Quinalt Rainforest - Olympic National Park

 

What is a Rainforest?

 

A forest that receives more than 2.5 meters (8 feet) of rain each year. These forests cover only about 7%of the Earth's surface but hold more than half of all plant and animal species on Earth.

 

What is an Example of a Rainforest?

 

Located in northern South America, the Amazon Rainforest is the world's largest rainforest. It features unparalleled biodiversity. 2.5 million species of insects and 40,000 plant species live within the rainforest. In addition, many products are harvested from the rainforest such as cocoa, chocolate, rubber, and many kinds of fruit. 25 percent of all medicines and antibiotics used to combat bacterial infections are made from ingredients from the Amazon.

Currently, deforestation threatens the continued survival of the Amazon Rainforest. Nearly 20,000 square kilometers of the rainforest were cut down in 2005. By some estimates, if logging practices fail to decrease, the Amazon could be gone within 50 years.