Despite the great importance of tropical rainforests, humans are still the cause for many threats to the Daintree Rainforest.
One way people are a threat to this area is by logging; huge areas of land are clear cut for housing development and farming. Not only does this take away habitats for many animals, but it increases alien species' chances of invasion in the rainforest. That can then negatively affect other plants and animals in the area. Although there is a huge number of animals and plants here, some are endangered and have less of their species left than ideal; logging makes their case Figure 1 (above) :"Dean Jewell Photography." Flora and Fauna of theDaintree Rainforest and Cape York. N.p., n.d. Web. 30 Sept. 2016. worse because it could further diminish their population by taking away possible prey as well as their home. Clearing land in the rainforest is also harmful because it can lower breeding among animals possibly leading them to become endangered or even extinct ("Threats to Daintree Lowland Rainforest" n.d.).
Another unfortunate environmental issue the Daintree Rainforest suffers from is climate change. Rising temperatures could pose a large threat to many insects that survive in areas of a cooler temperature. It is estimated that many species of birds, insects, reptiles and more that are unique to Australia could lose half their population if the temperature rose even one degree more due to climate change ("Threats to Daintree Lowland Rainforest" n.d.).
Invasive and alien species can also pose a threat on this ecosystem because they may take away food options from other established animals, cause habitat loss and kill other pants or animals. They could also spread diseases from where they originally came from. Most species not native to an area get there because of people. It is important for people to be careful in other ecosystems not to introduce alien species; especially in an ecosystem so diverse and rare as rainforests.
Tourism can also affect the Daintree Rainforest and this is a big deal here. The tours held there can disturb wildlife and people may also unintentionally harm some plants or animals. There are only around 1,000 cassowaries, a flightless bird that only lives in Australia left in the wild ("Rescuing a World Heritage Rainforest from Developers." n.d).
To help save the Daintree, among other ecosystems, lessons should be taught in public schools informing people of the importance of rainforests to the biosphere and the whole world and how we must protect them. Awareness should also be spread on what things can negatively impact the Daintree. For example, tourists should be encouraged not to litter or disturb nature and if a fine went in place enforcing this, then part of the issue could be solved. Also people might not buy land in the area if they knew that part of an environmentally important area had been destroyed for it; this would slow logging and development in this area.