African rainforest fauna. Rainforest Animals What animals live in the rainforest

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

1. Toucans
Toucans can be found in South and Central America under rainforest canopies. During sleep, toucans turn their heads and place their beaks under their wings and tail. Toucans are very important to the rainforest because they help spread the seeds from the fruits and berries they eat. There are about 40 various kinds toucans, but unfortunately some species are endangered. The two main threats to the existence of toucans are the loss of their habitat and the growing demand in the commercial pet market.
They vary in size from about 15 centimeters to just over two meters. Large, colorful, light beaks - here distinctive features toucans. it noisy birds with his loud and raspy voices.

2. Flying dragons.
Tree lizards, so-called flying dragons, actually glide from tree to tree on their skin flaps, which 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 torsos, but they can open up to allow the lizard to glide for many meters in an almost horizontal state. The flying dragon feeds on insects, in particular ants. For reproduction, the flying dragon descends to the ground and lays 1 to 4 eggs in the soil.

3. Bengal tigers
The Bengal tiger lives in the Sundarbans regions of India, Bangladesh, China, Siberia and Indonesia, and is seriously endangered. Today at wild nature about 4000 individuals remained, while at the turn of the century in 1900 there were more than 50 thousand. Poaching and habitat loss are the two main reasons for the declining numbers of Bengal tigers. They have not been able to adapt to harsh conditions despite being a dominant species. Tigers, also known as the Royal Bengal Tiger, which is a subspecies of the 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.

4. South American harpies.
One of the largest and most powerful of the fifty species of eagles in the world - South American harpies live in the tropical lowland forests of Central and South America: from southern Mexico south to eastern Bolivia, and southern Brazil to northern regions Argentina. This is a disappearing view. The main threat to its existence is habitat loss due to constant deforestation, destruction of nesting and hunting grounds.

5. Dart 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. Frog 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 human. 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, from which the frog got its name in English language Poison-Arrow Frog (frog poisoned arrow).

6. Sloths
Sloths are extremely slow mammals, which 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 about 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 lead night image life and sleep curled up with their heads between their arms and legs turned close together.

7 Spider Monkeys
Spider monkeys have big sizes. adult monkey can grow to 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 paws, which makes them look like spiders, where they get their name from. Also, these monkeys can 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 of 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...

8. Wine snakes.
Only about a centimeter in diameter, wine snakes are a surprisingly "slim", elongated species. If the snake lies among the branches of forest trees, its proportions and green-brown color make it almost indistinguishable from dense creepers and vines. The head of a snake, 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 in danger, it inflates the front of the body, opening bright color, which, as a rule, is usually hidden, and opens its mouth wide.

9. Capybaras
The capybara spends a lot of time in the water and is an excellent swimmer and a diver. She has webbed toes on her front and hind feet. When she swims, only her eyes, ears and nostrils are visible above the water. Capybaras feed on 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 often disturbed, capybaras may 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.

10. 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 the ground, even on rough and highlands. Tapirs are dark brown in color. Their coat is short, and a mane grows down from the back of the neck. Thanks to the mobile snout, the tapir feeds on leaves, buds, shoots and small branches that the tapir cuts off trees, as well as fruits, herbs and aquatic plants. The female gives birth to one spotted-striped baby after a pregnancy that lasts from 390 to 400 days.

The rainforest is very rich in animals. There are many different kinds of monkeys living in the Amazon and Orinoco basins. In their structure, they differ from the Old World monkeys living in Africa and India. Old world monkeys are called narrow-nosed, American monkeys are called broad-nosed. A long tenacious tail helps the monkeys deftly climb trees. The spider monkey has a particularly long and tenacious tail. Another monkey, the howler monkey, wraps its tail around the branch and holds it like a hand. Howler was named for its powerful, obnoxious voice.

The strongest predator rainforest- jaguar. This is a large yellow cat with black spots on the skin. She is good at climbing trees.

America's other big cat is the cougar. It is common in North America to Canada, in South America it is found in the steppes to Patagonia. The cougar is colored yellowish gray and somewhat resembles a lion (without a mane); this is probably why it is called the American lion.

Near reservoirs in the thicket of the forest you can meet an animal that resembles a little horse and even more - a rhinoceros. The animal reaches 2 m in length. His muzzle is elongated, as if elongated into a trunk. This is an American tapir. He, like a pig, loves to wallow in puddles.

