15 interesting facts about rainforests

Rainforests are a treasure trove of biodiversity, occupying a mere 6% of the Earth's land surface yet housing nearly half of all known animal and plant species. These ecological powerhouses are full of surprises, such as the strawberry poison dart frogs of Central American rainforests, which engage in lengthy wrestling matches lasting up to 20 minutes. Another intriguing fact is the slow journey of a raindrop through the dense canopy, taking approximately ten minutes to reach the forest floor. In the Daintree Rainforest of Australia, one can find the curiously named “idiot fruit” tree, while the Southeast Asian rainforests boast the rhinoceros hornbill bird, distinguished by a hornlike structure on its head. Rainforests are also incredibly wet, receiving at least 250cm of rainfall each year, with some areas experiencing up to 450cm.

The vast Amazon rainforest could rank as the ninth largest country in the world due to its sheer size. The Latin American forests echo with the calls of black howler monkeys, audible up to 5km away. The odorous veiled stinkhorn fungi, found in tropical rainforests, emit a scent reminiscent of decaying food. In New Guinea, the Korowai people have adapted to rainforest living by constructing tree houses as high as 45m above the ground. An impressive quarter of ingredients used in modern medicines are derived from rainforest plants, highlighting their importance to human health. Australia's rainforests are particularly unique, with 80% of their flowers found nowhere else on Earth. Meanwhile, sloths in Central American rainforests host a mini-ecosystem of algae, beetles, and cockroaches in their fur. In Tasmania, ancient pine trees in temperate rainforests can live for over two millennia. Finally, there's a rainforest in Dominica with a lake that maintains a sizzling temperature of around 88°C, showcasing the diverse and often extreme environments within these vital ecosystems.