Most rainforests consist of the same layers. The forest floor is the darkest and hottest of all layers and plants find it difficult to grow here. Animals, such as wild pigs, anteaters and armadillos, find a lot of food here, which falls from the trees and plants to the ground.

Above the forest floor level, there is an understory level. This layer is made up of young and short trees. It’s home to smaller animals and insects. Some animals have adapted to live in it by camouflaging, for instance, jaguar spots may be mistaken for leaves while the green mamba poisonous snake blends in with the colour of the foliage.

Next up, there is the canopy. It’s a deep and dense layer of vegetation, about 6 metres thick. Canopy acts like a roof over the lower levels. This layer is humid, dark and damp. This is also a place with a lot of fruit. That’s why many animals like sloths, monkeys and toucans live there.

The top layer is called the emergent layer. The trees can reach a height of 60 metres. Leaves are sparse on tree trunks, but they become more numerous once they reach the upper layer with a lot of sun. This is also the place where photosynthesis takes place. The emergent layer is home to hawks and eagles and other species of birds, bats and butterflies.