Rainforest

jungle · tropical · plants · biodiversity

Tons of rain. Rainforests get buckets and buckets of rain almost every day, which keeps them wet and full of life. Some rainforests get over 400 inches of rain per year, like having a bathtub dumped on them constantly.

Thick tree canopy. The trees grow so close together that their leaves form a solid ceiling high above the ground, blocking out sunlight and creating a cool, shadowy world below. This closed canopy is what makes a rainforest special.

Climbing vines and plants. Vines called lianas twist around trees, and plants called epiphytes grow right on tree branches without even needing soil. These hitchhiker plants are perfectly adapted to rainforest life.

Two main types. Tropical rainforests are near the equator where it's hot and steamy, while temperate rainforests grow in cooler areas like parts of North America and New Zealand. Both are soaking wet but feel very different.

No wildfires. Rainforests almost never burn because everything is so wet and damp that fire can't spread, unlike forests in drier climates.