Tropical Rainforest Research Paper

Close to the Equator

What is a rainforest? A rainforest is a dense forest rich in biodiversity, found close to the equator in tropical areas, and can have up to an inch of rain a day. Rainforest are found in countries you might not believe like Africa, Asia, Australia, and Central and South America. Rainforest are found between the Tropic of cancer and The Tropic of Capricorn. Biodiversity in rainforest is extremely high and rich. Biodiversity is the name for all living things—like plants, animals and fungi—found in an ecosystem. I have always wanted to travel to a Rainforest. I love the warm, humid weather that pairs perfectly with awesome waves. Rainforests are beautiful, tropical environments, filled with interesting weather, strange

animals, and awesome waves to surf.
I live in Southern California, where the weather is pretty much perfect all year round. Everyone once in a while there are spurts of cold, rainy days. I am a fan of the rain but when it rains, the waves tend to suck and the weather is too cold anyways. Now imagine an average annual temperature of seventy-eight degrees with rain almost every day. What I just described fits the characteristics of the weather in Rainforests. So what are the characteristics of a Rainforests? To be considered a Rainforest the climate must receive more than eighty inches of rain and have an average temperature of seventy-eight degrees Fahrenheit or higher. Some Rainforest climates receive up to one inch of rain per day. How do rainforest stay so beautiful with all of this rain? Well, rainforests also average humidity between seventy-seven and eighty-eight percent. The high Humidity tends to soak up a lot of the moisture. In the rainforest there isn’t a dry season, just periods of days without rain. There is no difference between summer and winter either, the annual temperature range is two degrees. The weather in rainforest is different and unpredictable but to some it is paradise
Rainforest have so much rain and such crazy weather, I can’t imagine any animals wanting to live with these conditions.

The warm and humid weather actually creates a lot of bacteria. Just walking through the Amazon could leave your body covered in bacteria, which for the most part won’t harm you. One interesting animal that lives among the trees, is the elephant. This isn’t your typical elephant we all know and love. This species of elephant is called a forest elephant and is about five feet short than your typical elephant. Forest elephants have adapted to living in dense forests, their tusks are straight since curved ones might get caught in the underbrush and vines of the forest (Hyde Pg1). One of the most endangered animals in the world called the Golden Lion Tamarin also lives in the Rainforest. The Tamarin is known for its luxurious fur which can be sold for as much as 20,000 dollars on the black market. When wandering through the jungles of Brazil, one might be able to witness its beauty, but their breed is slowly dying out. The Linne’s sloth also lives among the rainforest. The sloth is one my favorite animals because of how and gently and cute they are. They may look harmless and friendly, but when threatened they can fight back as they have long, sharp nails that can cause serious damage. When a sloth is fully grown they can weigh around nineteen pounds and expect to be about twenty-eight inches. The sloth is a prey animal as they are omnivores, but they are not

facing extinction and can be enjoyed for years to come. Rainforest are home to exotic, beautiful animals like the Toco Toucan. The Toco Toucan has a brightly colored orange and black bill that stands out. The Toco Toucan has a bright blue patch of blue skin circling its eye. Toco Toucans are only found in South American Rainforests, which makes them a rainforest treasure. Many people have heard of the Peacock. These colorful and beautiful creatures originated from India and Asia and a majestic site to see. Zoos all over the world carry peacocks, but to go to a rainforest and see one in its natural habitat will take anyone’s breathe away. The rainforest offers animals that are breathtaking and can’t be found anywhere else.
Now comes my favorite part about rainforest, SURFING.

I love to surf and have been enjoying surfing since I was seven years old. I have traveled all up the coast, surfing from south to north, but rainforest climates create some of the biggest and best waves ever. First surf spot up is Bali. Bali is an island located in Indonesia. Bali is great because you can surf all year and the waves are friendly and calm, but give one enough push to have the ride of his or her life. Bali is huge for surfing in the rain. It can be pouring rain, but the humidity and warm weather wont stopping people from catching some tasty waves. For people who like big waves, one can take a journey to Fiji and face “cloudbreak”. People from all over the world travel to take on forty and fifty foot waves at cloudbreak. Cloudbreak is a reef break, which means coral reef lays below the water. Coral reef is razor sharp and one bad fall can cut your whole body up while a monster wave is holding one down for two or three minutes sometimes. Cloud break is a famous surf spot that only experience surfers should paddle out for, sometimes even professionals don’t make it out alive. Last but not least is Jeffrey’s Bay, South Africa. This surf spot is known for fast waves that are barreling. A wave that is “barreling” means that a surfer will be able to ride while the wave is covering him. Getting barreled in surfing is what people live for and Jeffrey’s Bay is the place to be. Jeffrey’s Bay produces such good waves

that the Billabong Pro WCT surfing event is displayed their every year during the month of July. Places like Newport and Huntington Beach, which are located in Southern California also produce amazing waves, but they can’t compete with the warm weather and variety of waves that are offered in tropical rainforest climates.
Rainforest are beautiful places that everyone should learn more about. We need to keep them safe as the size of rainforests are decreasing. Rainforests offer us vacations, interesting animals, perfect weather, and waves to surf. Rainforest offer places to live for animals and hold a majority of the earth’s trees.Let’s keep rainforests healthy for humans and animals to enjoy.