that!

5. A quarter of all our medicines have origins in the rainforest, and only 1% of the rainforest plants have been examined for medicinal purposes.

6. 10% of the world's known species live in the Amazon rainforest.

7. 20% of the bird species of the world live in the Amazon rainforest, that's around 1300 species of birds!

8. The amazon rainforest is home to more than 1200 unique species of animals!

9. The Amazon rainforest is also home to around 2 .5 million different insect species. That's a whole lot of insects!

10. Around 80% of the food we eat originally came from rainforests, including popular items like coffee, rice, tomatoes, potatoes and even chocolates!

11. The Amazon rainforest is also home to around 400-500 indigenous tribes, and some (around 50) of these tribes have never had contact with the outside world.

12. Some of the residents of the amazon forest are downright deadly, such as piranhas, electric eels, poison dart frogs, jaguars and viciously venomous snakes.

13. The Amazon forests are sometimes referred to as the lungs of the planet, but considering the number of living creatures in it, most of the oxygen produced the gigantic forest is used up. But the forests are responsible for regulating the temperature on our blue planet.

Even though the Amazon rainforests are essential to our planet's survival, deforestation is a major threat to it. Thankfully, we are growing more aware and responsible and serious efforts are being undertaken to preserve this huge green canopy on earth.

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Amazon Rainforest Facts - Gifographic for Kids | Mocomi

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The word Amazon instantly conjures up a vision of a gigantic forest that is alive and full of exotic animals and trees. Indeed, the amazon rainforest is the largest tropical rainforest on Earth, but that's just one of the amazing things about it.Let's find out more about this forest that is more than 6 million square kilometers.

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Widely considered among the most remarkable natural attractions on the planet, the is home to the world's largest tropical rainforest and at least 10% of its known biodiversity. Amazon River Basin

There are around 30 million species in the 6.7 million square kilometer Biome, with thousands of new species discovered there each year. One acre of Amazon Rainforest is estimated to contain as many as 70,000 species of insects (scientists once found 700 different species of beetle on just one tree).

The birds, monkeys, reptiles and amphibians of the Amazon may get most of the attention from wildlife lovers. But we think these 10 creepy crawlies are equally cool, and well worth watching out for as you venture out into the rainforest.

Assassin Bug

Don't let the name fool you: This odd-looking insect looks more like a moth than a fly, and their massive peanut-shaped heads don't light up. They have vivid spots on their wings that some people believe help to scare off predators by mimicking the eyes of a much larger animal. There's also a myth in certain local populations that if the bug bites someone (which it doesn't), they'll die if they don't have sex within a day. I wonder how many young Amazonian men have tried using that line?

Fishing Spider
If you're afflicted with arachnophobia (fear of spiders), be forewarned that the Amazon is relatively filled with these fuzzy-legged phenoms. The good news is that the most commonly seen species, the pinktoe tarantula, is relatively harmless and rarely bites. Look for them in trees everywhere, especially during nighttime tours. The largest species, the Goliath Tarantula, can grow up to a 12-inch leg span and is considered a treasured delicacy by some indigenous tribes.

Bret Love is a journalist/editor with 23 years of print and online experience, whose clients have ranged from the Atlanta Journal Constitution to National Geographic. He is the co-founder of ecotourism website Green Global Travel and Green Travel Media.

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10 Cool Creepy Crawlies Found in the Amazon Rainforest

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Widely considered among the most remarkable natural attractions on the planet, the is home to the world's largest tropical rainforest and at least 10% of its known biodiversity. Amazon River Basin There are around 30 million species in the 6.7 million square kilometer Biome, with thousands of new species discovered there each year.

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what should you pack in a rainforest adventure

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Introduction: Insects That Live In Rainforests

(Scroll down to see the insects!)

Rainforest Biodiversity

Rainforests are known for their high levels of biodiversity (the amount of species found in one place). Over half of all the world's species are found in rainforests. For this reason alone rainforests should be considered extremely important habitats.

Insects

The class Insecta (i.e. insects) is the largest of all animal groups. Over half of all the world's species* are insects, and over 1 million insect species have so far been identified.

* That's all species (including plants, etc.), not just animals!

Insects in Rainforests

All those insects have to live somewhere, and the rainforest is home to many of them. It's thought that 25% of all of the world's insect species live in the rainforest canopy.

You can find out about the layers of a rainforest, including the canopy layer, here: Rainforest Layers

2.5 million Insect species are believed to live in the Amazon Rainforest alone.

Excitingly, there may be millions of insect species living in rainforests still to be identified!

The List

While we can't include every single insect that lives in the rainforest, the list below contains pictures and facts about some of the most interesting and / or most famous rainforest insects.

You'll find ants with extremely painful stings, butterflies with transparent wings, and some of the world's largest butterflies, beetles and ants.

Thank you to Anna Harwood for her help in compiling this list.

Discover More with Active Wild

You can find out more about rainforests on the following pages:

List Of Rainforest Insects
Note: some of the insects listed below are 'groups' of insects rather than individual species. For example, there are several butterflies called 'blue morphos'. Wherever this happens, we've included the group name (e.g. the genus) rather than the species' scientific name. You can find out more about terms such as 'genus' and 'species' on this page: Animal Classification.
Army Ant

The army ant Eciton burchelli is one of the best-known of over 200 army ant species. It is found in the Amazon rainforest and other rainforests in Central and South America.

Unlike most other types of ant, army ants don't built permanent nests. Instead, the workers group together, linking their legs and using their own bodies to form structures known as bivouacs. The queen and the colony's larvae are protected in the middle of the bivouac.

When foraging, army ants form lines which can be 20 meters wide and up to 200 meters in length. An army ant foraging party is known as a ' raid '. Raids can consist of up to 200,000 ants. (These lines of ants resemble human armies marching into battle, which is how army ants got their name.)

Blue Morpho Butterfly

Blue morpho butterflies are among the best-known of all rainforest insects. These large, bright blue butterflies are found mainly in South America. There are several different species of blue morpho. All are in the genus (a group of related animals) Morpho.

The largest blue morpho species have wingspans of up to 15 cm (5.9 in.). The butterflies' iridescent (shiny) wings are thought to protect them from predators; the flapping of the shiny wings makes it hard for a predator to lock on to the insect's position.

