Animals and Plants of the Rain Forest

The world’s tropical rainforests are home to some of the rarest and most unique species of flora and fauna that are found nowhere else on our planet. It is the most diverse biome on Earth and supports a huge variety of fauna. One of the reasons for such a wide variety is the constant warmth. Tropical rainforests also contain vast reserves of water (2,000 to 7,000 mm of rainfall annually) and a variety of food sources for animals. Read below to learn more about Tropical Rainforest: Animals and Plants of the Rain Forest.

Where is the largest Tropical Rainforest?

The Amazon rainforest is the world’s largest tropical rainforest.

Area: 5.5 million km2

Countries: Brazil, Colombia, Bolivia, French Guiana, Suriname, Peru, Ecuador, Venezuela, and Guyana.

The largest area is occupied by forests growing in the tropics, and the largest forest on earth stretches along the Amazon River, surpassing several countries in the area—for example, Peru, Colombia, Bolivia, and Venezuela combined. Its 5.5 million km2 territory is half of all tropical forests on the planet. The warm and humid jungle is rich in biodiversity. There are 16,000 species of trees alone, and every two days, scientists discover new species of animals and plants in the largest forest area. But the area of the Amazonian jungle is steadily shrinking—it is being cut down, freeing up land for pastures and fields.

What Animals and Plants are in the Tropical Rainforest?

There are thousands of animals and plants in the tropical rainforest, following list gives you the tropical rainforest animals:

• Jaguar
• Tiger
• Scarlet Macaw
• Sloth
• Orangutan
• Gorilla
• Chimpanzee
• Emerald Tree Boa
• Capybara
• Red Panda
• Red-Eyed Tree Frog

Rainforest Definition: What Defines a Rainforest?

A rainforest is a dense forest with tall trees and abundant rainfall. It has various plants, animals, and insects. Rainforests are important for Earth’s health. They provide oxygen, absorb carbon dioxide, and support biodiversity.

Rainforests are found near the equator. They have high temperatures and humidity. The Amazon Rainforest is the world’s largest tropical rainforest, located in South America. These forests are home to diverse wildlife, including exotic birds, monkeys, and insects. Plants like orchids and ferns thrive in this environment. The trees in rainforests create a canopy, blocking sunlight.

Sadly, rainforests face threats like deforestation and climate change. Human activities harm these ecosystems. Conservation efforts aim to protect rainforests and their inhabitants. It plays a crucial role in maintaining the balance of our planet’s atmosphere and supporting countless species. Preserving rainforests is essential for a sustainable future.

How many tropical rainforests are there in the world?

There are several tropical rainforests worldwide, but the most extensive and well-known ones are found in regions near the equator. The Amazon Rainforest in South America stands as the largest, followed by the Congo Rainforest in Africa and the Southeast Asian rainforests, including those in Indonesia and Malaysia.

Additionally, there are smaller tropical rainforests in Central America, the Caribbean, and Australia. These lush ecosystems are characterized by high biodiversity, featuring a wide array of plant and animal species. The exact number of tropical rainforests can vary based on definitions and classifications, but they collectively contribute significantly to global biodiversity and climate regulation.

Characteristics of a Tropical Rainforest

The following are the main characteristics of tropical forests:

• Tropical forests are located in the tropical and subtropical regions of the planet.
• Rich in species diversity of flora and fauna;
• There is a large amount of precipitation here.
• Tropical forests are under threat from logging for timber, agriculture, and livestock grazing.
• The structure of a tropical forest consists of four layers (forest floor, understory, canopy, and overstory).

10 Animals That Live in the Rainforest

Tropical Rainforest Animals:

Here’s a list of 10 tropical rainforest animals that live in the rainforest as per their habitat and are not generally seen:

Jaguar

The Jaguar (Panthera onca) is the largest cat species in the Americas and the third largest in the world after the lion and tiger. 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 of the ecosystem in which it lives.

Tiger

The largest modern cat: the weight of the largest male Amur and Bengal tigers exceeds 300 kg, which is purely Asian. It lives in a wide variety of landscapes and climatic zones, including the tropical forests of Hindustan, Indochina, and Indonesia. One of their favorite things is that they love water and bathe regularly. It climbs trees in childhood only.

Scarlet Macaw

One of the most iconic species of rainforest animal, the Scarlet Macaw is a striking, large parrot with bright red plumage and brilliant blue and yellow wing feathers. Its powerful beak can open hard nuts and seeds. Scarlet macaws are one of the few species that mate for life.

Sloth

The slow-moving sloth, weighing only 3.5–4 kilograms, lives exclusively in trees, feeding on leaves, branches, and fruit. It moves so slowly that its fur takes on a green tint from the algae that grows on it.

Orangutan

The name “orangutan” comes from the Indonesian language and means forest person. For the inhabitants of trees with red fur, it was hardly possible to come up with a more suitable name. Hominids spend most of their lives in trees and only occasionally descend to the ground. Their physique, with long arms and strong fingers and toes, is ideally suited to their lifestyle and helps them climb branches and trees.

