George R. Hanaford School Library: Biodiversity in the Rainforest

Join us as we discover one of our planet’s most fascinating habitats, teeming with wildlife and incredible ecosystems in our awesome facts about rainforests!

Thick forests found in wet areas of the world are called rainforests. Most people are familiar with hot, tropical rainforests filled with trees that stay green year-round. But there are other kinds of rainforests, too.

A rainforest is a forest that receives heavy rainfall. The most notable rainforests are in the tropics or subtropics, mostly in the Intertropical Convergence Zone.

A beam of sunlight makes its way through the leaves and lights up the brightly colored wings of a macaw. An enormous butterfly flits from plant to plant. Monkeys shout and chatter as they swing from tree to tree looking for breakfast. The rainforest is waking up.

One of the most fascinating biomes on planet Earth is the tropical rainforest. It is filled with tall trees, interesting plants, giant insects, and all sorts of animals.

Temperate and tropical rainforests are the oldest living ecosystems on the planet, some with origins dating back to over 70 million years ago.