On the surface of a blue morpho's wings are over a million tiny scales arranged over several layers. Light is reflected between the layers, causing the wings to appear blue.

Brachydiplax Dragonfly

Brachydiplax duivenbodei, otherwise known as the darkmouth dragonfly, is an insect found in Australia's Daintree Rainforest. It has a light blue body and a wingspan of around 4 to 6 cm (1.6 - 2.3 in.), making it a relatively small dragonfly.

The species gets its name from its dark mouthparts. These help differentiate it from the closely related palemouth dragonfly, which, as its name suggests, has pale mouthparts.

Both species are found by slow-moving and still waters in Queensland, Australia and parts of Southeast Asia.

Bullet Ant

The bullet ant is one of the most famous of all insects that live in rainforests. Both its fame and its name are due to its extremely painful sting; it is said that the pain from the sting of a bullet ant is comparable to that of being shot

Rainforest tribes use bullet ants in initiation ceremonies. If a boy can endure being repeatedly stung by a glove-full of bullet ants, he is considered ready to become a warrior.

Bullet ant workers are large ants, reaching lengths of 30 mm (1.2 in.). Unlike some species, the queen is only slightly larger than the workers.

Bullet ants are found in lowland rainforests in Central and South America. Because the ants forage in the rainforest canopy, their nests are usually found at the foot of trees.

Bombus Traversalis Bumblebee

Bombus Traversalis is a bumblebee found in the Amazon rainforest. Unlike most other rainforest bumblebees, which nest in trees, it lives in underground nests.

The intricate nest of Bombus Traversalis is designed to protect the colony both from predators and from rain.

Bombus Traversalis constructs a protective dome over the entrance to the nest (this behavior is unusual, if not unique, among ground-dwelling bumblebees).

As a further deterrent against predators, the entrance to the nest is also guarded by up to five bees. They will vigorously attack any predator that approaches the nest.

Clear-Winged Butterflies

Scientific Name: Cithaerias pireta / Pseudohaeterea hypaesia

Where Found: Central and South America

Cithaerias pireta, otherwise known as the blushing phantom, is a butterfly found in rainforests in Central and South America. It is one of several species of clear-winged butterflies.

The wings of most butterflies are covered with tiny scales which provide their bright colors. The wings of clearwing butterflies lack these scales, and therefore appear almost transparent.

Cithaerias pireta and other related butterflies in the group Haeterini, such as Pseudohaeterea hypaesiaI live deep in the rainforest vegetation. They are mainly active at dusk.

Comet Moth

The comet moth is only found in the rainforests of Madagascar. It is a large and very distinctive insect, with yellow wings and a long tail projecting from each hind wing. (With their long tails, the hind wings resemble comets, which is how the species got its name.)

The eye-like markings on each of the wings are a deterrent to predators.

Once it has hatched, the comet moth is unable to feed, and only has from four to eight days to find a mate and reproduce.

Dancing Jewel Damselfly

The dancing jewel damselfly is a brightly-colored damselfly found by lakes and rivers in southern and eastern Africa. It is found in tropical forests but avoids the densest rainforests.

The males perform elaborate courtship dances to attract females.

Like most damselflies, it folds its wings behind its back when at rest. This is a good way of telling damselflies and dragonflies apart; dragonflies hold their wings open and away from their bodies when at rest.

Elephant Beetle

The elephant beetle is a large rainforest insect found in Central and South America. It is a member of the scarab beetle subfamily Dynastinae, a group of insects also known as rhinoceros beetles.

Elephant beetles can grow up to around 12 cm 4.75 in., with males reaching significantly larger sizes than females. Males can also be identified by the long horns which project forwards from the head.

Elephant beetles spend up to three years as larvae. As adults they are mainly nocturnal; this allows them to lessen the chances of being predated.

Giant Forest Ant

The giant forest ant is one of the largest ants in the world, with workers reaching almost 21 mm (.82 in.), and soldiers reaching 30 mm (1.18 in.). The species is found in rainforests in several Southeast Asian countries, including Singapore, Indonesia and Thailand.

This large rainforest insect lives in colonies of around 7,000 individuals. Largely nocturnal, the species feeds mainly on honeydew, a sugar-rich liquid excreted by sap-eating insects.

Giant forest ant colonies are territorial. A fascinating aspect of the species' lifestyle is that at territorial borders rival colonies may take part in ritualistic battles. These involve each colony sending out a soldier ant to fight on behalf of the colony.

Although the species lacks a sting, it can deliver a painful bite.

Goliath Beetle

Goliath beetles are five species in the genus Goliathus. They are among the largest insects in the world, with the larger males reaching lengths of up to 110 mm (4.3 in.).

Male goliath beetles can be identified by their V-shaped, forward-facing horns. These are used to fight other males.

Goliath beetles are found in African rainforests. Despite their great size, they are still able to fly.

Hercules Beetle

The Hercules beetle holds the record for being the longest insect in the world. Males are equipped with a pair of huge, forward-facing horns, resulting in a total body length of up to 175 mm (7 in).

The longer of the two horns projects from the insect's head. The other projects from the thorax, underneath the head horn.

The Hercules beetle's horns are used to fight other males in order to mate with females. When fighting, the beetle attempts to capture its opponent between its two horns in order to lift and throw the other beetle.

Leafcutter Ant

There are over 40 different species of leafcutter ant. They are divided between 2 genera: Acromyrmex and Atta. They are found from the southern United States south into South America.

You can find out more about animal groups such as genera and families on this page: Animal Classification

Leafcutter ants live in huge colonies, the largest of which contain around 8 million ants.

Leafcutter ants cut leaves from the foliage and carry them back to the nest, travelling in long lines that stretch from the food source to the nest. The ants use the leaves to feed fungus that is grown in a special area of the nest known as a 'fungus garden'.

The ants live in partnership with the fungus. The fungus grows on the leaves they bring it; in return the ants feed their larvae with the fungus.

Mosquitoes

Family: Culicidae

Where Found: All continents except Antarctica

There are around 3,500 species of mosquito. They make up the family Culicidae, which itself is part of the order Diptera (the flies).

