What animals live in the rainforest names. Animals living and living in the tropics

Tropical forests are home to a huge number of animals. First of all this. Species of narrow-nosed monkeys live in India and Africa, and broad-nosed monkeys live in America. Their tail and limbs allow them to expertly climb trees, where they get their food.

Mammals

The tropical forests are home to predators such as leopards and pumas.

An interesting species is the American tapir, somewhat reminiscent of a horse and a rhinoceros.

Nutria can be found in ponds. People hunt this type of large rodent because they have valuable fur.

Nutria

In South America you can find sloths that appearance remind . They have fairly long and flexible limbs with which they cling to trees. These are slow animals; they move slowly along the branches.

Armadillos, which have a powerful shell, live in the forests. During the day they sleep in their burrows, and at nightfall they crawl to the surface and lead night look life.

Inhabitant tropical forests is an anteater. It moves without problems on the ground, climbs trees, eats ants and various insects.

Among marsupial species Possums can be found here.

Opossums

African tropical forests are inhabited by elephants and, which are relatives of giraffes.

Elephant

Lemurs, which are considered prosimians, live in Madagascar.

Lemurs

In some reservoirs there are crocodiles, among which the most famous Nile crocodile. In Asia, long-snouted crocodiles are known, which mainly swim in the Ganges. The length of its body reaches 7 meters.

Rhinoceroses are found in tropical forests, and hippos are found in ponds.

Rhinoceros

Hippopotamus

In Asia you can find a tiger, a sloth bear and.

Birds of the rainforest

Many birds fly in the forests. South America is home to hoatzins, hummingbirds, and more than 160 species of parrots.

Africa and America have large populations of flamingos. They live near salt lakes and on sea coasts, feeding on algae, worms and mollusks, and some insects.

There are peacocks in Asia and on nearby islands.

Wild bush chickens are found in India and the Sunda Islands.

Bush chickens

Insects and reptiles of forests

In tropical forests there are many snakes (pythons, anacondas) and lizards (iguanas).

The reservoirs are home to a variety of amphibian and fish species, among which the most famous in South America are piranhas.

Piranha

The most important inhabitants tropical forest- these are ants.

Spiders, butterflies, mosquitoes and other insects also live here.

Insect

African equatorial forests occupy flat and mountainous areas. Mountain forests are shrouded in clouds that maintain high humidity. That's why they are also called cloud forests. The world's largest apes, gorillas, live in the tropical forests of Africa. There are only two populations of gorillas: the lowland, or ground, gorillas, which live in the western lowland forests, and the mountain gorillas, which inhabit the eastern mountain forests. Gorillas are classified as apes. These are huge animals, the males of which reach 2 m in height and can weigh up to 300 kg. Despite their terrifying appearance, they are peaceful vegetarians. Gorillas live in family groups of 5 to 15 individuals: several females and young people. The group is led by an adult male (you can recognize him by his silvery back). The leader takes care of the entire flock, and if for some reason he dies, then the rest of the group members may die along with him, deprived of his protection and care. Gorillas are too heavy to easily climb trees, so they lead a terrestrial lifestyle. Every evening they settle down for the night, building nests on the branches of fairly strong trees or on the ground. Gorillas are not aggressive, but in case of danger they can attack the offender. Most often, they scare away the attacker without engaging in a fight, roar, beat their chests with their fists and break branches with a loud crash. In the same way, young males sort things out among themselves.

The fauna of African tropical forests differs from savannas in the absence large predators. (The exception is the leopard). The inhabitants of tropical forests are much smaller than their relatives living in savannas. For example, duiker antelopes are slightly larger than a hare, the pygmy hippopotamus is half the size of a normal one, and the okapi, a relative of giraffes, is significantly inferior to them in height.

Okapi, which lives only in forests, does not need long neck, like a giraffe, because it can pick shoots, leaves and anodes low from the ground. The okapi’s coloration also bears little resemblance to its relative, oh big ears gives it a somewhat comical appearance, but helps to better capture forest sounds. Interestingly, the okapi's tongue is so long that it can reach the ear.

IN dense thickets On the river banks live miniature African deer, the size of a domestic cat. They are relatives of deer; they do not have antlers and lead a completely different way of life. These animals live near water and swim well. Sensing danger, the deer runs to the water and dives, holding its breath for a long time. He moves along the bottom of the river and emerges in a safe place, thus escaping his pursuer. This unusual creature feeds not only on plants, but also on small fish, crabs, insects and even small mammals. Deer are active at night, and during the day they climb low on the trees along the vines, like on a ladder. The deer are in the trees and hide during the day.

