Adaptations for tropical forests

Animals:

• There are billions of species (kinds) of mammals, insects, birds and reptiles found in tropical rainforests.
• Tropical rainforests are almost perfect for survival of animals.
• It is always warm, and there are no season changes bringing times when there is little food.
• There is shade from the heat and shelter from the rain.
• There is ample amount of water.
• There is a huge variety of animals found in rainforests.
• Therefore, the competition for food is very high.
• Many animals have adapted by learning to eat a particular food, which is not eaten by any other animal.
• The sloth has a type of adaptation called camouflage.

• Camouflage is an adaptation in which certain animals are shaped or coloured to match their surroundings, which makes them difficult to spot.
• This adaptation enables them to hide from predators.
• Leaf insects and stick insects also show camouflage.

Plants:

• The tropical rainforests have billions of species (kinds) of plants.
• Scientists do not yet know all the species that are to be found in a tropical rainforest and new ones are still being discovered.
• Leaves of tropical rainforest trees have specialized tips, called drip tips.
• Drip tips enable raindrops to run off quickly, not allowing them to stick to leaves.

Drip tip

• Due to the dense vegetation of rainforests, very little light is able to reach the forest floor.
• Thus, very few plants are able to survive on the rainforest floor.

Forest floor

• Some plants have adapted by creeping up nearby trees to reach the sunlight.
• Plants growing in lower levels have big leaves to absorb as much sunlight as possible.