Despite their small size mosquitoes are among the most dangerous of all animals. This is because they feed on blood, and in doing so transmit diseases such as malaria, yellow fever and the zika virus.

Mosquitoes are present in rainforests (as well as a number of other habitats). Because of this, care should be taken to minimize the chance of being bitten while in the rainforest.

Some studies suggest that disease-carrying mosquitoes are less likely to be found in undisturbed rainforests than in areas that have been disturbed (i.e. changed by humans in some way).

Orchid Bee

There are around 200 species of orchid bee. They are brightly-colored and have long, thin tongues. Unlike other bees, orchid bees do not live in colonies, and many are solitary.

Orchid bees have coevolved alongside a group of plants known as Coryanthes, or bucket orchids.

A bucket orchid's flower is a complex system of chambers. Attracted by the flower's scent, the orchid bee wanders into the flower and becomes trapped in a liquid-filled bucket. The bee's only means of escape is by passing under a pollen-dispensing structure in the flower.

The bee, having freed itself from the flower, will then distribute the pollen to other flowers.

You can find out more about rainforest plants, including bucket orchids, here: Rainforest Plants

Queen Alexandra's Birdwing Butterfly

With a wingspan of 25 cm (9.8 in), the Queen Alexandra's birdwing is the largest butterfly in the world. It is found in the forests of Papua New Guinea. The species was discovered by British collector Albert Meek, and named after Alexandra of Denmark, wife of King Edward VII.

Female Queen Alexandra's birdwings are larger than the males. Their wings are brown with white markings. The male is far more strikingly-colored, with emerald green and black wings.

The Queen Alexandra's birdwing is an endangered species. It is found in an extremely small area of forest, and is threatened by habitat loss due to palm oil plantations.

Stingless Bee

Stingless bees are members of the insect group Meliponini, a subgroup of the bee family Apidae. There are around 500 stingless bee species, some of which inhabit tropical rainforests. Stingless bees produce honey, and some species are farmed for this purpose.

Stingless bees, as their name suggests, lack the ability to sting. They will, however, swarm defensively and bite predators.

Trigona spinipes is a stingless bee found in Brazil. It is known to build its nests in dung (as well as a variety of other materials) and its honey is therefore not eaten by humans. The species is found in a range of habitats, including rainforests.

Melipona bicolor is a stingless bee found in the coastal rainforests of South America. It nests in the hollow bases of trees or among the roots. It is commonly kept as a source of honey.

Termites

Infraorder: Isoptera

Where Found: All continents except Antarctica

Termites are insects in the infraorder (a group of related animals) Isoptera. They are present in various habitats, including rainforests, and are found on all continents except Antarctica. There are around 3,000 recognized termite species, with the largest number being found in Africa.

Despite their small size, termites play a vital role in the rainforest ecosystem. In rainforests in Cameroon, their collected biomass is more than 1 ton per hectare.

Recent studies have found that termites help to protect rainforests during droughts. Termites break down the leaf litter and increase the level of moisture contained in the soil. When there is little or no rainfall, termites increase their activity, ensuring the soil remains moist and allowing plants to continue to grow.

Ulysses Butterfly

The Ulysses butterfly is found in tropical rainforests in Australia, Papua New Guinea, Indonesia and other parts of Southeast Asia. The wings of this large butterfly are iridescent blue with black edges.

The species is a swallowtail butterfly in the family Papilionidae. Like other members of this family, its hind wings have long projections, giving it a forked, or swallow-tailed, appearance.

The Ulysses butterfly's wingspan reaches 14 cm (5.5 in). Despite its relatively large size and bright upper wing coloration, the species is elusive and difficult to see when not in flight. This is due largely to the plain, dark coloration of the underside of its wings.

Weaver Ant

The weaver ant lives in the canopy layer of African rainforests. Weaver ants are known for the ingenious way in which they construct their nests out of leaves.

First, several worker ants combine their strength to pull the leaves together. Larvae are then fetched from the nest, and the silk that they emit is used by the workers to stitch together the leaves. (It is this behavior that gives the weaver ant its name.)

The weaver ant is a voracious predator, feeding on other invertebrates both in the canopy and on the forest floor. Its presence is often encouraged by farmers, as the species will attack the crop eating coconut bug.

Rainforest Insects List: Conclusion

We hope that this list of insects that live in the rainforest has given you an idea of the types of insect found in the rainforest habitat.

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Rainforest Insects List: Insects That Live In Rainforests Pictures & Facts

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A list of rainforest insects with pictures and facts. Discover amazing insects that live in rainforests, including butterflies, ants, beetles & dragonflies.

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30 Amazon animals that may may go extinct

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30 Amazon animals that may may go extinct

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Ocelot

The ocelot is a wildcat native to the Americas with spots and stripes coloring its slender golden-yellowish body. They are predators that are mostly active at night, typically hunting and eating other animals that are under 2 pounds. They aren't known for hunting anything that is larger than they are.

Ocelots are smaller than the more well-known jaguar and comparable in size to bobcats. They mainly face danger from hunters who kill them for their skins in order to trade them, which is illegal. There are also some habitat concerns, but they have not yet reached any sort of endangered status.

Howler monkey

Howler monkeys aren't normally aggressive creatures, but they do produce a loud, howling sound that is distinct to them and can be heard from several miles away. Their diet mostly consists of plants and the like, but they occasionally will eat birds' eggs, snatching them directly from the birds' nests.

There are 15 species of howler monkeys, all living throughout South America and parts of Central America. The most significant threat that they face is from humans, who invade their natural territory and catch them to illegally keep as pets or put them in zoos. Their habitat has also been shrinking in recent years.

Capybara

The capybara is native to South America and is the largest rodent in the world. It prefers to stay in small to medium-sized groups but may even be seen with as many as 100 others. They are hunted by larger predators and usually only live about four years because they get killed off.

Although they aren't necessarily a delicacy, they are farmed for their meat, especially in South America. Their meat is tough, so many aren't fond of eating them. They aren't overly aggressive animals and will cuddle up with almost anything and anyone. Like many animals, capybaras are kept at zoos for visitors to observe.

