Problems for the People of the Rain Forest
Indigenous tribes that live in the rain forest experience unique struggles far different from those to which you may be accustomed. Rain forest living is fraught with dangers both natural and man-made, and can lead to extremely difficult conditions for the tribes that continue to inhabit this area. Many indigenous populations do without anything they cannot find or create in the rain forest.
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Overpopulation
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The rain forest cannot sustain an infinite number of creatures. Because of this fact, indigenous tribes find it difficult to muster food and shelter for their ever-growing populations. Population growth puts a larger strain on the rain forest's ability to reliably produce food, medicine and clean water. Overpopulation has also been linked to overuse of arable land, as increased populations and shifting cultivation give the land less time to recover in between crops, according to the University of Kentucky.
Natural Dangers
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The rain forest is not a safe place for the inexperienced explorer. Rain forests are packed with poisonous plants, predatory cats, venomous snakes and spiders and any number of other potentially lethal threats. Indigenous people must work with or around these dangers if they do not want to fall victim to them. In addition to the dangers of plants and animals, rain forests can experience harsh weather conditions such as floods and intense rains that cause immense danger to their inhabitants.
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Medical Supplies
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Though people who live in rain forests have devised many ways to deal with illness and injury, most of these methods pale in comparison to the modern medicine enjoyed in the developed world. An injury that would be frustrating in the modern world could prove fatal in the rain forest, which is less friendly to disabled creatures. Broken bones and common, curable illnesses can claim lives that may have been saved with a visit to a modern hospital.
Rain Forest Destruction
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The destruction of the rain forest is a hot topic among environmentally conscious people. The rain forest is under attack in a number of ways--logging companies need the wood, cattle ranchers clear the land for grazing and dam projects cut off water that sustains the animals and plants. As the rain forest environment is destroyed, indigenous people find themselves with ever fewer square miles of inhabitable land, forcing them to congregate in smaller areas or give up rain forest life completely.
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