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Kids learn about the coral reef biome. Much of ocean life lives in this important aquatic ecosystem.

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Measuring our impact

Reaching a nature-positive future means planning strategically, tracking our work, and learning from our experiences.

WWF uses SMART targets (specific, measurable, achievable, realistic, and time-bound) to measure impact within a seascape.

We've developed and launched an overarching monitoring, evaluation, learning (MEL) framework that can help guide local to global monitoring across seascapes to assess progress, outcomes, and impacts of interventions on ecosystems (habitats, species, fisheries), people, prosperity, and peace. This includes the identification of performance indicators, guidance on methodologies, and mapping of data flows.

The MEL framework establishes a learning agenda, including key learning questions, audience and decision mapping, and criteria for ecological, social, and governance monitoring. We also measure and monitor our progress leveraging previously identified ecological and social baselines or creating our own with specific focus on our priority interventions.

We take the long view, designing interventions to be financially sustainable, sufficiently managed, and climate smart.

Nature-positive seascapes

Our team works to deliver nature-positive seascapes-halting the decline of marine environments and regenerating target ecosystems and marine resources.

Our place-based conservation work in seascapes takes an integrated, holistic approach that benefits local communities, global populations. We start with a science-based approach to seascape selection, design, and management. We develop specific, measurable targets within a seascape and use an overarching monitoring, evaluation, and learning framework to assess the impacts of the interventions on the planet, people, prosperity, and peace.

Through a partnership mindset, our nature-based solutions drive climate adaptation and resilience, food and livelihood security, peace and security, and healthy oceans outcomes globally.

We focus on enhancing the well-being of people and nature through inclusive, durable, and resilient systems of effective conservation areas, carefully evaluating the rights and needs of indigenous people and local communities and relying on their guidance to determine what conservation area approach is the most relevant.

To achieve financial sustainability, we partner with WWF's Earth for Life, Enduring Earth, and other partners, to support the design and delivery of marine Project Finance for Permanence (PFP) initiatives. We will also work with public finance bodies, such as the GEF and GCF, to continue to make the case for why investing in nature-positive seascapes contributes to global nature and climate goals.

Oceans markets and finance

Our markets and finance work combines nature-positive business with innovative blue financing to deliver scalable, durable global oceans solutions, as well as support our nature-positive seascape work.

Nature-positive business supports the private sector in better addressing their environmental and social footprints, bringing forth green and blue infrastructure solutions, and establishing long-term investments in the seascapes where they do business. Our focus sectors are seafood, coastal development, marine renewables, and shipping. In the seafood sector alone, WWF has built more than 80 partnerships with companies that have made sustainable seafood purchasing commitments, touching more than 600 fisheries around the world.

On innovative blue financing, we work to influence and engage financial market actors using a strong case for action to shift capital away from harmful activities within key blue economy sectors-including fishing, aquaculture, shipping, marine renewables, and coastal development-and towards sustainable blue economy pathways, minimizing value at risk and strengthening environmental, social, and economic resilience. We will directly engage financial institutions-particularly banks, investors, and insurance companies-who strongly influence and drive systemic behavior change. We will harness our deep knowledge of solutions to influence and catalyze how venture capital and angel investors support new blue businesses that fill key market gaps and are moving in a direction compatible with a climate and nature-positive future.

Oceans futures

The nexus of oceans, geopolitical tensions, conflict, crime, and societal instability is on the rise. A robust ocean conservation agenda must therefore include natural resource conflict resolution, peacebuilding, and law enforcement capacity building. Under Oceans Futures, WWF will offer predictive analytics, early warning, and strategic planning, and preventive conservation solutions to prevent conflict over marine resources. We will also partner and support with global maritime security and enforcement organizations to build a science-driven and networked approach to unsustainable marine resource extraction.

Fishing feeds billions of people and is vital to the economies of countless coastal communities. But unsustainable practices litter the ocean with deadly traps that needlessly kill marine mammals, turtles, and seabirds.