Glass frog

The glass frog gets its name from its transparent skin, which makes it possible to see its tiny organs from outside its body. They originated in South America, spreading across the continent and multiplying into Central America. They're tiny creatures, which makes them a target for predators of all different sizes.

Glass frogs aren't poisonous and don't really pose a threat to anything but insects. They are typically active at night in order to avoid the sun and stay moist. The males are heavily involved in protecting their eggs throughout the day, retreating at nighttime in order to hunt their prey.

King vulture

The king vulture is one of the largest vultures in the world, known for the distinctive orange growth on its beak. This large bird feeds on carrion, usually killed and left lying around by other birds or predators. They primarily live in tropical habitats or forests, where they greatly thrive.

King vultures primarily live in the Amazon rain forest but have been spotted as far north as Mexico. They aren't endangered or even close to it, but their habitat has slowly begun disappearing. This has led to a significant decrease in their numbers out in the wild, which could speed up in the near future.

Squirrel monkey

Like the larger howler monkey, the squirrel monkey is also only found in Central and South America and there are some types that are native to Costa Rica. There are two species of spider monkeys that are threatened and could be facing extinction in the coming years if abuse keeps up.

Squirrel monkeys are characterized by their small size (only growing to about a foot in length, not counting the length of their tails) and rounded heads. They have a diet of insects and fruit but will also eat eggs occasionally. Because of their cute appearance, many like keeping them as pets.

Giant river otter

Giant river otters are quite a bit larger than the typical otter that are more commonly known and are mainly found living and hunting in the Amazon River. They have become rarer in the wild and are approaching extinction with each passing year, mainly due to their habitat being destroyed.

Because of the giant river otter's size, they don't really have any significant predators. Humans actually pose the greatest threat to their survival. Giant river otters do share the same type of prey with other predators, which means they have to compete with them for food. Their wing-looking tail is one of their defining features.

Toco toucan

The toco toucan is the largest and the most well-known toucan species. They mostly live in the Amazon rain forest but can be found in multiple locations in South America. They are also a popular animal for audiences to view at zoos due to their colorful beaks and unique physical appearance.

Toco toucans have a really diverse diet, including fruit and insects. They also feed on frogs and other smaller animals. They aren't in any immediate danger, but they could disappear in later years. One interesting fact about their habitat is that they actually thrive in open areas caused by deforestation.

Poison dart frog

Unlike the glass frog, poison dart frogs are incredibly poisonous. There are close to 200 species of different poison dart frogs, each with a diverse range of colors. Their bright, almost neon colors warn predators of their poisonous nature. They are also tiny and hard to find out in nature.

There are a number of poison dart frog species that are being threatened by human interference. Their habitat has been intruded upon in multiple areas where they had previously thrived. Poison dart frogs are only found in Central and South America, unless you include zoos where they are kept in captivity.

Hyacinth macaw

The hyacinth macaw is a parrot with bright-blue plumage that is native to South America. They are known to use tools, such as small pieces of wood or chewed leaves, to open nuts and get at their food. They usually don't resort to such tactics because of their strong beaks.

Hyacinth macaws are currently threatened in nature and have the potential to be extinct in the upcoming decades if things don't change. Human interference and destruction is primarily what's to blame for their steadily shrinking numbers. They are also captured in great numbers to keep as pets and for trade.

Brazilian three-toed sloth

The Brazilian three-toed sloth is aptly named due to its number of toes and its habitat, although its toes are more like long, pointy claws. These sloths are native to South and Central America, and are only found outside those areas in zoos. Their slow nature makes them easy for prey to catch.

Interestingly, three-toed sloths can swim, which helps them get around much faster than when they're in the trees. Brazilian sloths live around 30 years in the wild, assuming they aren't killed by predators. They are reliant on their habitat, so the destruction of the Amazon rain forest could wipe them out.

Bullet ant

The bullet ant isn't messing around when it stings others, especially when it stings people. Some say the bite feels like the equivalent of getting shot by an actual bullet. The pain from their stings actually lasts for a full day and can last longer if you receive multiple stings.

This species of ant is used by one of the indigenous peoples who live in the Amazon rain forest for a rite of passage. They fit around 80 ants into a charcoal glove and make youths wear it for up to five minutes. The stingers face inwards and can cause paralysis for several days.

Giant armadillo

The giant armadillo is the largest of its species. They are only native to South America and are found primarily in the Amazon rain forest. It's a vulnerable species due to hunting, trading on the black market, and deforestation. They have decreased in population by around 50% in the last few decades.

Although they mostly eat ants and termites, they also feed on other insects and small animals such as snakes and spiders. They have a characteristically large middle claw on both of their front paws. There are currently groups trying to conserve this unique creature due to their rapidly declining numbers.

Green anaconda

Green anacondas live in the Amazon rain forest and other parts of South America, hunting as they swim in the murky water. They are nonpoisonous snakes, so they have to catch and swallow their prey whole. They're pretty long snakes, with some rumored to be up to 40 feet in length.

These anacondas rely on their excellent swimming abilities for survival in the wild and live in areas near water. They are exclusive to South America and won't survive much longer if the rain forest continues to disappear. Green anacondas typically kill their prey by constricting their bodies around their prey's body.

Jaguar

Jaguars are prominent in mythological circles as well as general popular culture. They are native to the Americas, mostly appearing in South America as their numbers continue to decrease in the wild. Their large size and power make them the kings of predators wherever they end up living and hunting.

The jaguar hunts almost anything that has meat on or in it. They prey on around 90 different species; they're not picky eaters, that's for sure. Hunting jaguars for any reason is illegal almost everywhere, or heavily restricted. Even so, their population has continued to diminish as the decades go by.

Jumping stick

There are over 3,000 species of stick bugs that have been discovered. They can be found all over the world, but not in Antarctica, for obvious reasons. The jumping stick bug is distinct for its jumping ability and alien-looking head. You can find them in South America in different forest areas.

It's clear that these insects won't be dying out at any point in the near future, but it's possible that the jumping stick could. The Amazon rain forest is home to many of these creepy-looking insects. They are preyed on by many animals, which is why they have developed their plant-like appearance.

