Blue Planet Biomes state that the animals of the tropical rainforest bear many common characteristics whether the animal is a mammal, bird, reptile or amphibian. One such characteristic is that they have adapted to a life in the trees. This commonality is exemplified by the prehensile tail of New World monkeys, which allows these creatures to move through the rainforest canopy. Other characteristics, according to Blue Planet Biomes, include bright colors, striking patterns, loud vocalizations and diets heavy on fruits.
Rain-tree.com provides some eye-opening facts about the rainforest. A pond in Brazil can be home to a greater variety of fish than can be found in all of Europe's rivers. A rainforest reserve in Peru sustains more species of birds than the entire U.S. The number of species of fish in the Amazon is greater than the number found in the entire Atlantic Ocean. These examples bear witness to the great biodiversity that can be found in tropical rainforests.
The Amazon is "the most powerful and bioactively diverse natural phenomenon on the planet," according to Rain-Tree.com. This 1.2 billion acre territory produces 20 percent of the world's oxygen and has been aptly described as the "lungs of the world" by Rain-tree.com. This region makes up more than half of the world's remaining rainforests and is home to one fifth of all the planet's birds. There are 2,000 species of fish in its waterways. Among the mammals and reptiles that live here are the jaguar, capybara, tapir, sloth, cayman and anaconda, according to Tropical-Rainforest-Animals.com
Rainforests are disappearing rapidly. At one time they accounted for 14 percent of the land's surface. In 2011 they made up only six percent. Rain-tree.com estimates that the remaining rainforests will be gone in less than 40 years. The source contends that the Earth is losing 137 plant, animal and insect species every day. This is equal to the loss of 50,000 species every year. Nearly half of the world's plants, animals and microorganisms will be destroyed or severely threatened in the next 25 years, according to Rain-tree.com.