Abandoned, lost, or discarded fishing gear, commonly referred to as ghost gear, contribute significantly to the problem of plastic pollution in our ocean. These gillnets, traps, and other types of fishing gear are particularly harmful because they can continue to catch target and non-target species indiscriminately for years. This impacts important food resources as well as endangered species. Because of this, ghost gear has been coined as the most deadly form of marine plastic debris, damaging vital ocean habitats, aquatic life, and livelihoods.

The ocean provides a bounty of seafood, supporting hundreds of millions of jobs and feeding billions of people. But roughly a quarter of the fish caught globally is done illegally in the shadows, fueling a black market that exploits wildlife, people, and gaps in enforcement of laws. A lack of transparency allows rogue vessels and criminal networks to operate undetected and profit off stolen fish, taking money out of the pockets of people who follow the rules and contributing to declines in ocean health. Ending this black-market trade of seafood is good for nature and people but will require an array of proven tools working in tandem, chief among them is traceability.

View More Projects

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Ocean and Marine Wildlife Conservation Initiatives

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Ocean conservation builds more resilient oceans by protecting marine wildlife while securing the needs of the 250+ million who depend on ocean ecosystems.

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Learn about the different natural environments of plants and animals.

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Location | Habitat | Plants | Animals | People | Games | Links

LOCATION: Coral reefs are generally found in clear, tropical oceans. Coral reefs form in waters from the surface to about 150 feet (45 meters) deep because they need sunlight to survive. The three types of reefs include fringing reefs, barrier reefs, and atolls. Fringing reefs occur along shorelines of continents and islands and are commonly found in Hawaii and the Caribbean. Barrier reefs are found farther offshore than fringing reefs, occurring most often in the Indo-Pacific and Caribbean. Atolls are a series of low coral islands surrounding a central lagoon, frequently found in the Indo-Pacific. The largest reef in the world, the Great Barrier Reef in Australia is longer than 1200 miles (1900 km). That's longer than the distance between Seattle, WA and Los Angeles, CA!

HABITAT: Coral reefs need water that is between 68 - 82°F (20 - 28°C), which is often located along the eastern shores of land. Reefs usually develop in areas that have a lot of wave action because the waves bring in food, nutrients and oxygen to the reef. Waves also prevent sediment from falling on the reef. Reefs need calcium from the water to grow, which is more often available in shallow warm waters.

PLANTS: The sun is the source of energy for the coral reef ecosystem. Plant plankton, called phytoplankton, algae and other plants convert light energy into chemical energy through photosynthesis. As animals eat the plants and other animals, energy is passed through the food chain. Reef building corals work together with microscopic algae, called zooxanthellae, that live in their tissue. The zooxanthellae provide oxygen and food to the coral through photosynthesis. The coral polyp gives the algae a home, and the carbon dioxide it needs through respiration. Besides zooxanthellae, algae and seagrasses are the main types of plants in the coral reef ecosystem. These plants give food and oxygen to the animals that live on the reef.Seagrasses are especially important because they provide shelter for juvenile reef animals like conch and lobster.

ANIMALS: Did you know that there can be as many different types of fish in two acres of coral reef in Southeast Asia as there are species of birds on the entire continent of North America? Shocking, isn't it? Coral reefs only make up about 1% of the ocean floor, but they house nearly 25% of life in the ocean. Animals use coral reefs either as a stopping point, like an oasis, as they travel the deep blue sea, or they live as residents at the reef. The corals themselves are the most abundant animal on the reef. They are tiny organisms called polyps, that attach themselves to the hard reef and live there forever. The reef is like a giant apartment building in New York City and the coral polyps live together in each apartment. Corals are closely related to sea anemones and sea jellies, and use their tentacles for defense and to capture their prey. Corals can be a variety of colors, white, red, pink, green, blue, orange and purple, due to natural pigments and the zooxanthellae in their tissues.