Spectacled owl

Found in Central and South America, the spectacled owl is characterized by its mask-like pattern on the feathers on its face that almost look like spectacles. Spectacled owls aren't that close to extinction yet, but their disappearing habitat is bringing them closer to it than they have been in the past.

The spectacled owl has a very unique sound that it makes during the night, which is sort of a tapping-on-wood sound. Like most owls, they prey on rodents. They will also occasionally eat some of the smaller monkeys, if they can catch them. They are nocturnal and can be loud.

Red uakari

The red uakari, also known as the bald-headed uakari, is easily spotted due to its bald, red head. It has a furry reddish coat that makes its head pop even more. There is a very tiny section of the Amazon rain forest that they live in, and the species is a candidate for extinction in the coming years.

Red uakaris have a diet that mostly consists of leaves, but they also eat some insects and smaller animals. Some sources of danger for the species include their susceptibility to malaria and their being singled out by hunters. They may not be around much longer if they continue to be wiped out.

Jaguarundi

The jaguarundi is a much smaller wildcat than the jaguar. It doesn't actually look like a jaguar, despite its similar name. They primarily live in Central and South America, but have been spotted as far as Alabama and Florida in the United States, due to their migration many years ago.

They are not endangered at this point in time, but they could begin to disappear, although it is less likely due to their distribution across the Americas. They aren't really in danger from hunters, and instead, are threatened by their increasing loss of habitat. Jaguarundis mostly feast on smaller animals.

Amazon river dolphin

The Amazon river dolphin stands out from all other species of dolphins due to its pointy snout and bright pinkish color. They prey on over 50 different species of fish and are, like other dolphins, incredibly friendly with people. They will also occasionally eat turtles and crabs of different species.

These quirky pink dolphins are becoming increasingly scarce in the wild and don't survive well when they're in captivity. Their biggest threat to survival is hunting and use as bait by humans. They also die from collisions with small boats and by accidentally being caught in man-made structures, such as nets.

Jocotoco antpitta

The jocotoco antpitta is endangered, only living in a couple of places in both the wild and in captivity: Ecuador and Peru. The tiny bird is commonly mistaken for other species of birds, so they could actually be more at risk or substantially less endangered than they are marked as by conservationists.

Jocotoco antpittas have characteristically long legs and a distinct coloring on their plumage, with bright-white spots under their eyes. They feed on insects of various species and of different sizes, which they can catch from the ground as they run across the Amazon rain forest in a sporadic little flurry.

Yasuni bat

The Yasuni bat is only found in Ecuador and is a subspecies of the genus lophostoma. They hunt at night and can even be found on clay licks like some types of macaws. There are several types of Yasuni bats. Some of them build tent-like structures to protect their babies and keep them warm.

Yasuni bats, like many other animals and insects in the Amazon rain forest, are in danger of being wiped out if their habitat continues to be destroyed. They have some predators, but humans are their main threat. Their ears resemble leaves, which they rely on to sense the world and hunt.

Black spider monkey

Black spider monkeys are all black, including their skin and their fluffy fur (even their eyes). They are becoming more scarce due to hunting and increasing habitat loss. They may soon become extinct due to human activity. They live in a small portion of the Amazon rain forest in South America and nowhere else.

Black spider monkeys have really long arms and they also have a distant cousin that has all-black fur, but a distinctly red face. Black spider monkeys eat mostly fruit, with over 80% of their diet consisting of fruit. They are nonaggressive, which makes them easy to hunt and kill.

Hoatzin

The hoatzin is known for the crest on its head, colored bright orange. They are native to South America, but can only be found in less than 25% of the continent. Hoatzins thrash about in the air if they are attacked by hawks to scare and distract them from their offspring.

Hoatzins aren't currently in danger of becoming extinct, but they continue to have their habitat destroyed, which is decreasing their numbers. Even so, they are in less danger than most other animals on this list. They aren't hunted often because they don't taste that good, but their eggs are sometimes robbed by humans to eat.

Harpy eagle

The harpy eagle stands out from other eagles because of the feathers on its head, which stand up and look a little silly. They hunt a variety of animals and are even known to take livestock from nearby farmers. Their numbers have steadily fallen in the last few decades due to a slowly shrinking habitat.

Their name originates from Greek mythology. Harpies were the beings who took the dead to the god of the underworld, Hades. They have attacked humans who approach their nests, since they see them as a threat to their young. Sometimes, they are killed and eaten by other predators such as the large jaguar.

Black caiman

The black caiman has much darker-colored skin than other crocodiles or alligators, which is where their name originates. They are native to the Amazon rain forest and mainly reside in rivers and other wet places, waiting to catch their prey. Their babies are housed in pods, which the females guard vigilantly.

Black caimans are on the lower spectrum of the threatened scale, but they are still in danger of extinction sometime in the near future. They had actually almost become extinct, but they have since recovered a bit. Hunting and habitat loss were the main factors in their very-near demise.

South American tapir

The South American tapir is a weird-looking mammal that resembles a much smaller, bootleg elephant. They have become extinct in specific parts of South America and have become more endangered in recent years. They aren't close to extinction but are vulnerable as their numbers dwindle. They are also known as the Brazilian tapir.

The main reason for their diminishing numbers is hunting. They are killed for their hide and for their meat. Habitation loss is another factor it shares in common with many animals and insects that are native to the Amazon rain forest. They are the least vulnerable of all tapir species, but still in danger.

Pygmy marmoset

The pygmy marmoset is native to South America and is one of several species. It lives in the western portion of the Amazon rain forest exclusively. It's not massively endangered but still faces threats, primarily from humans' impact on the environment. It has a large saturation of population in some areas.

These creatures are tiny and basically fluffballs. They have a very rapid, unique call that they use. They are highly sought-after as pets, probably because they're the smallest primates in the entire world. They have several types of movements that make them fun to watch, such as a type of strutting.

South American river turtle

The South American river turtle, referred to as the Arrau turtle, is the biggest of the turtles whose head comes out sideways. There is a large amount of factors that contribute to their increasingly threatened numbers, including pollution and hunting. They still have a ways to go before they disappear, but are nonetheless becoming rarer.

