<P> A variety of indigenous people live within the rainforest as hunter - gatherers, or subsist as part - time small scale farmers supplemented in large part by trading high - value forest products such as hides, feathers, and honey with agricultural people living outside the forest . Peoples have inhabited the rainforests for tens of thousands of years and have remained so elusive that only recently have some tribes been discovered . These indigenous peoples are greatly threatened by loggers in search for old - growth tropical hardwoods like Ipe, Cumaru and Wenge, and by farmers who are looking to expand their land, for cattle (meat), and soybeans, which are used to feed cattle in Europe and China . On 18 January 2007, FUNAI reported also that it had confirmed the presence of 67 different uncontacted tribes in Brazil, up from 40 in 2005 . With this addition, Brazil has now overtaken the island of New Guinea as the country having the largest number of uncontacted tribes . The province of Irian Jaya or West Papua in the island of New Guinea is home to an estimated 44 uncontacted tribal groups . </P> <P> The pygmy peoples are hunter - gatherer groups living in equatorial rainforests characterized by their short height (below one and a half meters, or 59 inches, on average). Amongst this group are the Efe, Aka, Twa, Baka, and Mbuti people of Central Africa . However, the term pygmy is considered pejorative so many tribes prefer not to be labeled as such . </P> <P> Some notable indigenous peoples of the Americas, or Amerindians, include the Huaorani, Ya̧nomamö, and Kayapo people of the Amazon . The traditional agricultural system practiced by tribes in the Amazon is based on swidden cultivation (also known as slash - and - burn or shifting cultivation) and is considered a relatively benign disturbance . In fact, when looking at the level of individual swidden plots a number of traditional farming practices are considered beneficial . For example, the use of shade trees and fallowing all help preserve soil organic matter, which is a critical factor in the maintenance of soil fertility in the deeply weathered and leached soils common in the Amazon . </P> <P> There is a diversity of forest people in Asia, including the Lumad peoples of the Philippines and the Penan and Dayak people of Borneo . The Dayaks are a particularly interesting group as they are noted for their traditional headhunting culture . Fresh human heads were required to perform certain rituals such as the Iban "kenyalang" and the Kenyah "mamat". Pygmies who live in Southeast Asia are, amongst others, referred to as "Negrito". </P>

Trees of the tropical rainforest are characterized by leaves that are