Several species of hyraxes live in Africa. These small (body length up to 60 cm) animals are classified as a separate order of mammals. Outwardly, they resemble marmots or pikas, although Scientific research revealed their distant relationship with elephants. The forests are inhabited by tree hyraxes, which are excellent tree climbers, jumping from branch to branch in search of food. Hyraxes feed on plants and insects. Tree hyraxes are solitary, unlike mountain hyraxes, which live in small colonies.

In tropical forests you can find an animal that looks like fir cone. This mammal from the order of lizards is called a pangolin. Pangolins have a lot in common with armadillos, since, according to scientists, they descended from the same ancestors. The pangolin's body is covered with horny scales that protect it from predators: the pangolin, like the armadillo, can curl up into a ball and feeds on insects. Tree pangolins have a strong, grasping tail, which they use to cling to branches while climbing trees.

Geneta is an active predator, a relative of civets, mongoose and meerkat. Flexible and dexterous, genets easily climb trees, hunting for birds and small mammals. But genets spend most of their time on the ground. Humans live in African forests different monkeys. They live in groups of 2 to 20 individuals, led by an important male. The lifestyle of chimpanzees is generally similar to that of gorillas. However, chimpanzees do not only eat plant foods, but also insects and small mammals. Sometimes a group of chimpanzees will also attack a fairly large animal. These monkeys even have cases of cannibalism: one monkey can steal another’s baby and eat it. Chimpanzees are at a higher level of development than other mammals - they are very smart, communicate with each other using more than 30 different sounds. Apes are the closest relatives of humans in the animal kingdom.

All layers of the African rainforest are home to a variety of birds, some of which are found only here. In Africa, unlike South America, not many parrots, only a few dozen species. The most famous parrot is the Gray parrot, gray in color with red undertail. Small sunbirds occupy the same ecological niche as hummingbirds in South America. Tree hoopoes, hornbills, banana eaters and Congolese peacocks live here. This rare peacock was discovered by scientists relatively recently: before that, its existence could only be judged by a single feather that was accidentally found.

In terms of brightness of color, banana-eater birds, or turacos, are not inferior to South American parrots. Turakas, which are relatives of cuckoos, live in struts, breaking into pores only during the breeding season. When it rains, banana eaters can “shed” because their feathers are covered with a multi-colored powdery substance that dissolves in water. After some time, the brightness of the color is restored. Turaks are poor fliers, preferring to climb trees or glide from branch to branch in search of food, fruits and small animals.

At night they fly out to hunt the bats small mammals belonging to the order Chiroptera. Spreading their leathery wings, they fly between trees and catch insects. Well-developed hearing, vision, touch, and in some species echolocation, help these animals to navigate perfectly in the dark without bumping into obstacles. During the day, bats rest in caves, rock crevices, as well as in hollows or on tree branches. They cling to branches or stones with their hind legs, hanging upside down, and, folding their wings, sleep. Lives in tree trunks, foliage and forest floor a large number of a wide variety of insects, spiders, centipedes and mollusks. The most numerous insects are ants, of which there are more than 600 species in the forests of Africa. Insects such as stick insects, mantises and beetles live here. The Goliath beetle, the largest beetle in the world and found in these forests, has become very rare due to collecting. The most colorful representatives of insects are butterflies. In the forest canopy fly butterflies such as fatheads, bluegills, tropical butterflies, and African giant swallowtails. Centipedes are ancient arthropods that have lived on Earth for more than 500 million years. Living in the forest floor, they crawl out during the leader's time or at night, feeding on the remains of animals.

Legless amphibians - worms - live in the damp forest floor of the tropical forest. They look similar to earthworms, although they are related to frogs, salamanders and newts. The body length of these amphibians can reach 1.1 meters. Worms feed on soil invertebrates: earthworms, centipedes and others.

On Earth, which supports a huge amount of fauna. One of the reasons for such a wide variety is the constant warmth. Tropical rain forests also contain huge reserves of water (from 2000 to 7000 mm of precipitation falls annually) and a variety of food sources for animals. Many small animals, including monkeys, birds, snakes, rodents, frogs, lizards and insects, found in tropical forests have never set foot on land. They use tall trees and undergrowth for shelter from predators and for searching for food.

Because there is a huge species diversity animals (40-75% of Earth's animal species) compete for food, many species have adapted to eat certain foods that others do not eat. For example, toucans have a long, large beak. This adaptation allows the bird to reach fruits on branches that are too small to support the bird's weight. The beak is also used to extract fruit from trees.