The South American river turtle is commercially farmed, which has increased their numbers in captivity. They can live as long as 80 years if they're big, and some have their eggs taken for consumption (those pre-turtles don't live as long, unfortunately). Arrau turtles usually stay at the bottom of rivers to feed.

Leaf-mimic katydid

The leaf-mimic katydid is just one of many types of katydids that exist in the wild. There are actually over 6,000 species of katydids. Leaf-mimic katydids look exactly like you'd think, using their appearance to keep predators away. This is particularly effective in the Amazon rain forest, where there are hundreds of predators.

The species that live in the Amazon rely on the forest to survive and feed, whether it's on plants or other insects. Destruction of the rain forest would threaten their survival and even drive them into extinction. You can imagine what would happen to these insects if the Amazon fires reach them.

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30 Amazon rain forest animals that may go extinct

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The Amazon rain forest is home to a wide variety of spectacular animal species, many of which are exclusive to the location. Several animal species that live in the rain forest are going extinct at an alarming rate. These beautiful creatures die out for a variety of reasons; some of them are caused by people and some aren't.

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Please click here if you are not redirected within a few seconds.

Trees | Educational Video for Kids - YouTube

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5I7u5FMQxHA

Trees are very important organisms for the ecological balance of our planet. In this video we'll show you why we need to take care of them.

How do you teach kids about trees?

What are the benefits of trees for kids?

May 4, 2018 · Free tree songs, rhymes, and educational videos for a variety of ages; perfect for homeschool or classroom for a tree theme, apple tree ...

When teaching about nature and trees to young children, songs can be a fun way to ... for some of these songs and sing them without the aid of these videos.

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Please click here if you are not redirected within a few seconds. Trees | Educational Video for Kids - YouTube https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5I7u5FMQxHA Trees are very important organisms for the ecological balance of our planet. In this video we'll show you why we need to take care of them.

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Have you ever felt like you were a circus performer trying to balance a whole bunch of plates at once? That's how I've been feeling a bit lately. These past two weeks have been quite crazy for us. Chuck turned 3! (Whoa. Where did the time go?) Hubby started work! So we're trying to figure out how to share 1 car. (Ack!) Chuck and I are trying really hard to make friends, so we're now regulars at a weekly art class and library story time. And I've been burning the late night oil completing some much-appreciated free-lance craft opportunities lately. I love making things, but I just have to get more organized I think. Oh yeah. I'm also going to partner with a great company and do a giveaway next week! *Fingers crossed that all the details work out.* So definitely tune in for that.

Ok, onto today's craft. Amidst all this excitement I wanted to share this super easy paper plate Toucan Craft that Chuck and I did at home one afternoon. I know, I know, there are some awesome Toucan crafts out there (like this adorable one from I Heart Crafty Things.) But I was just so pleased by this craft because we made the bird out of 1 paper plate. Yup. That's it. So easy and simple, right?

Paper Plate Toucan Craft

(Note: This post contains affiliate links. Thank you for your support!)

I love easy and fun crafts. This one was inspired by our repeated reading of this book

. (Actually, if you're going to check that book out, you might as well check out the the whole series

. We love that cat.)

Ok. Here's how we made our toucan!

Materials

Let's Make a Paper Plate Toucan!

1. Doodle your bird. (The section between the head and body is the tail.)

2. Cut it out.

3. Cover your work area and paint!

(While we were painting, something kind sad happened....

Chuck and I painted our birds side by side. I was so proud of him for using his eyes to look at the bird photo and trying his best to paint matching colors on his bird. But then sometime kinda upsetting happened. When he was done, he looked at both our birds and said that he didn't like his as much as he liked mine.

I felt bad about that and told him that I had more years of painting experience than he had. Plus, I painted my entire bird in. In the future, I might not paint side by side next to him anymore.... I don't want him to feel bad about his artwork.... but then again, I like painting with him. I don't know. What are your thoughts? Have you faced this with your kids?)

Ok. So I still think it's super cool that it fits together like a paper plate!

And here are both of our finished birds. I love how Chuck noticed all of those colors on the beak.

4. Tape on the tail! Then, enjoy your bird!

Ok. That's it. I'm off to wake Chuck up from his nap. If you want to see other super easy paper plate crafts, click on the links below:

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Have you ever felt like you were a circus performer trying to balance a whole bunch of plates at once? That's how I've been feeling a bit lately. These past two weeks have been quite crazy for us. Chuck turned 3! (Whoa. Where did the time go?) Hubby started work!

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Global Tropical Rainforest Locations Map

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Sep 26, 2013 - Earth and humans need rain forests - read about animals, plants in the Amazon rainforest, ecology of tropical and temperate rain forests. Rainforests are rich but endangered forests, trees older than 4000 years, help BSB to stop deforestation

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Scandinavian coastal conifer forests - Wikipedia

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The Scandinavian coastal conifer forests or Norwegian coastal conifer forest is a Palearctic ecoregion in the temperate coniferous forests biome, located along the coast of Norway. Within it are a number of small areas with botanical features and a local climate consistent with a temperate rainforest.

The Scandinavian coastal conifer forest is a terrestrial ecoregion as defined by WWF and National Geographic. The broad definition is based on climatic parameters and includes a long area along the western Norwegian coast from Lindesnes and north to approximately Senja (further north summers are too cool for pine to grow in coastal areas); in essence areas along the Norwegian coast where precipitation is high and winters are fairly mild. It might include areas lacking naturally occurring conifer forests (as in Lofoten, where the pine forest was cleared by man many centuries ago) and even islands and rocky headlands with little or no woodland and forest.

At somewhat higher elevations near the treeline in the Scandinavian Mountains is the Scandinavian montane birch forest and grasslands ecoregion. In some areas along valleys, this ecoregion meet the taiga of the inland belonging to the Scandinavian and Russian taiga ecoregion without mountain barriers. Examples of such valleys include the Rauma valley connecting Åndalsnes to Lesja and Dombås and the Namdalen valley connecting the Nord-Trøndelag coast to the cold interior with connection into Sweden. The ecoregion is naturally fragmented by fjords and mountains. The pine forests in the northern part have some of the oldest trees in Scandinavia, some more than 700 years old in Forfjord valley at Hinnøya.

