Rainforest Facts
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RAINFOREST FACTS RAINFORESTS HELP MAKE RAINFORESTS KEEP THE AIR WE BREATHE THE EARTH COOL Rainforests grow through photosynthesis. Rainforests take carbon dioxide from the air and store it in their trunks, roots and leaves. + + C0 = + 0 2 2 When forests are destroyed this carbon dioxide is water sunlight carbon dioxide food oxygen released into the atmosphere. RAINFORESTS RAINFORESTS CONTAIN TWO ARE HOME GRAUER’S GORILLLA THIRDS OF ALL TO MANY LIFE ON EARTH ENDANGERED Although they only SPECIES cover 2.5% of the planet, Democratic Republic rainforests have lots of of Congo biodiversity. SPECTACLED BEAR SOUTHERN CROWNED PIGEON Peru Papua New Guinea 350 MILLION THERE ARE AT LEAST PEOPLE LIVE IN 1,000 DIFFERENT RAINFORESTS INDIGENOUS GROUPS 1 in every 10 people in the world depends WHO LIVE IN RAINFORESTS on the rainforest for their livelihood. ALL OVER THE WORLD MANY THINGS WE USE EVERY DAY 23 MILLION COME FROM RAINFORESTS FOOTBALL PITCHES Such as bananas, avocados, WORTH OF RAINFOREST chocolate, coffee, rubber, nuts and medicine. ARE LOST EVERY YEAR PEOPLE WHO LIVE IN THE RAINFOREST ARE THE KEY TO PROTECTING IT Cool Earth is protecting the rainforest by investing in the livelihoods of people who live there. This means the forest is worth more standing than if it was cleared. coolearth.org LEVELS OF A RAINFOREST EMERGENT LAYER These trees experience the This level is made of the most extreme conditions tallest trees which can be including high winds, hot sun, up to 70m tall. lightning and heavy rain. Harpy Eagle Other plants grow on the top branches of the trees to reach the sunlight. This level has the highest density of branches and Cool Earth is the charity leaves absorbing the most that works alongside light and moisture. Most rainforest animals live in this layer due to an CANOPY rainforest communities abundance food. to halt deforestation and climate change. Macaw Toucan Orangutan It can take up to ten minutes for rain to get through the canopy and reach the forest floor. Blue Morpho Butterfly UNDERSTORY This level is very dark and gloomy. Jaguar Sloth Few plant species live here except for saplings and low crowns of palm trees. Poison Dart Frog This level is dark and dry and covered in dead leaves, home to a variety of insects. FOREST FLOOR Occasionally a tree will die, leaving Tapir a gap in the canopy and a chance for pioneer plants to grow. Pangolin To find out more about Cool Earth and how you can get involved, visit coolearth.org UK Registered Charity no. 1117978 | US 501 (c)(3) (+44) 01326 567200 | [email protected] Only 2% of sunlight reaches the ground. Illustrations by Harriet Gardiner | @harrietgardiner_art.