The Royal Botanic Gardens of Sydney

Life in the Rainforest

Water is the essence of life, and as indicated by the name, rainforests have lots of it! However, the rainforest floor can be quite a dark place, sheltered by the dense forest canopy.

Rainforest

Rainforest plants

How do plants grow when it is so dark? In rainforests, it is easy to observe adaptations that allow plants to gain access to light so they can survive.

Download the ‘Structural Features of Rainforest Plants’ Spotto Card showcasing each of these adaptations.

Explore the Rainforest Walk at the Royal Botanic Gardens in 360o and click on the hotspots to learn about each plant.

 

Rainforest animals

Many animals that live in rainforests have unique adaptations to navigate the dense, dark forest. In the Daintree Rainforests of Australia, the following species can be found:

  • Rainforests Gallery
    Spotted-tailed Quoll: Spotted-tailed quolls are the largest marsupial carnivore in Australia. They are well adapted to climbing trees, thanks to their unique paws and strong sharp claws. They also have long tails that help them.
  • Butterfly
    Ulysses Butterfly: Due to their bright blue colouring, they are easy to spot by their predators. To avoid being eaten, the Ulysses butterfly flies very quickly and erratically to protect itself. For some butterflies, bright colours serve as a warning.
  • Southern Cassowary
    Southern Cassowary: Cassowaries have thick, bristly feathers for protection from thorns on thickets or bushes. The casque on their head acts like a shield when moving through dense forest. They have sharp claws to help dig for food.

Further activities and resources

Is there evidence of the rainforest at your school?

Survey for rainforest plant adaptations in your school. Note for teachers: This activity is best suited as an assessment tool to be completed once students have used this web resource to learn about plant adaptations to other environments.

Where do I grow?

Investigate whether plants are adapted to life in the rainforest by growing a plant under different environmental conditions. 

Rainforest adaptations sensory poster

Create a sensory poster showcasing the adaptations of a rainforest animal or plant. 

Guess the habitat

Use your understanding of structural adaptations to rainforests to create the habitat of an unknown species. Note for teachers: This activity is best suited as an anchor activity or as an assessment tool to be completed once students have used this web resource to learn about adaptations to other environments.