Gorilla

Mountain gorillas are the largest living primates on earth! Along with chimpanzees, orangutans, and bonobos, they are the closest living relatives of humans, and mountain gorillas have the most developed brains of the four ape species. They live mainly on the lush mountain slopes of the national parks of Rwanda, Uganda, and the Democratic Republic of the Congo in Central Africa. Mountain gorillas live in groups of about 30 members, with one dominant male leader.

Chimpanzee

Chimpanzee is a species of great ape native to the forests and savannahs of tropical Africa. The chimpanzee lives in groups that range in size from 15 to 150 members, although individuals travel and forage in much smaller groups during the day. The species lives in a strict male-dominated hierarchy, where disputes are generally settled without the need for violence.

Emerald Tree Boa

The emerald tree boa is a non-venomous species of boa that is considered one of the most beautiful snakes in the world. They are known for their mysterious emerald coloration, from which they get their name, and are often confused with the green tree python. These snakes are scattered throughout the northern rainforests of the South American continent and are also known as the Green Tree Boa or simply the Emerald Boa. This species is not dangerous to humans and is quite popular in the animal trade.

Capybara

Bearing a strong resemblance to its cousin (the guinea pig), the capybara is the largest rodent on earth, weighing over 45 kilograms and standing about 60 centimeters tall. It lives in dense vegetation along the banks of water bodies and often jumps into bodies of water to hide from predators. They can hold their breath for up to five minutes.

Red Panda

The Red Panda is a rare mammal with a crepuscular lifestyle that lives in China, northern Burma, Bhutan, Nepal, and northeast India. These are rather small creatures, comparable in size to a domestic cat: body length: 50–64 cm, tail length: 28–48 cm, and weight: about 5 kg. Red pandas live on average 8–10 years.

Red-Eyed Tree Frog

The red-eyed tree frog usually lives in lowland tropical forests that are located near a certain body of water (rivers, lakes, etc.). As an “arboreal amphibian,” the red-eyed tree frog typically lives in trees and tall deciduous plants. They spend most of their tadpole stage in the water, migrating to trees only as they mature and age.

Why are there so many animals that live in the rainforest?

Almost all species of large mammals and amphibians live in tropical forests. There is always enough moisture and warmth here, so for them, it is a real paradise. All tropical rainforest animals are distinguished by their bright colors, since spots and stripes are the best camouflage in the dense jungle.

The inhabitants of the tropical forest can safely include animals that, as a rule, live in trees; these are mainly marmoset monkeys and cebids. There are few ungulates among them: small-horned deer and baker pigs, but there are many reptiles and amphibians.

Lemurs, considered relatives of monkeys, live exclusively on the island of Madagascar and the neighboring Comoros Islands, which separated from Africa more than 100 million years ago. Unhurried sloths hang upside down on branches all the time because it is more convenient for them to eat leaves.

Rainforest Animal Facts for Kids

• Tropical rainforests are forests with high rainfall levels.
• Scientists believe that tropical forests may contain millions of species of plants and insects that have yet to be discovered.
• More than 25% of natural medicines have been discovered in tropical forests.
• Tropical forests used to cover 14% of the Earth’s surface, but due to deforestation, they now cover only about 6%.
• Rainforests are home to a wide variety of animals, including birds, snakes, insects, jaguars, pumas, chameleons, turtles, frogs, and many more.
• There are two types of rainforests: temperate and tropical.
• Temperate rainforests are found in the temperate zones (between the tropics and arctic circles) of the globe. They are found in several regions scattered around the world, such as western North America, southeastern Australia, and New Zealand.
• Rainforests lie in the tropics (about 28 degrees north or south of the equator). They are found in many areas near the equator, such as Asia, Africa, Central America, and the Pacific Islands.
• The Amazon Rainforest is the world’s largest tropical rainforest.

Conclusion

Tropical forests have great biodiversity. It is estimated that almost half of the species on the planet live in this ecosystem. We can find tropical forests of this type in areas near the Equator, in South America, in Africa, in some islands of Southeast Asia, in Mexico, in Central America, in Madagascar, in Indochina, or in northwest Australia. These forests are home to fascinating and varied animals. In conclusion, Amazon rain forests are the largest rain forests in the world. In the above article, we have provided complete information about tropical rainforests.

FAQs: Tropical Rainforest: Animals and Plants of the Rain Forest

1. Where are tropical rainforests located?

Tropical rainforests are primarily located near the equator, spanning regions in South America, Africa, Southeast Asia, Central America, the Caribbean, and parts of Australia.

2. What is tropical rainforest precipitation?

Tropical rainforest precipitation is characterized by heavy and frequent rainfall throughout the year, often exceeding 100 inches annually. This consistent downpour sustains the lush vegetation and diverse ecosystems within these regions.

3. Which are tropical rainforest animals?

Some tropical rainforest animals include the jaguar, poison dart frog, and toucan, showcasing the rich biodiversity.

4. Which are some tropical rainforest plants?

Plants like the orchid, bromeliad, and giant fern contribute to the vibrant and varied flora of tropical rainforests.