This area has a long growing season for the latitude (140-220 days, longest in the south) with plentiful and reliable precipitation all year, from 1,200 to 3,000 mm. July 24-hr mean temperatures range from 12 to 16 °C with daytime highs from 14-20 °C (warmest days in sheltered fjords). Winters are fairly mild and rainy, January mean range from −2° to 3 °C with daytime highs from 0 to 5 °C. Mean annual temperature range from 8.4 °C in the south ( Stavanger, Bergen), 6-7 °C in central area ( Kristiansund 7.2 °C, Alstahaug 6.5 °C) to 4-5 °C in the northernmost part ( Vestvågøy 5.2 °C Andenes 4.4 °C). This type of climate corresponds to the Köppen type Cfb and Cfc, and is comparable to the climate along the coast of northern British Columbia and the Alaska Panhandle.

For the smaller area classified as rainforest, there is at least 200 days/year with measurable precipitation. The minimum mean annual precipitation given in the sources varies somewhat but are generally around 1.400 mm, while the typical value on these locations are 1,500-2,200 mm annually. Summers are mild; warm weather usually does not last long, and really hot weather is very rare. Winters are generally mild and rainy, sometimes with substantial snowfall, but the snow usually melts regularly throughout winter.

The lack of spruce north of the Arctic circle ( Saltfjell) and along the southwestern coast is mainly due to barriers such as fjords and mountain ranges, and planted spruce grows well north of the arctic circle as in Tromsø.

The southern limit of the Norway Spruce habitat in Norway is limited by mountains and fjords blocking the way, and also because of winters being too mild for Norway spruce near the outer seaboard along the southwestern coast. Along the southwestern coast and fjords ( Vestlandet or Western Norway) is a temperate mixed forest with pine, some yew and deciduous trees ( betula pendula, wych elm, linden, oak, aspen, hazel) in the lowlands and more typical boreal forest at higher altitudes.

The botanically richest areas here (following the coast north to Ålesund, often the northern, south-facing shores of fjords, and patches further north along Trondheimsfjord), even if less diverse than the Oslofjord area due to migration barriers, is considered hemiboreal and might be considered as part of the Sarmatic mixed forests PA0436 or North Atlantic moist mixed forests PA0429 ecoregion. Some of the wettest areas in this region, where annual rainfall might exceed 1,500 mm and even 2,500 mm, are sometimes considered hemiboreal rainforest.

Introduced species include the Norway spruce, which has been planted for economic reasons in areas outside the natural range both on the southwestern coast and in the northernmost part of the ecoregion. Sitka spruce has also been planted extensively, especially near the outer seaboard, even north to Vesterålen and Harstad.

Sycamore maple was introduced to private gardens and church yards more than 150 years ago, and has spread profusely along the southwestern coast, along the central coast (Trøndelag) and, to a considerably lesser degree, north to Vesterålen. It is still most common near cities and villages, but seems certain to continue expansion along the coast and fjords.

There are many smaller introduced plants spreading, such as rosa rugosa. However, due to the often steep terrain, forestry has been somewhat limited in the coastal area, and many areas with original vegetation remain, but are often fragmented, especially so in the southern part of the ecoregion. American mink, originally escaped from fur farms, have colonized the whole country, and threaten sea bird colonies in some areas, but have not reached the outermost islands such as Røst, which have the largest sea bird colonies. The native otter seem to be dominant in areas with competition.

Within this long area is a smaller area classified as boreal rainforest based on botanical criteria. Much of the original forests have been destroyed, but a total of 250 forested areas, most of them not very large, have been classified as boreal rainforest. They are located from 63°20'N in Snillfjord in Sør-Trøndelag county and north along the coast to 66°N in Rana in Nordland county, but restricted to areas with high humidity; often shielded from the sun most of the day. Some inland locations are included; these are located in moist locations, often near waterfalls. This is the main area in Europe for boreal rainforest and Norway thus has a special responsibility for preservation. This coastal forest is mostly found at the lower elevations (below 200 m).

Botanical criteria for boreal rainforest

Due to the long history of human settlement (millennia) with agriculture and more recently forestry management, only fragments remain of the original forest. The boreal rainforests are made up mostly of Norway Spruce ( Picea abies) but also included deciduous trees. Common Juniper ( Juniperus communis) is also common. There is a rich understory of mosses and ferns. However, the most distinguishing feature is the diversity of lichens, some of which are endemic for this forest, or have their only location in Europe here (they are often found on the northwest coast of North America). Approximately 15 of the most rare or typical species of lichens have been named Trøndelagselementet (named after the Trøndelag region). Pseudocyphella crocata, Pannaria ahlneri and Erioderma padicellatum and Lobaria halli are examples of lichens. More than 60 unique species of lichen and moss can be found in the area.

There are two subtypes of this rainforest; the Namdalen type and the Brønnøy/ Fosen type. There are also broadleaf trees scattered in this forest, especially in the Brønnøy/Fosen type. Broadleaf trees include birch ( Silver Birch Betula pendula and Downy Birch Betula pubescens), European Rowan ( Sorbus aucuparia), Aspen ( Populus tremula), Goat Willow ( Salix caprea), and Grey Alder ( Alnus incana). Rarer species are Wych Elm ( Ulmus glabra), Common Hazel ( Corylus avellana) and Black Alder ( Alnus glutinosa) (the latter only in the southern part of the area).

There are a large number of species of migrating birds in this ecoregion, as well as some that stay all year. Larger herbivore animals are moose and red deer (the latter only south of the Arctic circle), as well as the smaller roe deer. Reindeer might occasionally come down to the coast north of Trondheimsfjord, but they usually stay at the highlands outside this ecoregion. Predators are few, as they have been hunted by man for centuries, exterminating brown bear and grey wolf in the coastal area. In some areas, they roam further inland in the taiga ecoregion, and might on rare occasions get closer to the coast. Red fox and the sea eagle are common predators in the area, the latter now being very common after decades of protection. There are also some lynx, mostly in the northern part. Hares, otters are common and one can even see european beavers although more rarely. There are also some amphibians including the common frog and the smooth newt; the european viper can be seen south of the Arctic circle.