Sloths use behavioral adaptation and camouflage to survive in the rainforest. They move very, very slowly and spend most of their time hanging upside down. Blue-green algae grows on their fur and gives sloths their greenish color and also protects them from predators.

This article examines the structure of the rainforest and some of the animals that live in its layers, from the forest floor to the upper layer.

forest floor

The forest floor is the lowest layer of the rainforest, receiving only about 2% of sunlight. Thus, the plants growing here are adapted to low light conditions. Thus, the lower layer of the rainforest is home to relatively large animals such as okapi, tapirs, Sumatran rhinoceroses, etc. A large number of reptiles, insects, etc. are also found in this layer. Organic substances (plant and animal origin) are collected in the forest floor, where they decompose, such as and.

Okapi

Okapi (Okapia johnstoni listen)) is a unique mammal species that is native to tropical forests Democratic Republic Congo in Central Africa. Although okapi have characteristic zebra-like stripes on their limbs, they are more closely related to giraffes. Okapi are diurnal and solitary in nature. These rainforest animals feed on tree leaves and buds, fruits, ferns, and mushrooms.

Tapir

Tapir ( Tapirus sp.) - pig-like herbivorous mammals with a short, prehensile snout. These rainforest animals are found in the forests of South and Central America, as well as Southeast Asia.

Sumatran rhinoceros

One of the five extant species of rhinoceros, ( Dicerorhinus sumatrensis) lives in the tropical forests of Borneo and Sumatra. This is the most small view rhinoceroses in the world and has two horns. The Sumatran rhino is on the verge of extinction as poachers actively hunt for its horns, which are used to prepare traditional medicines in China and Vietnam.

Western gorilla

Western gorilla ( Gorilla gorilla) found in forests Central Africa. These animals are extremely intelligent and can use tools to obtain large amounts of food. The western gorilla is now critically endangered. Hunting for gorilla meat and reducing them natural environment habitats are the two main threats to these amazing primates.

Undergrowth

The rainforest understory is located between the forest floor and the canopy, and it receives only about 5% of the sunlight. This level is home to a large number of small mammals, birds, reptiles and predators such as the jaguar. The undergrowth contains small trees, shrubs and grasses. Typically, plants at this level rarely reach 3 m in height and usually have wide leaves to provide large area surfaces for .

Jaguar

(Panthera onca) - most great view in the Americas, and the third largest in the world after and. The jaguar prefers to live in tropical forests and is distributed from Central America to Argentina and Paraguay. It is very similar to a leopard, but more muscular and larger. The jaguar is a solitary superpredator in which it lives.

Tree frogs

About three species of frogs from the dart frog family are deadly. The terrible leaf climber is considered the most dangerous among the three species and one of the most poisonous animals on Earth. These frogs have bright colors including gold, red, green, blue and yellow to protect them from predators. This feature is known as aposematic coloration.

South American nose

Also known as coati ( Nasua nasua), this animal lives in the tropical forests of South America. Most of the range is in the lowlands east of the Andes. This is a diurnal animal that lives both on the ground and in trees. The diet includes fruits, other small animals and bird eggs.

Common boa constrictor

Common boa constrictor ( Boa constrictor listen)) is a massive snake that is found in forests throughout America, as well as on the islands Caribbean Sea. Although boas live in the most different places, they prefer tropical forests due to high humidity and suitable temperature. Additionally, rainforests provide ample shelter and plenty of food sources for these snakes.

Forest canopy

The forest canopy (or canopy) is the most distinctive level of the rainforest, forming a roof over the understory and forest floor. The canopy houses most of the most big trees tropical forest, growing up to 30-45 m in height. Broad-leaved evergreen trees dominate the canopy, making it the densest part of the rainforest. It is home to more than 20 million species and a large number of birds, as well as mammals, invertebrates and reptiles.

Jaco

Gray parrots or African gray parrots Psittacus erithacus) are medium-sized, grey-black birds common in equatorial Africa. The birds are currently classified as Near Threatened and number between 120,100 and 259,000.

Rainbow toucan

Rainbow toucan ( Ramphastos sulfatus) common in tropical forests Latin America. In this environment, it settles in tree holes, often with other toucans. Crowded roosting sites force toucans to tuck their beaks and tails under their bodies to save space.

Koats

Koats are a genus belonging to the family of spider monkeys. They live in the tropical forests of Central and South America, from Mexico to Brazil. All seven koat species are endangered to some extent. These primates live in large groups of about 35 individuals and split into smaller groups to search for food during the day.

