Student Fact Sheet 2
tropical rainforest animals
Where can you find an animals in rainforests because
antelope the size of a rabbit, a rainforests are the oldest
snake that can fly, or a spider that ecosystems on earth. Some
eats birds? All in tropical rainforests in Southeast Asia have
rainforests, of course! been around for at least 100
million years, when dinosaurs
Tropical rainforests are home
roamed the earth. During the Ice
to the largest and the smallest,
Ages, the last of which ended
the loudest and the quietest of all
about 10,000 years ago, the
land animals, as well as some of
frozen areas of the North and
the most dangerous, most
South Poles spread over much
beautiful, most endearing, and
of the earth, causing a high rate
strangest looking animals on
of animal extinction. But the
earth. You’ve probably heard of
giant freeze did not reach a
some of them: jaguars, toucans,
number of refuges in tropical
parrots, gorillas, and tarantulas
rainforests. Therefore, rainforest
all make their home in tropical
plants and animals continued to
rainforests. But have you ever
evolve, developing into the
heard of the aye-aye? Or the
most diverse and complex
okapi? There are so many
ecosystems on earth.
fascinating animals in
tropical rainforests that The nearly perfect
millions haven’t been studied conditions for life also
or even named yet. In fact, helped contribute to the
about half of all the earth’s great number of
animal species live in tropical species. With
rainforests. temperatures constant at
75 -80 degrees Fahrenheit
year-round, animals don’t
Q: Why do more have to worry about freezing
animal species live during cold winters or finding
in the rainforest shade in the hot summers.
They rarely have to search
than other parts of for water, since rain falls
the world? almost every day in tropical
rainforests.
A: Scientists believe that
there is a great diversity of Some rainforest species
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Student Fact Sheet 2
have populations that number in the millions. These ants don’t eat the leaves they
Other species consist of only a few dozen have collected, but instead bury them
individuals. Living in limited areas, most of underground. The combination of leaves and
these species are endemic, which means substances that the ants produce such as
that they are found nowhere else on earth. saliva allows a type of fungus to grow. This
The Maues marmoset, a species of monkey, fungus is the only food that they need to eat.
wasn’t discovered until recently. Its entire
Azteca ants live on the Swollen Thorn
population lives within a few square miles in
Acacia Tree, which offers the ants everything
the Amazon rainforest. This monkey is so
needed for survival—lodging, water, and
small it could sit in a person’s hand!
food for themselves and their young. In
return, the ants protect the trees from
Q: Which type of rainforest predators. Whenever the ants feel something
species is most numerous? moving at the foot of the tree, they rush to
fiercely fight the intruder. They also protect it
A: If you were to visit a rainforest, you from vines and other competing plants that
probably wouldn’t run into many jaguars or would otherwise strangle it. As a result,
monkeys, but you would see millions of nothing can grow near these trees. They are
insects creeping and crawling around every the only trees with a built-in alarm system.
layer of the rainforest. Azteca ants and the Swollen Thorn Acacia
Tree have the perfect partnership!
There are millions of different species of
invertebrates living in rainforests. One
scientist found 50 different species of ants Q: How do all these species
on a single tree in Peru! You would probably manage to live together
only need a few hours of poking around in a
rainforest to find an insect unknown to without running out of food?
science. You could even name it after A: The constant search for food, water,
yourself! sunlight, and space is a 24-hour pushing
Insects are often beautiful and always and shoving match. With this fierce
fascinating. Have you ever heard of an ant competition, you may be amazed that so
that farms? Or ants that act as security many different species of animals can all live
guards? Leaf-cutter, or parasol ants, can together. But this is actually one of the
rightfully be called the world’s first farmers. reasons that there are so many different
They climb trees up to 100-feet tall and cut species in the rainforest.
out small pieces of leaves. They then carry The main secret lies in the ability of
these fragments, weighing as much as 50 many animals to specialize. They adapt to
times their body weight, back to their homes. eating a specific plant or animal, which few
Sometimes they need to travel 200 feet, equal other species are able to eat. Have you ever
to an average human walking about 6 miles wondered, for instance, why toucans have
with 5,000 pounds on his or her back! The such big beaks? These beaks give them a
forest floor is converted to a maze of busy great advantage over other birds with
highways full of these moving leaf fragments. smaller beaks. The fruits and nuts from
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Student Fact Sheet 2
many trees have evolved with tough shells to Q: How do rainforest animals
protect them from predators. In turn toucans
developed large strong beaks, which serve
protect themselves?
as nutcrackers, allowing the Toucans to A: Every animal has the ability to protect
break the tough shells and eat the nuts itself from being someone’s next meal. Each
inside. species has evolved with its own set of
unique adaptations and ways of surviving.
