How Cold Does It Get in the Rainforest?

Lilly from the Unites States wrote:

Does it ever get cold in the rainforest, what is the coldest temp there?

GLOBIO Traveling Teacher says:

Hi Lilly,

Yes, there are rainforest that can get very cold. Not all rainforests are warm or in the tropics, like the Amazon. Temperate rainforests grow in cool places like Alaska, and Tasmania, and on top of mountainous areas where most of the water comes from being in the mist and clouds much of the time. Some temperate rainforests even get occasional snow fall.

The most important thing a forest needs to be a rainforest is water, at least the equivalent of 200 cm (80 inches) a year. The temperature can be cold or warm.

Thanks for the great question,
GLOBIO Traveling Teacher

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Where do giant pandas live?

Elizabeth from the United States wrote:
Where do giant pandas live?

GLOBIO Traveling Teacher says:

Hi Elizabeth.

Giant pandas live in a few isolated mountain ranges in the provinces of Sichuan, Shaanxi, and Gansu in south-central China. They live in broadleaf and coniferous forests with a dense understory of bamboo, at elevations between 1,500 m and 3,000 m. Torrential rains, dense mists, and heavy cloud cover characterize these forests throughout much of the year. The giant panda has lived in bamboo forests for several million years. It is a highly specialized animal, with unique adaptations.

Thanks for the great question,
GLOBIO Traveling Teacher

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How do hibernating animals survive in winter?

Thivanks from Fiji wrote:
How do hybernating animals survive in winter?

GLOBIO Traveling Teacher says:

Hi Thivanka.

That's a great question, because it's kind of hard to imagine how hibernating animals survive the winter.

When animals hibernate, they sleep through the winter to avoid the cold weather and save energy. During the fall, animals that hibernate eat A LOT and gain lots of weight as fat. As winter approaches, the animals find a suitable place to hibernate. During hibernation they live off their body fat as they sleep for several day or weeks. The animals' breathing and heart beats slow down and usually their body temperatures drop to match the temperatures outside. Examples of hibernating animals are bears, frogs, bats, & raccoons.

To be more specific, the black bear is a good example of an animal that hibernates in winter. Black bears eat more than usual in the fall and can gain as much as 30 pounds per week. They also gather leaves, grass, and twigs to make warm beds. They use these beds to sleep on in dens, burrows, caves, hollowed-out trees, or rock crevices. While hibernating, their body temperatures can drop from a typical 99-101 degrees Fahrenheit to 88-95 degrees. A black bear's heartbeat also goes down from 60 to 90 times per minute to as few as 8 to 40 beats per minute. The black bear can go as long as 100 days without eating, drinking, urinating, or exercising while in the hibernation state.

Non-hibernating animals migrate or adapt to survive harsh, cold weather in winter.

I hope that information is helpful!

Thanks for the great question,
GLOBIO Traveling Teacher

What Kinds of Pandas Are There?

Hayley from New Zealand wrote:
What kind of pandas lives in the wild and also in the zoos as well as china's bushes and native environment?

GLOBIO Traveling Teacher says:

Hi Hayley,

Two kinds of pandas live in the wild forests of China and in zoos, they are the Giant Panda and the Red Panda. You can find out more about each in our Glossopedia by clicking on the links below.

Thanks for the great question,
GLOBIO Traveling Teacher

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What Do Plants Produce Which Is So Important to the Composition of the Atmosphere?

Zeenat from the United States wrote:
What do plants produce which is so important to the composition of the atmosphere?

GLOBIO Traveling Teacher says:

Hi Zeenat,

Plants produce two very important gases that compose the atmosphere - oxygen (during the daylight) and carbon dioxide (at night). The oxygen plants produce is very important and insures life on Earth can exist. That's why plants are often times called the "lungs of the Earth".

You can learn more about plants in Glossopedia by clicking on the picture below.

Thanks for the great question,
GLOBIO Traveling Teacher

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What Kind of Animals Live In Temperate Forests?

Perla from Puerto Rico wrote:
what are the kind of animal that live in the temperate forest because my class is doing a project with it can you please help me?

GLOBIO Traveling Teacher says:

Hi Perla,

That's a good question, but it has many answers. The answer depends on which temperate forest you want to know about - there are temperate forests on every continent. In North America you might find black bears, deer, squirrels and cougars, but if you travel to China you find giant pandas, red pandas, Asiatic black bears, and golden monkeys. So it really depends on which temperate forest you are curious about. Write us back and maybe we can help more.


Thanks for the great question,
GLOBIO Traveling Teacher

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How Long Has the Oldest Panda Lived?

Madison from the United States wrote:
How long has the longest panda lived?

GLOBIO Traveling Teacher says:

Hi Madison,

The oldest living panda in captivity, named Changchang, was 35 years old when it died at a zoo in Eastern China on May 23, 2002. Changchang had lived 5 years longer than most pandas in captivity, and would have been between 75-85 in human years.

Thanks for your question!
GLOBIO's Traveling Teacher

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