Three-toed sloths

Three-toed sloths are a family of arboreal mammals found in South and Central America. These rainforest animals are so named because of their slow gait, which is an adaptation to conserve energy. Sloths have the body size of a small dog or large cat, and have three clawed toes on each limb.

Golden-helmed kalao

Golden-helmeted kalao ( Ceratogymna elata) lives in tropical forests West Africa. This is one of largest birds in this environment, which lives in forest canopies and rarely feeds on the ground. Birds of this species live in small family groups consisting of an adult pair and several chicks.

Kinkajou

The kinkajou is one of the rainforest animals that is mistaken for a monkey or ferret. The tropical forests of Central and South America are considered the homeland of kinkajou. These nocturnal animals are arboreal and have an omnivorous diet. Unfortunately, they are hunted for their valuable wool.

Upper tier

There are several in this rainforest level giant trees, reaching a height of about 45-55 m or even higher. Thus, these trees rise above the canopy. They are well adapted to withstand strong winds And high temperatures over the canopy. When such trees die, holes are formed in the canopy, allowing sunlight reach the lower layers of the tropical forest.

Crowned eagle

Crowned Eagle ( Stephanoaetus coronatus) is a massive and fierce carnivore common in the upper layer of tropical forests. The eagle primarily feeds on mammals, including small ungulates, small primates, birds and lizards. It is one of the largest eagles in Africa, but is now classified as Near Threatened by the IUCN due to large-scale habitat destruction.

Royal colobus

Royal colobus ( Colobus polykomos) is one of the rainforest animals that is found in the tropical forests of Africa in countries such as Senegal, Liberia, Guinea, Sierra Leone, Guinea-Bissau and Ivory Coast. The royal colobus lives in the upper layer of the forest, but feeds usually on the ground.3 to 4 females and 1 to 3 males form together one social group.

Giant flying fox

Giant flying fox ( Pteropus vampyrus) is one of largest species bats in the world. It lives in tropical forests, where it feeds exclusively on nectar, fruits and flowers. Although these bats do not have the ability to echolocate, they use their keen vision to locate food sources.

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There's nothing sweeter than the old ones good stories about animals. But today I will not talk about pets, but about those that live in tropical forests. Lives in the tropical forest ecosystem large quantity more diverse animals than in any other ecosystem. One of the reasons for such great diversity is the constantly warm climate. Rainforests also provide an almost constant supply of water and a wide variety of food for animals. So here are 10 amazing rainforest animals and some facts about their lives.

Toucans

Toucans can be found in South and Central America under the canopies of tropical forests. While sleeping, toucans turn their heads inside out and tuck their beaks under their wings and tail. Toucans are very important to rainforests because they help disperse seeds from the fruits and berries they eat. There are about 40 various types toucans, but unfortunately some species are endangered. The two main threats to the existence of toucans are the disappearance of their habitat and increasing demand in the commercial pet market. They vary in size from approximately 15 centimeters to just over two meters. Large, colorful, light beaks - here distinctive features toucans. These are noisy birds with their loud and creaky voices.

Flying dragons

Tree lizards, called flying dragons, actually glide from tree to tree on their flaps of skin that look like wings. On each side of the body, between the fore and hind limbs, there is a large flap of skin supported by expanded movable ribs. Usually these "wings" are folded along the body, but they can open so that the lizard can glide for many meters in an almost horizontal state. The flying dragon feeds on insects, particularly ants. To reproduce, a flying dragon descends to the ground and lays 1 to 4 eggs in the soil.

Bengal tigers

Bengal tiger found in the Sundarbans regions of India, Bangladesh, China, Siberia and Indonesia, and are seriously endangered. Today at wildlife about 4,000 individuals remain, down from more than 50,000 at the turn of the century in 1900. Poaching and habitat loss are the two main reasons for the decline in Bengal tigers. They were never able to adapt to harsh conditions, despite belonging to a dominant species. Tigers, also known as the Royal Bengal tiger, which is a subspecies of tiger, can be found in the Indian subcontinent. The Bengal tiger is the national animal of Bangladesh and is considered the second largest tiger in the world.

South American harpies

One of the largest and most powerful of the fifty eagle species in the world, the South American harpy eagle lives in the tropical lowland forests of Central and South America, from southern Mexico south to eastern Bolivia, and southern Brazil before northern regions Argentina. This is an endangered species. The main threat its existence is the loss of habitat due to constant deforestation, destruction of nesting sites and hunting.