Other animals that live on the coral reef include sea urchins, sponges, sea stars, worms, fish, sharks, rays, lobster, shrimp, octopus, snails and many more. Many of these animals work together as a team like the coral polyps and zooxanthellae. This teamwork is called symbiosis. One example of symbiosis on the reef is the anemonefish and sea anemone. The sea anemone's tentacles provide protection and safety for the fish and their eggs, while the fish protects the anemone from predators, such as butterflyfish. Sometimes anemonefish even remove parasites from their home anemone.

PEOPLE AND CORAL REEFS: Coral reef ecosystems are important for many reasons. They remove and recycle carbon dioxide, which is a gas that contributes to global warming. Reefs protect land from harsh weather by absorbing the impact from strong waves and storms. Reefs provide food, for example, lobster and conch. Coral reefs are also a huge tourist attraction. Coral reefs are a big source of biodiversity. Without the reef, many of these plants and animals would die. Some people think coral reefs may provide important medicines for people. For example, some coral skeletons can be used by humans as a bone substitute in reconstructive bone surgery. Coral reefs are also a useful educational tool. People can learn about biomes and ecosystems, and the interrelationship between organisms and their environment by studying coral reefs.

Coral reefs are being destroyed at an alarming rate. It is estimated that we have already lost 10% of the worlds reefs, and scientists say that in the next 50 years many of the coral reefs on Earth will be gone. This destruction is often connected with human activity: pollution, sewage, erosion, irresponsible fishing, poor tourism practices, and global warming.

There are some simple things that you can do to help coral reefs. Don't put chemicals down your drain or on your lawn. Instead use biodegradable products. Even though you may be far from a coral reef ecosystem, these products end up in the watershed and may eventually pollute waters that support coral. Conserve water. The less water you use, the less runoff and wastewater eventually find their way into our oceans. Visit a coral reef! Many vacation spots have beautiful coral reefs. When you go, hire local guides. This way you'll learn about the reef from the people who know it best. When you visit a coral reef, treat it with care, do not touch or step on the corals. Leave the animals where you found them and do not pick them up and move them. If you have an aquarium, buy fish raised in captivity, not caught in the wild. Also, don't use live rock in your aquarium. Although this invertebrate-encrusted rock is still legally harvested in some places, its can hurt the reef habitat. Join a group that is working to protect coral reefs. Pick up trash when you see it, this way it won't find it's way to the ocean. Learn more about coral reefs! Surf the Internet for information about coral reefs and marine conservation organizations. After all, knowledge is power.
GAMES:
LINKS:
Ocean World - Coral Reefs Coral Realm SeaWorld - Corals and Coral Reefs NOAA National Ocean Service - Corals Discovery Kit Reef Education Network NOAA's Coral Reef Information System
Back to Biomes Index

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Location | Habitat | Plants | Animals | People | Games | Links LOCATION: Coral reefs are generally found in clear, tropical oceans. Coral reefs form in waters from the surface to about 150 feet (45 meters) deep because they need sunlight to survive. The three types of reefs include fringing reefs, barrier reefs, and atolls.

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Ocean (Marine)

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Location | Weather | Plants | Animals | People | Links

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Biomes - Habitats

Biomes Calendar
A calendar to print, color, and read.

Arctic | Desert | Chaparral or Scrub | Taiga = Coniferous Forests | Grassland | Tropical Rainforest | Pond | Ocean
Antarctic | Tundra | Cave | City | Temperate Deciduous Forest | Savanna | Prairie | Freshwater Marsh | Swamp | Intertidal Zone | Coral Reef | Sunlit (Euphotic) Zone | Twilight (Disphotic) Zone

A Sampling of Tropical Rainforest Animals

Rainforests are very dense, warm, wet forests. They are havens for millions of plants and animals. Rainforests are extremely important in the ecology of the Earth. The plants of the rainforest generate much of the Earth's oxygen. These plants are also very important to people in other ways; many are used in new drugs that fight disease and illness.

Where are Rainforests? Tropical rainforests are located in a band around the equator, mostly in the area between the Tropic of Cancer (23.5° N latitude) and the Tropic of Capricorn (23.5° S latitude). This 3,000 mile (4800 km) wide band is called the "tropics." Tropical rainforests are found in South America, West Africa, Australia, southern India, and Southeast Asia. Go to a rainforest map printout to color.

