Tropical Rainforests perhaps attract more attention than any other biome. This is largely due to their spectacular and lush appearance, the wide variety of exotic species they support and increasing concern for the destruction of tropical rainforests caused by by South American and Asian farmers, loggers, athletic shoe manufacturers and fast-food restaurants.

How quickly are tropical rainforests disappearing? Over seven thousand square miles of rainforest are lost every day, and once rainforests have been destroyed, they are all but impossible to reclaim. Along with the loss of the forest comes the loss of the species the rainforests support--some species that have been lost were never, in fact, ever discovered. This makes many people wonder just what animal and plant products we might be missing out on because rainforests species are being driven to extinction faster than we can learn to properly exploit them. In the past, rainforest plants and animals have been ground up to provide powerful medicines, soothing lip balm varieties, and fragrant body splashes. Unless the rainforest biome can be saved, further development of exciting health and beauty aids in the future is doubtful.

The rainforest biome consists of three main layers. The "undercarpet," which is home to a variety of blanched fungus and a host of bacteria--both of which need little sunlight and help dead plants and animals decompose; the "carpet," which consists mostly tightly woven tangles of of sawpalm, lichen-moss, and cat's-foot; and the "umbrella," which is the tree-top home of 95 percent of rainforest animal life. Life in the umbrella is quiet by day, but at night, the tree-top habitat explodes with activity: Howler monkeys screech, Spotted Tariots swing from branch to branch using their prehensile tongues to grasp the foliage, and Black Panthers lie in wait to snatch unsuspecting prey by the throat. The umbrella is also home to millions of beetle species--some larger than a football!

Tropical rainforests are found around the globe, though all are located between the 65th and 70th parallel. It is everyone's responsibility to help insure that the rainforest biome remains strong, so that we can continue to enjoy rainforest products in our homes.