Coypu lives on lakes in reed beds on the plains of Patagonia and on the mountain slopes of the Andes - swamp beaver, or coipu, - large rodent the size of our river beaver. The life of a nutria is connected with water. Nutria feeds on succulent roots aquatic plants, arranges nests from reeds and reeds. animal gives valuable fur. The nutria was transferred to Soviet Union and released in the swampy thickets of Transcaucasia. They have acclimatized and breed well. However, they suffer greatly during the cold winters that occur in Azerbaijan and Armenia, when the lakes freeze.

Unadapted to life in freezing reservoirs, nutria, diving under the ice, do not find a way out. At the same time, their habitats become accessible to reed cats and jackals that walk across the ice to nests of nutrias.

Armadillos, sloths and anteaters live in the forests of South America.

The body of the armadillo is covered with a shell, a bit reminiscent of a turtle shield. The shell consists of two layers: inside it is bony, outside - horny - and is divided into belts, movably connected to each other. Lives in Guiana and Brazil giant armadillo. The largest of the armadillos reach one and a half meters in length. Armadillos live in deep burrows and come out to prey only at night. They feed on termites, ants and various small animals.

Sloths have a monkey-like face. The long limbs of these animals are armed with large sickle-shaped claws. They got their name for slowness and slowness. The dull greenish-gray protective coloration of the sloth reliably hides it from the eyes of the enemy in the branches of trees. The color of the sloth is given by green algae that live in its rough and shaggy coat. This is one of the great examples of the cohabitation of animal and plant organisms.

Several species of anteaters are found in the forests of South America. The average anteater is very interesting - tamandua, with a tenacious tail. It runs superbly along sloping trunks and climbs trees, looking for ants and other insects.

Marsupials in the forests of Brazil are eared and water opossums. The water opossum, or swimmer, lives near rivers and lakes. It differs from the eared one in color and swimming membranes on the hind legs.

There are many in South America bats various types. Among them are blood-sucking leaf-beetles that attack horses and mules, and vampires.

Despite their sinister name, vampires feed exclusively on insects and plant fruits.

Of the birds of great interest is the hoatzin. It's brightly colored, pretty large bird with a big crest on his head. The nest of the hoatzin is placed above the water, in the branches of trees or thickets of shrubs. Chicks are not afraid to fall into the water: they swim and dive well. Hoatzin chicks have long claws on the first and second fingers of the wing, which help them climb branches and branches. It is curious that the adult hoatzin loses the ability to quickly move through the trees.

Studying the structure and lifestyle of hoatzin chicks, scientists came to the conclusion that the ancestors of birds also climbed trees. After all, the fossil first bird (Archaeopteryx) had long fingers with claws on the wings.

There are over 160 species of parrots in the rainforests of South America. The most famous are green Amazonian parrots. They are good at speaking.

Only in one country - in America - live the smallest birds - hummingbirds. These are unusually bright and beautifully colored fast-flying birds, some of them the size of a bumblebee. There are over 450 species of hummingbirds. They, like insects, hover around flowers, sucking flower juice with a thin beak and tongue. In addition, hummingbirds also feed on small insects.

There are many different snakes and lizards in the rainforests. Among them are boas, or boa, anaconda, reaching 11 m in length, bushmaster - 4 m in length. Many snakes, due to the protective coloration of the skin, are hardly noticeable among the forest greenery.

There are especially many lizards in the tropical rainforest. Big broad-toed geckos are sitting on the trees. Among other species of lizards, the most interesting is the iguana, which lives both in trees and on the ground. This lizard has a very beautiful emerald green color. She eats plant foods.

Lives in the forests of Brazil and Guiana big frog- Surinamese pipa. It is interesting in a special way of reproduction. The eggs laid by the female are distributed by the male on the back of the female. Each egg falls into a separate cell. In the future, the skin grows, and the cells close. The frogs develop on the back of the female; when they grow up, they leave the cells. Nutrients necessary for frogs during development are transferred from the mother's body by blood vessels branching in the walls of skin cells.

in the rivers tropical America found big fish- electric eel, which has special electrical organs. With electric shocks, the eel stuns its prey and scares away its enemies.