Strata of the Rainforest
Different animals and plants live in different parts of the rainforest. Scientists divide the rainforest into strata (zones) based on the living environment. Starting at the top, the strata are:

EMERGENTS: Giant trees that are much higher than the average canopy height. It houses many birds and insects.

CANOPY: The upper parts of the trees. This leafy environment is full of life in a tropical rainforest and includes: insects, birds, reptiles, mammals, and more.

UNDERSTORY: A dark, cool environment under the leaves but over the ground.

FOREST FLOOR: Teeming with animal life, especially insects. The largest animals in the rainforest generally live here.

Animals that Live in Rainforests: Ridiculously huge numbers of animals live in rainforests, including microscopic animals, invertebrates (like insects and worms), fish, reptiles, amphibians, birds, and mammals. The different rainforests of the world support different populations of animals. A few animals from each rainforest are listed below:

South America -

insects (morpho butterfly, Julia butterfly, Monarch butterfly, and millions of other insects)

mammals (jaguar, ocelot, didelphid opossums, sloth, howler monkey, spider monkey, capybara, many bats, marmosets, procyonids, peccaries)

birds (quetzal, macaw, tinamous, curassows, hoatzins, hummingbirds, eagles, ovenbirds, antbirds, flycatchers, puffbirds, toucans, jacamars, tanagers, tapirs, troupials, honeycreepers, cardinal grosbeaks, xenops)

reptiles (anaconda, caiman, iguanas, lizards, microteiid lizards, boas, and coral snakes), amphibians (poison arrow frog, etc.)

fish (electric eel, piranha), and millions of other animals.

Australia -

mammals (tree kangaroo, rat kangaroo, yellow-footed Antechinus, Giant White-tailed Uromys, opossums, bandicoot, echidna, duck-billed platypus, sugar glider, red legged pademelon)

birds (cassowary, brolga, emerald dove, orange-footed scrubfowl, Australian brush-turkey, sarus crane, gray goshawk, wompoo fruit dove, topknot pigeon, Australian king parrot, laughing kookaburra, lesser sooty owl, fernwren, barred cuckoo-shrike, golden whistler, etc.)

reptiles (frilled lizard, carpet python, Green Tree Snake, Spotted Tree Monitor, Eastern Water Dragon, Boyd's Forest Dragon, Northern Leaf Tailed Gecko)

insects (Ulysses butterfly, Zodiac Moth, Union Jack butterfly, Regent skipper, Birdwing Butterfly)

amphibians (Giant Tree frog, Striped marsh frog, Northern Barred frog, Dainty Green Tree frog), and millions of other animals.

Southeast Asia -

mammals (tarsiers, orangutans, Siamangs, gibbons, colobine monkeys, tigers, tree shrews, binturong, moonrats, most flying foxes, colugos, bamboo rats, Oriental dormice)

birds (tree swifts, leafbirds, fairy bluebirds, fantails, whistlers, flowerpeckers, wood swallows)

insects (Queen Alexandra's Birdwing butterfly, Goliath Birdwing butterfly, Saturn Butterfly), and millions of other animals.

West Africa -

mammals (antelopes, bonobo, chimpanzee, gorilla, Mandrill, scaly-tailed squirrels, otter shrews, duikers, okapi, hippopotamus, Cercopithecus monkeys, bushbabies, pygmy hippo, duiker)

birds (Congo peafowl, African Gray Parrot) and millions of other animals.

Click on an animal or other rainforest topic for a printout or information on that animal:

Rain Forest Animals Book

A short book about rain forest animals to print (for early readers), with letters to fill in. There are pages on the morpho butterfly, toucan, anaconda, sloth, howler monkey, kinkajou, tarantula, piranha, capybara, poison arrow frog, and giant anteater.

Rainforest Animals Word Wheel

Make a Rainforest Animals word wheel using this 2-page print-out; it consists of a base page together with a wheel that spins around. When you spin the wheel, 12 rainforest animals appear, one at a time: poison arrow frog, anaconda, piranha, howler monkey, capybara, sloth, giant anteater, jaguar, kinkajou, morpho butterfly, toucan, and tarantula. The student then writes down the word wheel animals.

