Wild World

The Amazon rainforest in South America is the largest rainforest on Earth. Its climate is hot and humid all year.

Temperatures average 80°F, and it rains nearly every day. It’s also “one of the most biodiverse places in the world,” says Harald Beck. He’s a biologist at Towson University in Maryland who studies Amazon wildlife.

Scientists estimate that the Amazon is home to 40,000 known species of plants and 100,000 known species of animals. Squirrel-sized animals related to raccoons called kinkajous (kin-kuh-jooz) live up in trees. Razor-sharp-toothed piranha swim in the Amazon River, which winds for 4,300 miles.

Death Valley in eastern California holds the world record for the hottest air temperature ever recorded—134°F on July 10, 1913. It’s also one of the driest places on the planet—it rains only about 2 inches each year.

To survive the region’s extreme heat, lack of water, and sandy soil that’s low in nutrients, living things have developed special adaptations. Cacti have roots that spread out wide to collect as much rain as possible. These plants also store water to survive dry periods.
Kangaroo rats have adapted so they can live on tiny amounts of water stored in the seeds they eat. “And some animals only come out at night, when it’s cooler,” says Brandi Stewart, who works in Death Valley National Park.

The Arctic tundra is located in the far north. The winter months are very different from the summer months here.

Winter lasts 10 months and temperatures average just -30°F. The ground is mostly covered in snow. Animals like the snowy owl have white feathers that help them blend in with the snow to help them sneak up on prey.

The tundra receives as little as 6 inches of rain or melted snow a year.
During summer, the tundra explodes with life. “As soon as the snow melts, herbs and flowers pop up,” says Christa Mulder, a scientist who studies the tundra at the University of Alaska Fairbanks.

Warmer weather also brings swarms of insects, like mosquitoes. This attracts birds such as the American tree sparrow, which travels from the northern U.S. to feast on the bugs.