In many rivers of South America lives unusually predatory fish- piranha, 30 cm long. In her strong jaws sit sharp, like knives, teeth. If you lower a piece of meat into the river, piranhas immediately appear from the depths and instantly tear it apart. Piranhas feed on fish, attack ducks and domestic animals that inadvertently entered the river. Even such people suffer from piranhas large animals like tapirs. Fish damage lips drinking water animals. Piranhas are also dangerous to humans.

In tropical forests, the world of insects is diverse. Very large diurnal butterflies are numerous. They are very beautiful and richly colored, varied in shape and size. Brazil has over 700 species diurnal butterflies, and in Europe there are no more than 150 species.

Ants are very numerous. Penetrating into human dwellings, they eat his reserves and thereby cause significant harm. Umbrella ants live in underground galleries. They feed their larvae with mushroom mold, which is grown on finely chopped foliage. Ants bring pieces of leaves to the anthill, moving along strictly constant paths.

AT tropical zone South America has a lot of spiders. Among them, the largest is the tarantula. Its size is more than 5 cm. Lizards, frogs, insects serve as food for it; apparently, it also attacks small birds. The same large earthen spiders are found in New Guinea and Java.

Elephants, a variety of monkeys, okapi, an animal related to the giraffe, live in the tropical forests of Africa; in the rivers - hippos and crocodiles. The great apes are the gorillas and chimpanzees. The gorilla is a very large monkey, the growth of males reaches 2 m, weight - 200 kg. They live in the most deaf, inaccessible parts of the rainforest and in the mountains. Gorillas make their lair in trees or on the ground in dense thickets. Gorillas are heavily exterminated by man and are now preserved only in two areas of the tropical forests of Africa - south of Cameroon to the river. Congo and in the country of lakes Victoria and Tanganyika.

Chimpanzees are smaller than gorillas. An adult male is not higher than 1.5 m. They live in families, but sometimes they gather in small herds. Descending from trees, chimpanzees walk on the ground, leaning on their hands clenched into fists.

There are many species of monkeys in the tropical forests of Africa. The fur of these long-tailed little monkeys is greenish in color. Of interest are fingerless monkeys (colobus), which lack thumb on hands. The most beautiful of these monkeys is the Gverets. She lives in Ethiopia and in the forests to the west of that country. Macaques, related to African monkeys, live in tropical Asia.

Dog-headed monkeys - baboons - are very characteristic of the African continent. They live in the mountains of Africa.

The fauna of Madagascar has some peculiarities. So, for example, lemurs live on this island. Their body is covered with thick fur. Some have fluffy tails. The muzzles of lemurs are more animal than monkey; hence they are called semi-monkeys.

There are many different types of parrots in the rainforests of Africa. The most famous gray parrot is a jaco, which imitates the human voice very well.

Crocodiles have been preserved in large numbers in places. They are especially fond of rivers, the banks of which are overgrown with dense tropical forest. Nile crocodile reaches 7 m in length.

Large, up to 6 m long, boas - pythons live in the forests of Africa.

Among the fish, the lungfish protopterus, which inhabits muddy lakes and swamps, attracts attention. These fish, in addition to gills, have lungs that they breathe during a drought. The lungfish lepidosiren lives in South America, and the ceratodes live in Australia.

In the humid dense forests of the islands of Sumatra and Borneo (Kalimantan), the orangutan ape lives. This is a large monkey, covered with coarse red hair. Adult males grow large beards.

Close to the great apes, the gibbon is smaller in size than the orangutan, its body length is 1 m. The gibbon is distinguished by long limbs; with their help, swinging on the branches, he very easily jumps from tree to tree. Gibbons live on the island of Sumatra, on the Malay Peninsula and in the mountain forests of Burma.

A variety of macaques live in the forests of the Greater Sunda Islands - Sumatra and Borneo - and in Eastern India. The nosed monkey lives on the island of Borneo. Her nose is long, almost proboscis-shaped. In older animals, especially in males, the nose is much longer than in young monkeys.

In the forests of India and on the nearest large islands, it is often found Indian elephant. Since ancient times, it has been tamed by man and used in various jobs.

The well-known common Indian rhinoceros- the largest one-horned rhinoceros.

In Asia, a relative of American tapirs lives - the black-backed tapir. It reaches 2 m in height. His back is light, and other parts of the body are covered with short black hair.

Among the predators of southern Asia, the Bengal tiger is the most famous. Most tigers survived in India, Indochina, on the islands of Sumatra and Java.