Draw Four Things You Would See in a Rain Forest

Draw four things you would see in a rain forest. Below each item, write its name.

AGOUTI

The agouti is a large, short-tailed rodent from rainforests in the Americas.

ALLIGATOR

Alligators are large reptiles. Primitive alligators evolved during the late Triassic period.

AMPHIBIAN
Amphibians (meaning "double life") are vertebrate animals that live in the water during their early life (breathing through gills), but usually live on land as adults (and breathe with lungs). There are three groups (orders) of amphibians: newts and salamanders; frogs and toads; and caecilians.

Anaconda
The biggest snake in the world.

Anaconda Read-and-Answer Quiz
Take a quiz on this constricting snake or go to the answers.

ANT

Ants are social insects.

APES

Apes are primates that anatomically resemble humans. They include the gorilla, chimpanzee, bonobo, orangutan, gibbon and siamang.

ASSASSIN BUG

Assassin bugs are insects that eat other insects.

AYE-AYE

A strange, nocturnal primate from Madagascar.

BASILISK

A South American lizard that can walk on water.

BAT

A bat is a flying mammal.

BINTURONG

A dark, furry mammal from rainforests of southeast Asia.

BIRDS
Many birds live in the canopy of rainforests. Birds have feathers and wings. Birds may be the descendants of theropod dinosaurs.

Blue Morpho Butterfly

A brilliant blue butterfly from rainforests of South and Central America.

Blue-tongued Skink

An Australian lizard with a long, blue tongue.

BOA CONSTRICTOR
A large constricting snake from South and Central America.

BONGO

The bongo is a large, striped antelope from African forests.

BONOBO

Bonobos are closely related to chimpanzees. They are very intelligent, peaceful primates.

BUTTERFLIES

Butterflies are flying insects with two pairs of wings, a proboscis, and clubbed antennae. They belong to the Order Lepidoptera and the Family Rhopalocera. Many butterflies thrive in tropical rainforests.

CAIMAN

The caiman is a widely distributed, medium-sized crocodilian. It is about 6.5-8 ft (2-2.5 m) long. The caiman is widely distributed in Central America and northern South America, ranging from southern Mexico to Peru and Brazil. The caiman is the most widely distributed of the New World crocodilians; it is found in almost all of the lowland wetlands and riverine habitats in its range. It prefers still, fresh water. Juveniles are yellow with black spots and bands; adults are a dull olive green to black with a paler belly. These carnivores eat fish (including piranha), amphibians, reptiles and water birds, using their 72-78 teeth. Females lay about many eggs in late summer in soil-and-vegetation nests.

CAPYBARA
The capybara is the world's largest rodent. It has no tail and partially-webbed feet. It lives on river banks.

CASSOWARY

A huge, flightless bird from Australian rainforests. It has a helmet-like crest on its head.

CATERPILLAR

A caterpillar is the larval stage of butterflies and moths. Caterpillars eat almost constantly and molt many times as they grow.

CHIMPANZEE

Chimpanzees are very intelligent mammals (primates).

CHLAMYDOSAURUS

Chlamydosaurus (meaning "caped lizard") is a rare, modern-day frilled lizard native to New Guinea and North Australia. Its frill is a 7-14 inch (18-34 cm) flap of skin that completely circles its head. It opens this brightly-colored frill to frighten enemies. Adults are over 8 inches (20 cm) long. These climbing lizards live in trees in humid forests and eat cicadas, ants, spiders and smaller lizards. It can run quadrupedally (on all four legs) and bipedally (with the front legs off the ground). Adult females lay 8 to 14 eggs per clutch in spring and summer. Classification: Class Reptilia, Order: Squamata, Family: Agamidae, Genus Chlamydosaurus, Species kingii (named by Gray in 1825).

COATI

(pronounced ko-WAH-ti) Coati (also called coatimundi) are long-nosed, long-tailed mammals from the Americas.