Tree frogs

These are frogs found in Central and South America. They are known for their bright colors, which warn other animals that they are poisonous. The frogs' venom is one of the most powerful poisons known and can cause paralysis or death. It is so powerful that one millionth of 30 grams of poison can kill a dog, and less than a crystal of salt can kill a person. One frog has a supply of poison sufficient to send up to 100 people to the next world. Local hunters used poison for their arrows, which is where the frog got its name in English language Poison-Arrow Frog (poisoned arrow frog).

Sloths

Sloths are extremely slow-moving mammals that can be found in the tropical forests of Central and South America. There are two types of sloths: two-toed and three-toed. Most sloths are the size of a small dog. They have short, flat heads. Their fur is grey-brown, but sometimes they appear grey-green because they move so slowly that tiny camouflage plants have time to grow all over their fur. Sloths are nocturnal and sleep curled up with their heads between their arms and legs turned close together.

Spider monkeys

Spider monkeys have big sizes. An adult monkey can grow almost 60 centimeters tall, not counting the tail. The tail is very powerful. Monkeys use it as an extra limb. Spider monkeys like to hang upside down, clinging to branches with their tail and legs, making them look like spiders, which is where they get their name. These monkeys can also jump from branch to branch at high speed. Their coat color can be black, brown, gold, red or bronze. Spider monkeys are the object of close attention among hunters, which is why they are on the verge of extinction. This photo is probably your only chance to ever see this monkey. Not to mention our species...

Wine snakes

Just about a centimeter in diameter, vine snakes are a surprisingly “slender”, elongated species. If a snake lies among the branches of forest trees, its proportions and green-brown color make it almost indistinguishable from dense vines and grape vines. The head of a snake is just as thin and oblong. A slow-moving predator, active during the day and at night, the wine snake feeds mainly on young birds, which it steals from nests, and on lizards. If the snake is threatened, it inflates the front of its body, revealing the bright coloring that would normally be hidden, and opens its mouth wide.

Capybaras

The capybara spends a lot of time in the water and is an excellent swimmer and diver. She has on the front and hind legs membranes between the fingers. When she swims, only her eyes, ears and nostrils are visible above the water. Capybaras eat plant foods, including aquatic plants, and these animals' molars grow throughout their lives to counteract wear and tear from chewing. Capybaras live in families and are active at dawn and dusk. In areas where they are frequently disturbed, capybaras can be nocturnal. Males and females look the same, but males have a gland on their nose that is larger than females. They mate in the spring, and after 15-18 weeks of pregnancy there may be 2 babies in the litter. Babies are well developed at birth.

Brazilian tapirs

Brazilian tapirs can almost always be found near bodies of water. These animals are good swimmers and divers, but they also move quickly on land, even over rough and mountainous terrain. Tapirs are dark brown in color. Their fur is short, and a mane grows from the back of the neck down. Thanks to its movable snout, the tapir feeds on leaves, buds, shoots and small branches that the tapir plucks from trees, as well as fruits, herbs and aquatic plants. The female gives birth to a single spotted-striped baby after a pregnancy that lasts from 390 to 400 days.

There are a lot of different animals in tropical forests, it’s impossible to pay attention to everyone, so we’ll focus on the most prominent representatives tropical jungles found all over the planet.

Animals of the American tropics

Let's start getting acquainted with tropical fauna from the forests of South America, here most strong predator is a jaguar. Yellow big cat with black spots, it perfectly climbs trees and instills fear in all local inhabitants. The plains of Patagonia are rich in lakes where reeds grow in abundance, and it is here that nutria and coipu swamp beavers live. These tropical animals eat the succulent roots of aquatic plants, and make their nests from reeds and reeds.

Tropical monkeys from around the world

African rainforests are rich in long-tailed monkeys small monkeys with greenish fur. Among them, the toeless colobus species stands out. These animals do not have a thumb.

The most beautiful representative of these monkeys is the Gweretsa, who lives in Ethiopia. Macaques, which live in tropical Asian forests, are considered direct relatives of African monkeys. Characteristic representatives of the African tropics are baboons, which live mainly in mountainous areas.

Animals living in the tropics of Madagascar have certain characteristics, for example, lemurs, whose bodies are covered with thick fur, some of them are the proud owners of fluffy tails. Their faces resemble animals rather than monkeys, for this reason they are classified as prosimians.

But not only nearby African continent you can find monkeys, for example, the deep forests of Sumatra are a haven for the great ape - the orangutan.

It is covered with red, coarse fur, and adult males have a large beard. The gibbon is also very close to orangutans; it reaches more than a meter in length; it is distinguished by long limbs, which serve it for swinging on the branches and allow it to easily jump from one tree to another.

Animals living in the tropics are distinguished by their originality and originality, each species is unique.