The tiger is a twilight animal; he hunts for large ungulates. A tiger, in the event of a hunter, illness or headman being wounded by an unsuccessful shot, or in general for any reason who has lost the ability to hunt ungulates that make up his main food, attacks people, becomes a "cannibal".

We have tigers in Transcaucasia, Central Asia, Primorye and in the south of the Ussuri Territory.

The leopard is distributed in southern Asia, in the forests of the Greater Sunda Islands and in Japan. It is found in the Caucasus, in the mountains of Central Asia and in Primorye. We call him a bar. Leopard attacks domestic animals; he is cunning, bold, and dangerous to humans. On the Greater Sunda Islands, black leopards are often found; they are called black panthers.

South Asia is home to the sloth bear and the Malay bear, the Biruang. Gubach is a large, heavy beast, armed with long claws, allowing him to climb trees well. The color of his fur is black, on the chest there is a large White spot. Its large lips are mobile, they can be stretched out with a tube, and with a long tongue the bear takes out insects from the cracks of trees. Gubach lives in tropical forests on the peninsula of Hindustan and on the island of Ceylon. It feeds on plants, fruits, berries, insects, bird eggs and small animals.

At Malayan bear the fur is short, black. It spends most of its life in trees, feeding on fruits and insects.

There are many birds in tropical Asia. One of the most beautiful is considered a peacock living in the wild in Java, Ceylon and Indochina.

In the forests of the Sunda Islands, in Ceylon and in India, banking, or bush, chickens live - wild ancestors domestic chickens, many types of pheasants and other chickens.

The waters of South Asia are inhabited by long-snouted crocodiles - gharials. They live in r. Ganges.

On the Malacca peninsula, a reticulated python snake is found, reaching 10 m in length.

There are many in the forests of India poisonous snakes, from the bites of which a large number of people suffer every year. The most dangerous cobra, or spectacle snake. She got her name from the spots on the back of her head that look like glasses.

The tropics are inhabited by many amphibians, or amphibians. Among them is the Javan flying frog. Strongly developed webs between the toes of the front and hind paws allow it to jump from one tree to another when planning.

Having become acquainted with the distribution of animals on the globe, it is easy to see that on different continents similar animals live under similar living conditions. Some species have adapted to life in the tundra, others in the steppes and deserts, and others in the mountains and forests. Each continent has its own animal world- species of animals that live only on a given continent. Especially in this regard, the animal world of Australia is peculiar, which we will consider below.

Studying the past of the Earth from the fossil remains of animals that once inhabited the continents and islands, scientists came to the conclusion that the composition of the fauna, that is, the animal world, has continuously changed in all geological epochs. Connections arose between the continents; For example, between Asia and North America there was a connection. Animals that inhabited Asia may have entered the Americas; therefore, in the fauna of America and Asia, we still see a lot of similarities at the present time. Geological history Earth helps to clarify some features in the distribution of animals on the continents. Thus, the remains of marsupials are found in the ancient layers of the earth in Europe and America. Nowadays, these marsupials live only in Australia and only a few species in America. Consequently, earlier marsupials on the globe were much more widespread. This confirms the opinion of geologists about the connection that existed between these continents.

Having studied the composition of the animal world of individual continents and islands, scientists have divided Earth into areas characterized by species of animals found only in this area.

The main areas are as follows: Australian, Neotropical (Southern and Central America), Ethiopian (Africa), Eastern, or Indo-Malayan, Holarctic ( North Asia, Europe and North America).

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There are many different animals in the tropical forests, it will not be possible to pay attention to everyone, so we will focus on the most prominent representatives tropical jungle living all over the planet.

Animals of the American tropics

Let's get acquainted with tropical fauna from the forests of South America, here the most strong predator is a jaguar. A yellow large cat in black spots perfectly climbs trees and inspires fear in all local inhabitants. The plains of Patagonia are rich in lakes, on which reeds grow in abundance, it is here that nutria with koipu marsh beavers live. These animals of the tropics eat the succulent roots of aquatic plants, and equip their nests with reeds and reeds.

Tropical monkeys from around the world

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

The most beautiful representative of these monkeys is the Gverets living in Ethiopia. Direct relatives of African monkeys are macaques that live in tropical Asian forests. Characteristic representatives of the African tropics are baboons, which live mainly in the highlands.

