Page 206 - DK Children's Encyclopedia

Rain forests SEE ALSO

▸ ▸ Birds p.39
▸ ▸ Forests p.109
Rain forests are forests with tall trees and lots of rain. ▸ ▸ Habitats p.126
Tropical rain forests are hot places. They are home to ▸ ▸ Materials p.157
nearly half of all animals and plants in the world. The ▸ ▸ Plants p.194

trees are so thick with leaves that very little sunlight ▸ ▸ Trees p.261
reaches the forest floor. ▸ ▸ Weather p.271

Amazon rain forest This harpy eagle Emergent layer
The world’s largest rain forest is hunts for animals Only the tallest trees reach
the Amazon in South America. This in the treetops. this top layer of the rain forest.
rain forest surrounds the Amazon
River. Its trees and plants provide
food and shelter for many animals.

This large blue Morpho
butterfly is brown on the
other side of its wings, so
it can hide when resting.
The leaves of
bromeliads catch Toco toucans use Howler monkeys
Canopy layer water that small their long beaks to get together and
This is a thick layer of leaves animals come reach fruit to eat. howl each morning.
and branches. Most rain forest to drink.
animals live here.
Emerald tree boas
squeeze animals to death
before eating them whole.

Some trees have
giant buttress roots
Jaguars hunt other A praying mantis that help them soak
up water quickly.
animals and climb waits for other
trees to rest and eat. insects to come
close, then grabs The bright red leaves
and eats them.
surrounding the flowers
of the heliconia stricta
look like lobster claws.
Understory This long-tongued
Shrubs and new trees giant anteater can eat
grow in this hot, dark 30,000 ants a day.
layer of the rain forest.
Capybaras are
good swimmers
and eat water
plants.
Forest floor
This dark, damp layer is This many-legged
covered in dead leaves that centipede can kill
have fallen from above. bigger frogs, spiders,
and snakes.

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