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Rainforests

Rainforests are amazing, warm and wet places near the equator that are filled with millions of colourful plants and animals. These forests are like giant, four story buildings made of trees, starting with the sunny emergent layer at the very top and going down to the leafy canopy, the shady understory and finally the dark forest floor.

They are often called the `lungs of the planet` because they help produce much of the oxygen we breathe, and they act like a `world pharmacy` because about one quarter of all modern medicines come from their special plants. You can find incredible creatures there, like loud howler monkeys whose calls can be heard three miles away, slow moving sloths that grow green algae on their fur for camouflage, and tiny poison dart frogs whose bright colors warn enemies that they are dangerous to eat.

It rains so much that it can take ten minutes for a single raindrop to travel from the top leaves all the way down to the ground. Because there is so much rain, many plants have special `drip tips` on their leaves to help water slide off easily, and giant trees have `buttress roots` that grow above the ground like walls to help them stay balanced in the thin soil. Rainforests also give us many of our favorite foods, including chocolate, bananas and coconuts as well as spices like vanilla and pepper.

Unfortunately, an area of rainforest the size of 40 football fields disappears every minute because people cut down trees, which is why in 2025, world leaders are working harder than ever to protect these ancient homes. Protecting the rainforest helps keep our whole planet healthy and ensures all these unique animals have a safe place to live for a long time.