Animals living in the tropics of Madagascar have certain characteristics, for example, lemurs, whose body is covered with thick fur, some of them are happy owners fluffy tails. Their faces resemble animals rather than monkeys, for this reason they are referred to as semi-monkeys.

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

It is covered with red coarse hair, and adult males wear a large beard. The gibbon is 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 originality and originality, each species is unique.

African equatorial forests occupy flat and mountainous areas. Mountain forests are shrouded in clouds that maintain high humidity. Therefore, they are also called cloud forests. In the tropical forests of Africa live the world's largest monkeys - gorillas. There are only two populations of gorillas: the lowland, or land, gorillas that live in the western lowland forests, and the mountain gorillas that inhabit the eastern mountain forests. Gorillas belong to the great apes. These are huge animals, the males of which reach 2 m in height and can weigh up to 300 kg. Despite their intimidating appearance, they are peaceful vegetarians. Gorillas live in family groups of 5 to 15 individuals: several females and young ones. The head of the group is an adult male (he can be recognized by his silvery back). The leader takes care of the whole pack, and if for some reason he dies, then the rest of the group may die with him, having lost 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 off the attacker without engaging in a fight, roar, beat their chests with their fists and break branches with a loud crack. In the same way, young males sort things out among themselves.

The fauna of the African rainforests differs from the savannas in the absence of large predators. (The exception is the leopard). The inhabitants of the rainforests are much smaller than their relatives living in the savannahs. So, for example, duikers are slightly bigger than a hare, the pygmy hippopotamus is two times smaller than usual, and the okapi - a relative of giraffes - is significantly inferior to them in growth.

Okapi, which lives only in forests, does not need long neck, like a giraffe, because he can pluck shoots, leaves and anodes not high from the ground. The color of the okapi also bears little resemblance to its relative, the large ears give it a somewhat comical appearance, but help to better capture forest sounds. Interestingly, the okapi tongue is so long that it can reach the ear.

In dense thickets on the banks of the rivers live miniature African deer, the size of domestic cat. They are relatives of deer, cats do not have horns and lead a completely different lifestyle. These animals live near the water and are excellent swimmers. 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 leaving the 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 a ladder. Deer are in the trees and hide during the day.

Several species of hyrax 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 studies have revealed their distant relationship with elephants. Tree hyraxes live in the forests, able to climb trees perfectly, jumping from branch to branch in search of food. Damans feed on plants and insects. Tree hyraxes are solitary, unlike mountain hyraxes, which live in small colonies.

In the rainforests you can meet an animal that looks like fir cone. This mammal from the squad of lizards is called the pangolin. Pangolins have much in common with armadillos, since, according to scientists, they descended from the same ancestors. The body of the pangolin is covered with horny scales that protect it from predators: the pangolin, like the armadillo, can roll into a ball and feeds on insects. Tree pangolins have a strong prehensile tail, which they use to cling to branches while climbing trees.

Geneta is a mobile predator, a relative of the civet, mongoose and meerkat. Flexible and agile, the genet easily climbs trees, hunting for birds and small mammals. But most Genets spend time on the ground. AT African forests inhabited by great apes. They live in groups of 2 to 20 individuals, headed by an important male. The lifestyle of chimpanzees is generally similar to that of gorillas. However, chimpanzees eat not only plant foods, but also insects and small mammals. Sometimes a group of chimpanzees also attack a fairly large animal. These monkeys even have cases of cannibalism: one monkey can steal a cub from another to eat it. Chimpanzees in their development stand on more than high level than other mammals - they are very smart, communicate with each other using more than 30 different sounds. great apes closest human relatives in the animal kingdom.

In all tiers of the African rainforest, many birds live, some of which are found only here. In Africa, unlike South America, there are not so many parrots, only a few dozen species. The most famous parrot is Jaco, gray color with red undertail. Small nectary birds 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 found by chance.

In terms of the brightness of the color of the bird, banana-eaters, or tura ko, are not inferior to South American parrots. Turaka, which are relatives of cuckoos, live in racks, breaking into pores only during the breeding season. When it rains, banana-eaters can “shed”, as their feathers are covered with a multi-colored powdery substance that dissolves in water. After some time, the brightness of the color is restored. Turaka are poor flyers, preferring to climb trees or glide from branch to branch in search of food, fruit, and small creatures.

