Background - 10 March, 2006
The Siberian tiger roams the snow forests of the Asian Russian. The tiger is separated from the jaguar by a vast ocean, the jaguar is at home in the tropical rainforests of the Amazon.
Rainforest near East Kalimantan, Indonesia.
Admittedly the gorilla and the orangutan have some similarities,
both are apes, but would they swing through the branches together?
No chance. Orang utans live in the tropical rainforests of South
East Asia, and gorillas live in the tropical rainforest in Central
Africa. That is where the small forest elephant with the large
round ears also makes its home. And it will never need to drive
away a brown bear, since the bear will be ambling through Europe's
last ancient forests.
In Europe and in the ancient forests of North America, the wolf
is still at home. However, the wolf will never be able to track
down an Andean deer, since these deer live in the temperate
rainforests of Chile.
So you see, these forest animals will never cross each other's
path and yet they do have something in common: their habitats.
These seven fascinating ancient forest regions are being destroyed.
And so many of these animals are threatened by extinction. About
two-thirds of the world's land-based species of plants and animals
depend on the last ancient forests. That is hundreds of thousands
of different plants and animals, and literally millions of
insects.
These ancient forests are also home to millions of people who
depend on the forests for their survival, both physically and
spiritually.
Who destroys the ancient forests? And why?
The world's appetite for wood, paper and meat have already
destroyed 80 percent of the great ancient forest regions. Century
old trees are sliced up for construction timber, processed to make
plywood, or end up as window frames, doors or pulp for paper
production. Ranchers burn down vast areas of undisturbed forest to
produce pastures for cattle, or to farm crops like soy.
Although the methods of clearing my vary, the effect is always
the same. Habitats with an immense diversity of species are
converted into farmlands or tree plantations. People, animals and
plants become the victims of short-term profit and greed.
The ancient forests and their famous animals inhabitants need
your help.
Click here to take action today to help save the homes of these magnificent animals!