Rainforests - deep in the Rainforests live thousands of animals probably some of which have not yet been discovered. A four level canopy of the eco-systems strange and amazing living creatures.
Rainforests are very dense, warm wet forests that are haven to millions of all kinds of animals.
The plants in a rainforest provide much of the earths oxygen and therefore play an important part in the ecology of the earth.
Rainforests once covered 14% of the earths surface and even though the Rainforests now only cover 6% of the earth, they are home to almost half of the worlds population of mammals, amphibians, reptiles, insects, bird life and plant life.
Tropical rain forests are called the 'jewels of the earth', and the 'worlds largest pharmacy' because of the large number of natural medicines discovered there.
The Amazon Rainforest has also been described as the 'Lungs of our Planet' because it provides the essential environmental world service of continuously recycling carbon dioxide into oxygen. More than 20 percent of the world oxygen is produced in the Amazon Rainforest.
There are two kinds of Rainforests: Tropical Rainforest and Temperate Rainforests.
The worlds rainforests (tropical rainforests and temperate rainforests) can be found in Africa, Asia, Oceania (the islands around Australia), Europe and South and Central America.
Galapagos - an animal civilisation discovered by Darwin, the Galapagos Isles inhabit some of the worlds most endemic animal life found nowhere else on our planet!
The Galapagos Islands are a group of volcanic islands which lay in the Pacific Ocean close to the Equator line. The Galapagos Islands nearest mainland, Ecuador, lies 600 miles (970 kilometres) to the East. The Galapagos archipelago, with a population of around 30,000, is a province of Ecuador, a country in northwestern South America, and the islands are all part of Ecuadors national park system. The main language on the islands is Spanish.
Galapagos consists of 13 main islands, 6 smaller islands and 107 rocks and islets (a small island). The islands first appeared on maps in about 1570 in those drawn by Abraham Ortelius (a cartographer (map maker) and geographer, generally recognised as the creator of the first modern atlas) and Mercator (a Flemish cartographer). The islands were called 'Insulae de los Galopegos' (Islands of the Tortoises).
The Galapagos Islands were made famous as the islands that formed Charles Darwin's theory of evolution after his exploration in HMS Beagle in 1835.
The Galapagos archipelago has been known by many different names, including the 'Enchanted Islands' because of the way in which the strong and swift currents made navigation difficult.
The term 'Galápagos' refers to the Spanish name given to the Giant Land Tortoises known to inhabit the islands.
The Galapagos Islands are a living laboratory where most of the animals and birds have no fear of man. The isles are mainly well known for their wildlife, flightless birds, giant reptiles and wild plant life which play a major part in the earths ecosystem. Many say that these islands are a bird-watchers paradise.
The endemic (unique) flightless birds are so human-fearless, they can be approached very closely and will not retreat away from you, something you will not find anywhere else.
Another unique attraction on the islands, are the giant tortoises, the giant tortoise is also the islands icon, used on souvenirs, stamps and the National Park logo.
One of the most amazing things about the climate of the islands is, although the islands are tropical and warm, the surrounding ocean can be extremely cold.
The plant life of Galapagos is just as extraordinary as its wildlife, although it has received less attention and publicity. There are many threats facing the vegetation, however, and world attention is currently focussed on raising funds for botany campaigns to safeguard endangered species and control the many invasive plants introduced to the islands by humans.
