FORESTS-MY FAVORITE HABITAT

 FORESTS-MY FAVORITE HABITAT

Forests are amazing habitats. They are not just collections of trees, but are also homes to a large variety of complex organisms that include plants, animals, fungi and bacteria.

Forests are essential as they supply oxygen, timber protect watersheds and home to 300 million people and 1.6 billion depend for livelihood.

Forests play major role in reducing climate change.  But due to deforestation by fires, for agriculture, for development and climate change, wide range of plants and animals are affected.

Some of the incredible animals living in forests include Chimpanzee, Royal Bengal Tiger, Elephant and Giant Panda.  Chimpanzees also called Chimps, are social animals raise their offspring’s like humans and live over 50 years.  Chimps share 98 percent of human genes.  Chimps spend most of their time on tree tops.  They can walk like humans, do yet they walk on four legs.  Chimps use sticks to get termites.

Royal Bengal Tiger is primarily found in India.  There are only 2500 Bengal Tigers left in world.  They live in Indian subcontinent in evergreen forests, mangroves, and grasslands.  Due to Tiger Conservation units, most of the tigers are saved from poaching.  Tigresses, cubs and tigers live in groups in an area where there is enough food, water and shelter available.

Elephants are largest living animals on the Earth that can reach a height of 13 feet and weigh up to 7000 kg.  Elephants are herbivores and live in different habitats including forests.  Elephants are prone to poaching and they are killed for ivory tusks.  Due to Government’s effective watch, the elephant population in India is around 32,000.  So many sanctuaries are available to protect them.  They consume large quantities of plants every day,  such as legumes, palm, trees, grass etc.

Giant Panda is a bear native to China.  It has distinct black patches around its eyes, ears and across its round body.  It’s diet is 99% bamboo.  They are omnivores as they eat meat as well such as birds, rodents.  They live in mountain ranges in southern China as they were driven out of lowland due to deforestation and farming.  They are around 1600 Giant Pandas in the world and they are endangered species.