Q: Do different species of
plants and animals ever help Q: Is it true that dozens of
each other out? animal species a day become
A: Many animals species have
extinct in tropical rainforests?
developed relationships with each other that A: An average of 137 species of life
benefit both species. Birds and mammal forms are driven into extinction every day in
species love to eat the tasty fruits provided the world’s tropical rainforests. Forces of
by trees. Even fish living in the Amazon destruction such as logging, cattle ranching,
River rely on fruits dropped from forest and oil drilling have contributed to the loss of
trees. In turn, the fruit trees depend upon millions of acres of tropical rainforest.
these animals to eat their fruit, which helps Animals and people alike lose their homes
them to spread their seeds to far-off parts of when trees are cut down. These animals are
the forest. given no warning to move— no time to pack
In some cases two species are so their bags—and most die when the forest is
dependent upon each other that if one destroyed.
becomes extinct, the other species will Many large mammals such as leopards
become extinct as well. This nearly and apes need miles and miles of territory to
happened with trees that relied on the now- roam and have a tough time surviving in the
extinct Dodo birds. Dodo birds once roamed small, fragmented habitats they are forced
Mauritius, a tropical island located in the into by humans. Other species such as the
Indian Ocean. They became extinct during golden toad, whose entire population lives
the late 19th century when humans over- on one mountain in Costa Rica, could
hunted them. The Calvaria Tree stopped become extinct within seconds from a
sprouting seeds soon after. Scientists finally bulldozer’s crush.
concluded that, for the seeds of the Calvaria
Tree to sprout, they needed to first be When rainforests are destroyed, animals
digested by the dodo bird. By force-feeding living outside the tropics suffer as well.
the seeds to a domestic turkey, who Songbirds, hummingbirds, warblers and
digested the seeds the same way as the thousands of other North American birds
Dodo birds, the trees were saved. spend their winters in rainforests, returning
Unfortunately humans will not be able to to the same location year after year.
save each species in this same way. Destruction of the rainforest habitat has
made it harder and harder for these birds to
make it through the winter, and fewer and
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Student Fact Sheet 2
fewer are returning north each spring. student fact sheet, “Seven Things You Can
Do to Save the Rainforest,” or email
Habitat loss is not the only reason for
tsolum@ran.org to ask to be added to our
species extinction. Thousands of monkeys
Kid’s Action monthly email newsletter.
and other primates are traded illegally on
the international market each year, wanted
for their fur, as pets, or for scientific Glossary
research. Parrots and macaws have also
become popular pets; buyers will pay up to Aye-Aye: a primate from Madagascar,
$10,000 for one bird. Even the king of the whose most unique features are its one long
jungle, the jaguar, is in danger of becoming finger and giant eyes. It uses its finger to pull
extinct. Its fur is highly valued for use on out hard-to-reach grubs from trees to eat,
coats and shoes. and its eyes to see better at night.
Pollution from mining has killed fish Ecosystem: an ecological community;
populations in the mighty Amazon River. complete with plants, animals, and its
Many indigenous peoples, who have physical environment, including soil, water,
depended on these fish for centuries, have and air.
become sick from the poisoned fish. Endemic: plant and animal species living
Extinction is a natural process. Species only in a certain limited area.
like the saber-toothed tiger have died off Invertebrates: species such as spiders,
from their failure to adapt to a changing beetles and other insects who have no
environment. Others like the dinosaurs died backbone.
off due to a catastrophe such as a comet or
asteroid striking the earth. But today Okapi: timid animals related to the
humans are altering natural habitats too giraffes who only live in the Congo river
quickly for animals to adapt. Because of basin in Africa.
human activities such as logging and oil Primates: an order in the animal
drilling, so many species are becoming kingdom; species include monkeys, apes
extinct in such a short period of time that the and human beings.
impact on these activities on the diversity of
life can be compared to a comet strike .
Humans must share the earth with all Written by Susan Silber,
plants and animals; otherwise our William Velton
carelessness will result in the continued Revised 2/04
extinction of many species. It would be a sad
world indeed without the beauty of a toucan
or the grace and power of the jaguar.
For information about what you can do to
help save the rainforests, visit our website at
www.ran.org. You can also call or write
Rainforest Action Network and ask for our
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