RAINFOREST ANIMALS
The rainforests can trace back their existance for 55 million years and being allowed to develop for such a long, uninterupted time, has led there to be a rich diversity of plant life and animal life developing in the rainforest. The animals and plants in the rainforest have evolved to become highly specialised. Now home to more than half the world's plant and animal species, the rainforests lie on top of surprisingly thin soil that is not very rich in nutrients when the rainforest is chopped down.
Squirrel Monkey
FACT - The tail of the squirrel monkey is not used for climbing but is more of a counter weight, used like a balancing pole to help them move throught the tree tops.
FACT - The squirrel monkey lives in the canopy layer in the rainforest.
FACT - They live in large groups of upto 500 monkeys.
FACT - The squirrel monkey is eaten by falcons, leopards and large snakes.
Giant anteater
Gorilla
FACT - It eats mainly ants and termites and it has a long tongue for scooping up its food.
FACT - The giant anteater can be up to 210 cm long and weigh 40kg in weight.
FACT - When feeding, the tongue of the anteater can go in and out of an ant nest 160 times a minute
FACT - Gorillas can reach 180 cm in height and reach up to 180 kg in weight.
FACT - Gorillas will eat plants, fruit and insects, preferably ants.
FACT - Gorillas will live for 35-40 years in the wild.
FACT - Gorillas live in the african rainforests.
Poison
dart
frog
FACT - There are 175 different types of poison dart frog.
FACT - The bright colours of the poison dart frog help warn off predators.
FACT - The frogs get the chemicals for their poisons from their food and frogs in zoos are much less toxic than frogs in the wild.
FACT - poison dart frogs are typically quite small, only 1.5 cm in length, although some types can grow as large as 6 cm in size.
Pink dolphin
Red bellied piranha
Giant river otter
Pirarucu
Leopard
Sloth
Tapir
Toucan
Anaconda
Pampas fox
Emerald Boa Constrictor
Goliath birdeater tarantula
Armadillo
Macaw
FACT - The majority of macaws are now endangered and a few species are extinct.
FACT - Macaws eat a variety of foods including seeds, nuts, fruits, palm fruits, leaves, flowers, and stems.
FACT - Macaws, like other parrots, have their first and fourth toes facing backwards.
Blue butterfly
Howler monkey
FACT - Howler monkeys are famous for their loud howls which can travel 5 km through dense rainforest.
FACT - Howler monkeys have a strong sense of smell and they use their noses to sniff out their food.
FACT - Their strong tails can support their whole body weight when swinging through the trees.