Forests

Which species live in forests?

There are over 60,000 tree species in the world and natural forests can be made up of thousands of different species. The types of animals found in them vary depending on the type of forest and its location. Tropical forests, for example, harbour more exotic species such as monkeys, toucans, colourful frogs and iridescent butterflies. Meanwhile, temperate forests attract squirrels, martens, deer, wolves, wild cats, and nocturnal species such as badgers, bats and owls.

How do forests help to tackle climate change?

Forests play a crucial role in combating global warming by absorbing carbon dioxide that would otherwise end up in the atmosphere.

But, rapidly rising global temperatures are increasing the risk of catastrophic forest fires and are threatening to alter the composition of forests across the globe, with the more adaptable species thriving and others dwindling. This will upset the equilibrium of delicate forest ecosystems, further reducing their resilience to climate change and diminishing their carbon storage potential.