The Rain Forest Expert

  Several types of rain forests exist in Australia, including tropical, sub-tropical (also known as warm temperate), and cool temperate rain forests. The rain forests are comprised of several layers: the Emergent Layer, the Canopy, the Understory, and the Forest Floor. Aboriginal people have used the tropical rain forests for food, medicinal purposes and wooden supplies. Much of the rain forests have been cleared or harshly disturbed by logging and hunting. More than half of Australia's remaining rain forests are found in the northeast territory of Queensland. Rain forests in Australia are also found in Tasmania, Victoria, New South Wales, Western Australia, and the Northern Territory. While Australia's tropical rain forests make up only 0.1% of the land mass, it is home to:

Some categories of animals that live in the Rain Forest are:

Arachnids - they have six legs, simple eyes, and no antennae. Some examples are spiders, mites, ticks, and scorpions.

Insects - they have hard jointed exoskeletons. The adult body has three parts: the head, thorax, and abdomen.

Amphibians - they are cold blooded and live in warmer parts of continents. They tend to be aquatic and are limited to moist surroundings.

Reptiles - they are cold blooded and limited to temperate and tropical areas. They usually creep or swim, which is similar to amphibians. Reptiles lay large shelled eggs or in some cases give birth to live young.

Birds - they are warm blooded and most species are capable of flying; however some are sedentary and some are flightless. They lay shelled eggs and care for young in a nest.

Mammals - they are warm blooded animals consisting of three main groups: marsupial, monotreme, and placental.

Here are some questions to keep in mind as you are gathering information about these animals:

1. Is this animal a vertebrate or invertebrate?
2. What type of animal is this: mammal, fish, bird, etc.?
3. Is this animal native to Australia, if not where is it from?
4. What are some defining characteristics of this animal?
5. Is this animal poisonous?

Search the following web sites to learn more about animals that live in the Rain Forest:

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