Tropical Rainforests

Stepping into a tropical rainforest is like being transported to a different world. Colorful shapes flit through the trees, and super sized bugs crawl on the plants and forest floor. Tropical rainforests are host to some of the most beautiful, and terrifying, creatures on Earth. Here are some of them:

Spider Monkey

Spider monkeys have a fitting name, as their jet black hair and long, limb-like tails make them look like a giant spider. These playful primates live in the tropical rainforests of South America, and have a diet consisting of mostly fruit (although they will eat many different plants and even small animals). Just like people, spider monkeys are very social and live in large groups. They can often be seen leaping from tree to tree or calling to other monkeys.

Capybara

Capybaras are sometimes referred to as “coconut dogs”, and the resemblance is clear: these animals have hair that is long and thick, reminiscent of a coconut, and their gentle demeanor is like that of a puppy. They love to swim with in groups along the many rivers that cross the rainforests. Capybaras are the largest members of the rodent family, but their laid back personalities differ from those of the other members of their species.

Sloth

Sloths are often criticized for being lazy and slow, but they are anything but. In the picture above, the sloth is green, and this is because of the algae that it picks up when it swims in rivers. Swimming is an activity enjoyed by most sloths, and they are very good at it, as they can move much faster in the water than on land. However, this effort can tire them out. Luckily, when they return to the trees to rest, they can fall asleep while hanging onto a branch; the natural position of their hands is clenched.

Anaconda

Anacondas are one of the most feared creatures in the rainforest, and for good reason. These snakes are the largest ones in the world, and they use their size to hunt both small and large animals, such as capybaras (listed above). They kill their prey by constricting, or squeezing, the animal until it cannot breathe. It’s safe to say that anacondas are one of the most dangerous creatures in the forest, and they should be treated as such.

Birds, a feature creature, are abundant in tropical rainforests. The most common species of bird found in rainforests are parrots, and they are extremely colorful and vocal. See the Feature Creature page on birds for more information on them.