The Amazon rainforest holds around 50% of all remaining rainforests on the planet, while hosting more than 400 species of mammal, 1700 species of bird and an unknown number of insect species numbering in the millions. It is also vital for maintaining life on Earth. Amazonian forests mitigate climate change by soaking up around 560 million tons of carbon per year and support agriculture by stimulating rainfall at both local and continental scales.