By Alexandra Bottari & Catherine Butrick Fall 2009

FLASH! A streak of black flies through the air pouncing on its prey. A jaguar has just caught its morning meal. The rainforest can be a very dangerous place but it is also beautiful. There are many harmful animals that live in this biome, so watch out as you explore the exciting world of the rainforest!

The tropical rainforest is made up of five layers: 1.Forest floor - The forest floor is usually completely shaded, because of lack of sunlight very few plants grow there. 2.Shrub layer- The shrub layer is mostly made up of small bushes. 3.Understory-The Understory is made up of sixty foot trees, smaller trees, shrubs, plants. 4.Canopy-The canopy has trees up to sixty to one hundred thirty feet tall. The leaves on the canopy trees have “drip spouts” to prevent mold and mildew from growing on the leaves. 5.Emergent- The emergent has trees up to two hundred forty feet tall. Because of the wind emergent trees have small pointed leaves. The trees are spaced wide apart and have umbrella shaped canopies. The giant trees in the rainforest have very smooth trunks and few branches. Lianas are climbing vines that drape rainforest trees. Epiphytes are a kind of plant that grows on the surface of other plants. These plants grow all over the rainforest.

My tongue droops down past my chin covered in saliva, for it is a brutally hot day in the rainforest. Unfortunately it’s not raining today but the rainforest biome does fit into the tropical wet climate group. The rainforest temperature rarely gets any higher than 93° F but today I think it has, and it usually doesn’t drops lower than 68° F Average humidity in the rainforest is between 77 and 88% so be prepared to take a shower in your own sweat at times. Rainfall in the rainforest often is more than 100” per year however there is a brief season of less rain. The rainforest gets so much rain because of the hot temperatures impacted by being so close to the equator. The hotter the air is, the more water vapor the air can hold.

I scan through the overgrown vegetation displayed before me. I am a jaguar one of the most fierce animals in the rainforest. Some of the foods I enjoy eating are, tapirs (a kind of small monkey), birds, sloth, turtles, rodents and reptiles, monkeys, frogs, and deer. I LOVE deer though. Although I like meat, I don’t eat people unless they threaten me. Also I will tackle an alligator, but only if it is asleep. Prowling the river banks hooking fish out with a paw is one of my favorite pastimes. Being a very powerful jaguar the choice of diet is mine.

As I wander through the jungle all the other animals scatter in my wake. Survival is far easier for me than for most of the rainforest animals. It is easier because I am stronger faster and outweigh many of the other animals. Because of these attributes I don’t have to worry about being dinner to other animals.

Since I am an excellent climber I can just leap up into a tree and rest on its branches when I get tired. I sleep in this position because this is where I feel most comfortable.If it is a hot day in the rainforest I can escape the heat by resting under the shade that is provided by the canopy trees. High in the trees it gives me the perfect view of the ground below.

The climbing lianas drape the trees Like garland on Christmas As you feel like you are Being melted by the heat The water trickles off the drip spout leaves of the canopy trees With the rain from the night before Cooling you down when it splashes on your head You scurry away and make yourself hidden by the The branches of a bush as you watch a jaguar Take on a sleeping alligator. Welcome to the exiting and beautiful rainforest.