You’re never alone in the jungle, and that’s a saying that is true for just about any amazing forest in the world.
Just like desert animals and mountain animals, these animals have perfectly adjusted their lifestyle to deal with the conditions in dense woods.
Whether it’s mastering climbing trees or perfecting their hunting techniques to surprise unfortunate prey, these animals that live in the forest have all the features needed to thrive here.
Below, you’ll find a list of some forest animals that perfectly fit this description.
1. Giant Panda
The Giant Panda (Ailuropoda melanoleuca) is a type of bear that is commonly referred to as the “panda bear.” It’s one of the most distinctive animals on the planet with its black and white coat.
This animal is native to China and can be found hanging out in bamboo forests. That’s mainly because their diet primarily consists of bamboo sticks and leaves.
They originally lived in lowland areas but because of deforestation, they have been driven out of where they once lived. Yes, unfortunately, this makes this cuddly creature an endangered species.
2. Scarlet Macaw
The scarlet macaw (Ara macao) is one of the best-recognized macaws in the world. That’s mainly because of the vivid red, yellow, and blue colors of their plumage.
This type of parrot is native to both Central and South America and has a range that covers vast areas in these parts of the world. It’s one of the most popular birds in the region as well.
Although they can be found in savannahs and even open areas, their preferred habitat is humid rainforests. They are common in large parts of the Amazon Rainforest in the northern part of South America.
3. Jaguar
The jaguar (Panthera onca) is a big cat and the third-biggest cat species n the world after the tiger and lion. It’s the only extant species of the genus Panthera in the Americas.
This animal can easily be recognized as it has tan fur that features distinctive black rosettes. They have a vast range that extends from the southern part of the Southwestern United States to the south of Argentina.
The jaguar is an ambush predator with an extremely powerful bite. This forest animal uses its native habitat to hide and wait for unsuspecting prey to pass by.
4. African Forest Elephant
The African forest elephant (Loxodonta cyclotis) is one of the three extant elephant species in the world. It’s also the smallest of the three with an average shoulder height of 2.4 meters (7 feet 10 inches).
The animals are native to the forests of West Africa and the Congo Basin. Thye live in groups of up to 20 individuals and are referred to as “the mega gardener of the forest.”
They eat fruits in the rainforests where they live and their movement is based on the availability of ripe fruits. They eat up to 72 different types of fruits as well as tree bark and leaves.
5. Sun Bear
The sun bear (Helarctos malayanus) is another bear species that is native to the tropical forests of Southeast Asia. Their range extends from Northern India to Malaysia and Indonesia in the south.
It’s the smallest bear species in the world with a shoulder height of just 70 centimeters (28 inches). They make up for this small stature with an extremely stocky and muscular body.
The most distinctive features of the sun bear are its curved claws. They can use these to climb trees, and as the most arboreal of all bears, they have really mastered this.
6. Tree Kangaroo
Tree kangaroos are members of the genus Dendrolagus and are arboreal creatures that are native to the tropical rainforests of New Guinea and the northeastern part of Queensland, Australia.
What’s remarkable about tree kangaroos is that they are the only members of the macropod family that are truly arboreal. This is unique for this type of marsupial.
Like most kangaroos, they hop around on the ground and are pretty clumsy in doing so. That’s because their bodies are completely adapted to climbing trees.
7. Tree squirrel
Tree squirrels are the members of the family Sciuridae, a group of animals commonly referred to as “squirrels.” These arboreal creatures are native to all continents except for Antarctica and Oceania.
There are over 100 tree squirrel species and the best-known species is the Eastern gray squirrel (Sciurus carolinensis). These are common in both North America and Great Britain where they were introduced in the 1870s.
These animals are important animals that live in the forest because they consume tree nuts. They often store them in places and completely forget about them, resulting in new trees emerging.
8. Brazilian Salmon Pink Spider
The Brazilian salmon pink bird-eating tarantula (Lasiodora parahybana) is a member of a large group of tarantula spiders. They are the 4th-largest type of spider in the world.
They are native to the northeastern part of Brazil, more specifically, the Brazilian state of Paraíba. Their name is a reference to the pink hairs on their bodies.
They can exclusively be found in the Atlantic forest region of Brazil. They roam around on the forest floor and can be found hiding in tree logs and foliage, ready to attack large insects and other small animals.