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Scandinavian coastal conifer forests - Wikipedia

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The Scandinavian coastal conifer forests or Norwegian coastal conifer forest is a Palearctic ecoregion in the temperate coniferous forests biome, located along the coast of Norway. Within it are a number of small areas with botanical features and a local climate consistent with a temperate rainforest.

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My endangered animal  by

Endangered Status

Bibliography

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•Height cm or m

•Length cm or m

•Weight Kg

•Mammal, reptile, bird, other

•Colour

•Body and head shape

•Body covering

•How many legs?

•Arms?

•Distinguishing features?

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•Carnivore, herbivore, omnivore

•What it eats / be specific

•How much they eat

•How often

Process of obtaining food

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•Eggs or mammal

•Where eggs are laid

•Size and colour of eggs

•Incubation time

•Gestation period
Description of young

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•What are they?

•How do they capture them?

•Do they use camouflage

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Draw a picture to show how your creature fits into the food chain

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•Where your creature is found

•Your picture must be a world map showing where the creature is found

•Type of biome

•Describe landscape features

•Climate/temperature

•Rainfall

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•Name at least 3 types of vegetation found in the biome

•You can add extra information on these plants if you can

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•How have humans impacted on your creature?

•Have humans impacted on their biome?
*What can we do to ensure the survival of the species

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•List special characteristics

•Other interesting facts

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We love trees! Trees do so much for us - they help clean the air, give animals a place to live, grow delicious food, and so much more. Plus, they are very beautiful to look at. We think our stand up tree craft is pretty beautiful, too! You can make one tree, or create a whole forest to play in. Who will live in your forest? What kind of fruit will your trees grow? There is so much to love about trees, and we hope you love these tree crafts, too!

If you are looking for a tree craft for young children, please try our Tissue Paper Tree Craft - it may be easier to get them involved, and it will be more rewarding for them to make!

Things you'll need

2 sheets of heavy green construction paper or bristle board

Black marker

Scissors

Paper towel tube

Light and dark brown craft paint (you can make brown craft paint darker by mixing in some black paint)

A fork

Paint brush

Pom poms to decorate

Steps
Tree Trunk:

Trim off the length of your paper tube by a couple of inches or more - this will help the tree stand up and balance better once finished, and you can make trees that are different heights.

First, paint your paper tube the darker shade of brown. Leave to dry. (You can speed up the process with a hair dryer!) Once the paint is dry, dip a fork onto the lighter shade of brown paint, and paint your paper tube. This makes a beautiful tree bark texture on the tree trunk!

Tree Top:

Draw a large tree top shape onto a piece of green construction paper, and draw a medium and small tree top shape onto another piece of green construction paper.

Place the paper tube (your tree trunk) on the bottom of your largest tree top shape and have it overlapping by three inches, or so. Trace the sides of the tube onto the tree top shape. Cut out all three tree top shapes, and cut along the two lines drawn on to the largest tree top shape.

Assembly:

Insert the large tree top shape into the tube with slits sitting on either side - it should stay upright. With a glue stick, glue the medium size tree top shape onto the front of the tube. Now you can start to see the 3-D shape start to form! Then add the smallest tree top shape. To do this, cut two strips of paper about two inches in length and fold both of them in a Z shape (see photo). Glue one side of the pieces of paper to the back of the small tree top shape, and glue the other side to the medium size tree top shape.

If your tree needs help standing up, you can glue bottle caps to the bottom!

Decorate:
Decorate your tree however you like! We used pom poms to make different kinds of fruit. You may like to paint, stamp, cut out fruit or leaf shapes, add birds or squirrels, or leave it as it is! Have fun getting creative with your trees!

For more fun crafts and activities about trees, join Caitie in Caitie's Classroom! She has a whole episode about trees!

Don't forget to follow us on Twitter, Instagram, Pinterest, and Facebook!

Contributor
This post accompanies a recent episode of Caitie's Classroom. Join Caitie every week for kids songs, games, activities, stories, crafts, and much more! Caitie's Classroom broadcasts live on the Super Simple Play channel every Tuesday at 11am EST. Catch up on past episodes and segments, follow Caitie on Facebook, subscribe to her YouTube channel, and join her LIVE every Tuesday. Don't forget to ring the bell for notifications!

Original content © 2019 Super Simple. Not to be reprinted without express written permission. Terms and Conditions.

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We love trees! Trees do so much for us - they help clean the air, give animals a place to live, grow delicious food, and so much more. Plus, they are very beautiful to look at. We think our stand up tree craft is pretty beautiful, too!

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Capybaras and Sloths

Read through the information about these creatures.

1. Make a double bubble and compare facts about these 2 creatures

2. Why do you think some tropical mammals are hairy. Write down some possible reasons.

3. Make up a mystery mammal that has some of the features of both the sloth and the capybara. Give your mammal a cool name and list its special features.

4. Draw and label your mammal.

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LIst creatures and things that could be found in a rainfoest in alphabetical order.

Add a picture or 2

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List 5 animals that would not be suited to live in a rainforest and explain why they would not be suited.

Remember to draw at least one of the animals.

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Explain the effects on the rainforest and all the creatures if 100 000 000 trees were chopped down.

Remember to add a picture.

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List at least 5 disadvantages if all people were banned from going into the rainforests. Remember to add a picture.

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You have been given an Estuarine crocodile from the Daintree.

Make a list of at least 8 ways this animal might benefit your family. Think of things that you might do with it or how it might be helpful.

Do not forget to draw a picture.

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Write down at least 5 ways the cassowary (look it up) and a car are similar.

Do not forget the picture.

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Choose an animal that lives in the rainforest and make it better by adding something to it, making a part of it bigger and removing a part.

Remember to draw and label your creature and write how your improvements would benefit the creature.

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How to Create Animal Collages - Inspired by Pete Cromer

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Easy Clay Animals for Beginners #6│5 in 1 Polymer Clay Tutorial

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Clay animals 2

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Create easy air dry clay animals step by step

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In this tutorial, we’re showing you how to create four easy air dry clay animals step by step. Whether you’re a beginner to air dry clay or looking for an arty activity to do with the kids, these animals are fun and easy to make.

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Easy Clay Animals for Beginners #6│5 in 1 Polymer Clay Tutorial