Types of animals in the rainforest

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Types of animals in the Rainforest

Learn about the types of animals in the Rainforest. They have adapted to their environment. The Rainforest has 4 layers:

• Forest Floor
• Understory layer
• Canopy layer
• Emergent layer

Find out some examples from the rainforest from Central and South America, Asia, Africa, and Australia. Write down in this template some of their characteristics and do some research to find out which rainforest layer they live in.

Animals of the Rainforest

Identify how rainforest animals have adapted to live in this unique environment.


Rainforests in Central America, Amazon, Asia, Africa, and Australia cover about 6% of our earth's surface, but they are the home ground for more than half of the species of animals in the world.

Australia

Koala

The Koala

is a marsupial often mistaken for a bear due to its large and furry stout body.

Which layer of the rainforest does the Koala belong to?

The rainforest has 4 main layers:

• Forest floor - very dark, plants deteriorate quickly due to the lack of sun;
• Understory layer - plants with big leaves so that they can reach the sun, large concentration of insects;
• Canopy layer - primary layer on top of the first two, a mix of leaves and branches, many animals live here;
• Emergent layer - formed by the tallest trees, hardwood trees with broad leaves, plenty of sun.

What traits did the Koala develop

to adjust to its habitat? Type in the answers.

Example: to survive the occasional flooding in its environment, the koala has developed the instincts of swimming and jumping from tree to tree.

Rainbow Lorikeet

The Rainbow Lorikeet

is the most strikingly colored bird of the over 300 parrot species found in SW Pacific.

Which layer of the rainforest does the Rainbow Lorikeet belong to?


The rainforest has 4 main layers:

• Forest floor - very dark, plants deteriorate quickly due to the lack of sun;
• Understory layer - plants with big leaves so that they can reach the sun, large concentration of insects;
• Canopy layer - primary layer on top of the first two, a mix of leaves and branches, many animals live here;
• Emergent layer - formed by the tallest trees, hardwood trees with broad leaves, plenty of sun.

What traits did the Rainbow Lorikeet develop in order to adjust to its habitat? Type in the answers.

Example: Climbing from branch to branch is their way of life. Being 'zygodactyl' helps them climb easily, giving them the ability to better grasp on to branches.

Africa

Black Colobus Monkey

The Black Colobus Monkey


is among the most endangered primate species in Africa.

What layer of the rainforest does the Black Colobus Monkey belong to?


The rainforest has 4 main layers:

• Forest floor - very dark, plants deteriorate quickly due to the lack of sun;
• Understory layer - plants with big leaves so that they can reach the sun, large concentration of insects;
• Canopy layer - primary layer on top of the first two, a mix of leaves and branches, many animals live here;
• Emergent layer - formed by the tallest trees, hardwood trees with broad leaves, plenty of sun.

What traits did the Black Colobus develop


in order to adjust to its habitat? Type in the answers.

Example: it has no thumbs since it has to leap through the forest habitat, and the chances of thumb injuries are very high.

Madagascar Hissing Coackroach

The Madagascar Hissing Cockroach

has become famous because of its bizarre way of producing sounds. This cockroach makes a hissing sound by pushing air through tiny holes in its body.

Which layer of the rainforest does the Madagascar Hissing Cockroach belong to?


The rainforest has 4 main layers:

• Forest floor - very dark, plants deteriorate quickly due to the lack of sun;
• Understory layer - plants with big leaves so that they can reach the sun, large concentration of insects;
• Canopy layer - primary layer on top of the first two, a mix of leaves and branches, many animals live here;
• Emergent layer - formed by the tallest trees, hardwood trees with broad leaves, plenty of sun.

What characteristics did this coackroach develop

in order to adjust to the environment it is living in? Type in the answers.

Example: it is dark-colored, which makes its camouflage with the dirt and leaves a whole lot easier.

Asia

Silvery Gibbon

The Silvery Gibbon

can only be found on the island of Java, Indonesia. Due to their isolated location, it is estimated that less than 2000 Silvery Gibbons are currently living in their natural habitat.

What layer of the rainforest does the Silvery Gibbon belong to?


The rainforest has 4 main layers:

• Forest floor - very dark, plants deteriorate quickly due to the lack of sun;
• Understory layer - plants with big leaves so that they can reach the sun, large concentration of insects;
• Canopy layer - primary layer on top of the first two, a mix of leaves and branches, many animals live here;
• Emergent layer - formed by the tallest trees, hardwood trees with broad leaves, plenty of sun.

What characteristics did the gibbon develop to adjust to its environment?

Example: The Silvery Gibbon has long arms that help it swing easily through the branches.

Indian Cobra

The Indian Cobra

is the world's most lethal species of cobra. It lives in the forests of India, Pakistan, Nepal, Sri Lanka, Bhutan and Bangladesh.

Which layer of the rainforest does the Indian Cobra belong to?


The rainforest has 4 main layers:

• Forest floor - very dark, plants deteriorate quickly due to the lack of sun;
• Understory layer - plants with big leaves so that they can reach the sun, large concentration of insects;
• Canopy layer - primary layer on top of the first two, a mix of leaves and branches, many animals live here;
• Emergent layer - formed by the tallest trees, hardwood trees with broad leaves, plenty of sun.

What characteristics did the Indian Cobra develop?

Type in the traits that this animal developed in order to adapt to its habitat.

Example: it has patterned, circular lines on the back which creates an optical illusion. This way, it becomes more difficult to spot the Indian Cobra in its natural habitat.

Central and South America

Sloth

The Sloth

is an extremely slow-moving mammal found in the rainforests of Central and South America.

Which layer of the rainforest does the sloth live in?

The rainforest has 4 main layers:

• Forest floor - very dark, plants deteriorate quickly due to the lack of sun;
• Understory layer - plants with big leaves so that they can reach the sun, large concentration of insects;
• Canopy layer - primary layer on top of the first two, a mix of leaves and branches, many animals live here;
• Emergent layer - formed by the tallest trees, hardwood trees with broad leaves, plenty of sun.

What characteristics did the sloth develop in order to adjust to the environment it is living in? Type in the answers.

Example: it has huge, hooked claws and strong, long arms that allow it to hang upside-down from trees.

Toucan

The Toucan

is one of the most important species in the rainforest because it spreads the seeds of the fruits and plants that it eats, therefore contributing to plant biodiversity.

Forest Layer

Which layer of the rainforest does the toucan belong to?

The rainforest has 4 main layers:

• Forest floor - very dark, plants deteriorate quickly due to the lack of sun;
• Understory layer - plants with big leaves so that they can reach the sun, large concentration of insects;
• Canopy layer - primary layer on top of the first two, a mix of leaves and branches, many animals live here;
• Emergent layer - formed by the tallest trees, hardwood trees with broad leaves, plenty of sun.

Characteristics

Characteristic

What characteristics did the toucan develop while trying to adapt to this unique environment? Type in as many characteristics as you can find.

Example: Sharp, saw-like bill that helps it crack the nuts, berries and other fruits that it eats.