Forests having a high annual rainfall between 250 and 450 centimeters are termed as Rain forests. Rain forests are of 2 types – Tropical rain forest and Temperate rain forest. Rain forests include 40 percent to 75 percent of the biotic species on earth. The rain forests are a treasure containing millions of animals, plants, insects, microorganisms etc. As you have landed up on this article, you would be curious to know – What animals live in the rain forest?
Where Are The Rain forests Located?
Rain forests cover about 6% of the earth’s surface. Rain forests occur in the tropical regions of the globe. They are spread over Central America, the Amazon, Central Africa, Southern Asia and Australasia.
What Are Common Characteristics Of The Animals In Rain forests?
Rain forests are a home to various types of animals and they have some characteristics that resemble. They are adapted to living with lots of trees. Their food habits depend a lot on fruits. They have developed loud vocalizations. Most of them have bright colors and precise patterns.
What Animals Live In The Rain forests?
Like all other food webs, even the rain forests have more plant eaters than the meat eaters. Rain forests have mammals like jaguars and sloths, birds like toucans and parrots, amphibians like toads and frogs, reptiles like lizards and snake, worms, arachnids like ticks and spiders, insects like beetles and butterflies.
Where Do Different Animals Live In The Rain forests?
In any type of ecosystem, animals show interdependence and co-existence. Different animals live in different strata of the rain forest. Generally, large animals live on the floor, while birds live in the canopy and tops of tall trees. Animals like sloths and monkeys live in the trees and are called ‘arboreal’. Insects are found in all the strata.
How Do The Animals In The Rain forest Protect Themselves From Predators?
- Camouflage – When an animal changes its skin color to blend into its environment, it is called Camouflage. When they are still, most of the camouflaging animals appear to be invisible, virtually. Sloth uses a different kind of camouflaging technique. It is covered with greenish algae. Moreover, it moves very slowly. So it is very hard to spot a sloth, in a rain forest.
- Hiding – Many of the animals hide from their predators by entering in burrows or hollows of the trees. They can also hide under leaves and rocks.
- Mimicry or Warning colors – Some poisonous animals show flashy patterns and bright colors. This is a defense method for them. On eating a member of that particular species, the predator will fall sick. Next time, it will not make any other animal, of the same species, its prey. Though some animals are sacrificed in this method, it protects an entire group from predation, in future. Some animals just mimic poisonous butterflies and save themselves from becoming a prey. This is called mimicry.
- Creating a fear – Some animals try to show such body patterns that they appear bigger than their predators. Thus, the predators are scared and will not try to consume those animals. For example, wings of butterfly have a pattern like an eye of huge animal. This lets the predator believe that it is the head of an animal bigger than itself and it will not try to harm the butterfly.
Now, let us discuss about some animals in the rain forest:
- Chimpanzees
Chimpanzees have a height ranging from 3 to 5 feet. They do not have a tail, but have a white tail tuft. They eat fruits and new leaves. They also eat termites and ants, occasionally. In very rare instances, they eat small monkeys, antelopes or pigs. Chimps are declared endangered species.
- Bengal Tiger
Bengal tiger is found in Sunderbans in India, China, Bangladesh, Indonesia and Siberia. It is a carnivorous animal which will feed on other animals in the forest. Bengal Tigers are poached because of medicinal properties in their body parts. Their population has decreased and they are declared endangered.
- African Forest Elephants
These elephants have straight tusks. They are poached because of ivory. The continuous logging is also a threat for their survival.
- Dawn Bat
Dawn bat is found in Southeast Asian Rain forest. They have small and pointed ears and round and tiny eyes. They are nocturnal. They feed on nectar and pollens of nocturnal plant species. Some of the plants also depend on bats for pollination.
- Harpy Eagle
It is one of the most powerful species of the eagles. It is found in Central and South America. It is an endangered species due to its loss of habitat and shooting.
King Cobra is found in Southeast Asian rain forests. No snakes except King Cobra will build a nest and guard the eggs until they are hatched. It eats other snakes.
- Linne’s Sloth
Linn’s Sloth is an omnivorous animal. It moves very slowly.
- Proboscis Monkey
It is found only on the island of Borneo, in Southeast Asia. It has a large and fleshy nose. They live near the mangroves.
- Slender Loris
It is a nocturnal animal. It is small in size. It is found in Southern India and Sri Lanka. They eat lots of bad smelling insects.
- Sumatra Rhinoceros
They are found in the rainforests of Malaysia and Indonesia. They are the only Asian rhinoceros that have two horns. They are critically endangered species.
- Vampire Bats
Vampire bats look like pigs that have large pointed ears and fangs. They drink the blood of mammals and birds. Farmers kill the usually because they are carriers of rabies and they infect the cattle and humans.
Hope you have got sufficient information about animals that live in rainforest, through this article. If you have any query or suggestions, feel free to drop them in the comment box.
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