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, having folded their wings, sleep. It lives in tree trunks, foliage and forest litter. 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 forest of Africa. Insects such as stick insects, praying mantises and beetles live here. The goliath beetle, the largest beetle in the world, lives in these forests and has become very rare due to collecting. The most colorful representatives of insects are butterflies. In the canopy of the forest fat-headed butterflies, pigeons fly, tropical butterflies, as well as African giant sailboats. Centipedes are ancient arthropods that have lived on Earth for over 500 million years. Living in the forest floor, they crawl out during the leader or at night, feeding on the remains of animals.

In the wet litter of the rainforest live legless amphibians - worms. Outwardly, they are similar to earthworms, although they are relatives of frogs, salamanders and newts. The body length of these amphibians can reach 1.1 meters. Worms feed on soil invertebrates: earthworms, centipedes and others.

None of the Earth's land ecosystems plays such an important role as rain forests. From 50 to 75 percent of all species of the planet's fauna live in these territories, and millions more animals remain undiscovered. Due to the astonishing biodiversity in these habitats, they have become home to several interesting creatures nature.

Jaguar

Jaguars are a real thunderstorm in the rainforests of Central and South America, as they represent the top predators in their family. These are the largest feline of those that inhabit the Americas, and the third largest in the world after tigers and lions. While most cats are known to dislike water, jaguars, like tigers, are an exception. They are perfectly adapted to living in rainforests and feel no worse in the water than on land.

Okapi

This creature resembles a cross between a zebra and an antelope, and is sometimes even mistaken for a unicorn. But okapi, with such a unique appearance, are none of the above beings. Their closest relatives are giraffes.
These cute and graceful animals live in rainforests. Central Africa. They spend most of their time in pastures eating leaves, buds, grass, ferns, and fruit with an unusually long, agile, and sticky tongue. This organ is so dexterous that the animal is able to lick its eyelids, as well as to wash its large ears inside and out.

Amazon river dolphin

The Amazonian river dolphin is one of the five living species of river dolphins on the planet, and also the largest of them. These creatures live in muddy waters the Amazon and Orinoco basins in South America, and are often seen among the trees of flooded forests. In addition, these dolphins are often called pink, as their skin has a pinkish tint in random places.

glass frog

You are not looking at an x-ray now. The skin of these amazing transparent frogs, which can be seen in the rainforests of Central and South America, is so translucent that organs can be seen through it. It is believed that there are more than 150 species of this amazing family of amphibians in the world.

Cassowary

Native to the rainforests of New Guinea and Northeast Australia, these colorful flightless birds look like brightly colored ostriches wearing blade-like hats. They are the third largest birds in the world (after ostriches and emus), and unlike many species of birds, females, rather than males, tend to display brighter plumage.

Igrunka

These little monkeys from the rainforests of South America can be considered the most glorious primates in existence. In reality this smallest monkeys in the world. About 22 species are known to exist, and each one exhibits extravagant variations in fluffy attire. Interestingly, they almost always give birth to twins.

Malayan bear

Malayan bear - smallest view bears in the world. It inhabits tropical rainforests South-East Asia. It is one of only two bear species that have adapted to life in the jungle (the other being the South American spectacled bear), and the only species that lives almost exclusively in trees. This creation features a distinctive orange U-shaped collar on the chest.

Anaconda

The anaconda, which lives in the rainforests and floodplains of South America, is the largest, heaviest and second longest snake in the world. This species has earned a secure place in second-rate horror films. Although not venomous, the anaconda is capable of killing an adult male by squeezing, although such attacks are extremely rare. In part, the achievement of such enormous dimensions is facilitated by semi-aquatic image life, and this snake is known to be an excellent swimmer.

Siamang

Siamangs are black-haired monkeys native to the forests of Southeast Asia, in fact they are largest species gibbons in the world. They are distinguished by a spherical throat pouch which they use to emit loud screams. These sounds are indistinguishable from anything else in the dense jungle, and are meant to mark territorial boundaries between rival groups.

fringed turtle

Probably, it is unlikely that in the world you can find a species of turtles with a more strange appearance. Fringed turtles can be seen in the rainforests of the Amazon and Orinoco basins, they lead a sedentary lifestyle and are characterized by a triangular flattened head and shell. Skin patches hang freely from the neck and head of these reptiles, somewhat reminiscent of wet leaves. In fact, the strange shape of the fringed turtle's shell resembles a piece of tree bark from a distance, which provides the reptile with excellent camouflage.