Rain forests are dense, steamy forests that grow in tropical regions - where it is hot and there is rainfall almost every day. The trees in this region are tall and provide a home for many people. They are also home to a great variety of plant and animal life. There are so many trees comprising a rain forest that they even affect the weather.But due to the indiscriminate chopping of trees - for timber, agriculture, roads, homes and industries - millions of species of plants and animals are losing their homes. Thousands of people have also had to part with their homes particularly in the vicinity of large dams as several thousand hectares of forest land is now prone to flooding. The world weather has also changed. But the actual loss is far greater. Rain forests are home to some of nature's rarest treasures. Here is a list of some of those wonders:* Precious trees: Many trees such as mahogany, teak, sandalwood and ebony are cut down because their wood is highly valued.* Endangered creatures: Manycreatures have now become extinct as a result of loss of habitat and food. In India, the Giant Squirrel, Red Panda and Lion-tailed Macaque are threatened with extinction.* Rare plants: Plants in the rain forest regions could be a vital source of new food and raw materials for medicine. Thousands of species of plants are dying out completely, even before they are known to science, because these forests are being destroyed.* Medicines: Thousands of rain forest plants contain materials that can be used in medicines. One in every four medicines available contains substances derived from rain forest plants.* Rubber: Most of the world's rubber is made from white latex, which is tapped from the bark of trees that originally came from the rain forest of Amazon.* Spices: Many of the spices used in kitchens, world over, are produced from trees that come from the tropical forests. They include ginger, cloves, cinnamon, mace, nutmeg and cardamom.* Silk: Tussar silk is produced by the caterpillar of a wildsilk moth that is found in rain forests. Unlike mulberry silkworms, these caterpillars have never been successfully cultivated and cultured in captivity. So, the cocoons have to be gathered from the rain forests.* Crops: Half of the world's main crops were originally discovered in the tropical forests. These include oranges, lemons, pineapples, coffee, rice, maize, sugar and bananas.
