Tropical Rainforest

Tropical Rainforest
Game	Zoo Tycoon 2
Seasons	Year-round Rain
Climate	Tropical
Vegetation	Broadleaf Evergreens
Precipitation	Very High
Temperature	Hot
Location

   Tropical Rainforest is a biome in Zoo Tycoon 2.

Zoopedia Description

• The tropical rainforest biome consists of woodland characterized by lush vegetation and comparatively high temperature and rainfall throughout the year. Rainforests are the world's most biologically diverse ecosystems. Although they account for less than 7 percent of the land surface on Earth, they contain more than 50 percent - some scientists estimate as high as 90 percent - of its plant and animal species. One hectare (about 2.5 acres) of tropical rainforest may contain more than 600 species of trees. By comparison, the forests of the United States and Canada combined contain only around 700 tree species. Even more impressive are the number and diversity of animal species that call rainforests their home. One study found more species of ants living on a single rainforest stump than exist in all of the British Isles. 

• Rainforests also play a critical role in global climate regulation by absorbing carbon dioxide, a gas believed to be partially responsible for global warming. Plants naturally absorb carbon dioxide and give off oxygen gas in the process of photosynthesis, and tropical rainforests absorb more carbon dioxide than any other terrestrial ecosystem on earth.

• There is general agreement among the scientific community that by absorbing some of the gas, rainforests play a vital role in lessening its impact.

• To be classified as a rainforest, a forest must have a closed canopy, in which the treetops, or crowns, touch each other, creating a shaded forest interior. In addition, temperature and rainfall must be high and relatively even throughout the year. Forests that meet these criteria are found flanking the equator in South and Central America, Asia, Africa, and Australia. In South America, a vast, forested area of the Amazon River basin in Brazil and neighboring countries is by far the largest rainforest in the world. It encompasses more than 3.5 million sq km (about 1.4 million sq mi) - about half of the total global rainforest cover. The larger of two large rainforests in Asia is centered along the Malay Archipelago, including the islands of Borneo and Sumatra, the Malay Peninsula, and the Republic of the Philippines. The other main rainforest in Asia is found primarily on the island of New Guinea and in northern Australia. In Africa, most of the rainforest is concentrated along the Atlantic coast and the Congo River basin.

Animals

Animal	Status	Star Rating	Location	Pack
Bengal Tiger	Endangered	3.5	Southeast Asia	Zoo Tycoon 2
Chimpanzee	Endangered	3.5	Central Africa	Zoo Tycoon 2
Jaguar	Low Risk	2	South America	Zoo Tycoon 2
Mountain Gorilla	Endangered	4	Central Africa	Zoo Tycoon 2
Okapi	Low Risk	2	Central Africa	Zoo Tycoon 2
Black Leopard	Vulnerable	3	Africa	Downloads
Baird's Tapir	Endangered	1.5	Central America	Endangered Species
Crested Gibbon	Endangered	4	Southeast Asia	Endangered Species
Javan Rhinoceros	Critically Endangered	3.5	Southeast Asia	Endangered Species
Orangutan	Endangered	4.5	Southeast Asia	Endangered Species
Bongo	Low Risk	0.5	Central Africa	African Adventure
Mandrill	Endangered	4.5	Central Africa	African Adventure
Pygmy Hippopotamus	Critically Endangered	4	Central Africa	African Adventure
Deinonychus	Extinct	2.5	North America	Extinct Animals
Deinosuchus	Extinct	4.5	North America	Extinct Animals
Dodo	Extinct	0.5	Mauritius	Extinct Animals
Gigantopithecus	Extinct	4.5	China	Extinct Animals
Styracosaurus	Extinct	1	North America	Dino Danger Pack
Tyrannosaurus rex	Extinct	5	North American	Dino Danger Pack