Woodland and Forest Habitats woodlands and forests are places where trees are the main type of plant They can be found all over the world except in Antarctica and most of the Arctic in deserts grasslands and on the very tops of mountains Black bear page 8 What Is a Forest In forests the trees are very close together Forests are often dark because the branches and leaves form a kind of roof that lets in very little sunlight Woodlands are lighter because the trees are farther apart Sometimes there are clearings in woods where no trees grow and sunlight can reach the ground Salamander North America page 23 Forest Types There are three main types of forest tropical temperate and boreal Tropical forests often called rain forests are found in the warmest parts of the world near the equator Temperate forests grow in cooler regions There are different types of temperate forests including rain forests but most have trees that lose their leaves in fall and winter Boreal forests grow in very cold climates and are usually made up of evergreen trees This book looks at animals that live in the world s temperate and boreal forests South America
EXTREME ANIMALS Woodland wildlife Rain forests are home to more types of animals and plants than anywhere on earth but thousands of species live in temperate and boreal forests and woodlands Creatures as small as ants and as large as bears feast on flowers fruit insects or smaller animals In the cold winter months some hibernate while others migrate to warmer parts of the world Woodpeckers found in woodlands all over the world can hammer up to 20 times a second when drilling into tree trunks Temperate forest V Forests can be found in most parts of the world Close to the equator are tropical forests Temperate and boreal forests lie in cooler northern regions Boreal forest Raccoon dog page 12 One Rain forest Europe Asia Tropic of Cancer Africa Equator Tropice of Capricorn Australia Tasmanian devil page 17 Iberian lynx page
Forests under Threat People have always cut down trees but recently this has been happening on a much larger scale and more rapidly than ever before Natural Dangers Some natural events have caused forests to disappear Wildfires can sweep through forests burning trees and plants and killing animals Fierce storms can blow down the trees Insect invasions can kill off plants that other animals rely on for food However conservationists have learned that sometimes fires can be good for forests clearing away dead plants and making way for new ones to grow Sometimes putting out fires can be more harmful than leaving them to burn Human Threats People are also threatening forest wildlife They cut down trees to use the wood and so that they can farm or live in the once forested areas The animals lose their homes and food supply and are forced to live in smaller and smaller areas Sometimes animals are hunted for food or their fur or they are killed by local people protecting their crops Cutting down trees also contributes to climate change V Large areas of forest are cut down so that the timber can be sold A
Web of Life Everything in forest habitats relies on other living things to survive Creatures such as earthworms help keep the soil healthy so plants can grow providing food and shelter for wildlife Insects such as butterflies and bees pollinate flowers Small mammals and birds eat insects and larger mammals eat smaller ones This means that any changes can affect everything that lives there so it is important to preserve this precious environment All woodland creatures rely on others as a source of food or to keep the soil flowers and trees healthy This robin has caught a worm to feed her chicks ENDANGERED ANIMALS The International Union for the Conservation of Nature IUCN lists animals according to how endangered they are Extinct Died out completely Extinct in the wild Only survive in captivity Critically endangered Extremely high risk of becoming extinct in the near future Endangered High risk of becoming extinct in the wild Vulnerable High risk of becoming endangered in the wild Near threatened Likely to become endangered in the near future Least concern Lowest risk of becoming endangered