COCKATOO

Cockatoos are birds with a large, feathery crest and a hooked bill.

COYPU
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Coypus (also called nutrias) are semi-aquatic rodents that are originally from South America

CROCODILIAN

Crocodilians are the order of archosaurs that includes alligators, crocodiles, gavials, etc. They evolved during the late Triassic period and are a type of reptile.

CUCKOO

The cuckoo is a bird whose call sounds like its name. Many cuckoos live in rainforest canopies throughout the world.

DHOLE

The dhole is a wild dog from Asia.

DODO

The dodo is an extinct, flightless bird that lived on an island in the Indian Ocean near Africa.

DRAGONFLY
Dragonflies are primitive, flying insects that can hover in the air. They evolved during the Mississippian Period, about 360-325 mya. Huge dragonflies with wingspans up to 27.5 inches (70 cm) existed during the Mesozoic Era (when the dinosaurs lived).

ELECTRIC EEL

A fish that can generate electricity, the electric eel lives in the Amazon River basin of South America.

EMERALD TREE BOA
The emerald tree boa, Corallus caninus, is a green snake with white bands. It grows to be up to 7.25 feet (2.2m) long. It lives in trees and shrubs near water (like swamps and marshes in rain forests) in the lower Amazon basin (in Brazil) and in Guyana and Suriname. This snake catches food with its long teeth then squeezes it. It eats birds and rodents. This snake is nocturnal (it is most active at night) and bears live young.

FOSSA

The fossa is a meat-eating mammal from the island of Madagascar.

FRILLED LIZARD

Chlamydosaurus (meaning "caped lizard") is a rare, modern-day frilled lizard native to New Guinea and North Australia. Its frill is a 7-14 inch (18-34 cm) flap of skin that completely circles its head. It opens this brightly-colored frill to frighten enemies. Adults are over 8 inches (20 cm) long. These climbing lizards live in trees in humid forests and eat cicadas, ants, spiders and smaller lizards. It can run quadrupedally (on all four legs) and bipedally (with the front legs off the ground). Adult females lay 8 to 14 eggs per clutch in spring and summer. Classification: Class Reptilia, Order: Squamata, Family: Agamidae, Genus Chlamydosaurus, Species kingii (named by Gray in 1825).

FROG

Frogs are amphibians. They start out as gilled, swimming tadpoles, but grow to be air-breathing adults.

Fruit Bat

Fruit bats are large bats that eat fruits and flowers.

GECKO

Geckos are the only lizards that make noise. Some geckos live in rainforests.

Giant Anteater

The biggest anteater, from South and Central America.

GIBBON

Gibbons are rare, small, slender, long-armed, tree-dwelling apes from Asia.

GOLDEN LION TAMARIN

A small, golden-haired arboreal tamarin from rainforests in Brazil.

GOLIATH BIRDWING BUTTERFLY

The Goliath Birdwing (Ornithoptera goliath) is the second-largest butterfly in the world. This brightly-colored butterfly is poisonous and has a wingspan up to 11 inches (28 cm) wide. It has black, yellow and green wings and a yellow and black body. This butterfly in found in tropical forests in Indonesia. Family Papilionidae.

GORILLA

Gorillas are large primates from Africa. They are in danger of extinction.

GRAY PARROT

The African Gray Parrot is an intelligent, talkative bird from rainforests in Western and Central Africa.

GREATER APES

The great apes (family Pongidae) include the gorillas, chimpanzees, bonobos, and orangutans.

GREEN IGUANA

Plant-eating lizards from moist habitats.

HARPY EAGLE

The Harpy Eagle is one of the largest eagles in the world. It lives in rainforests of Central and South America.

HOWLER MONKEY

The loudest monkey and the largest New World monkey.

HUMAN BEING
A human being is a mammal (a type of primate). Some people live in rainforests

INSECTS
Insects have an exoskeleton, a three-part body, and six legs. They evolved during the Silurian Period, 438 to 408 mya, long before dinosaurs existed. Insects are the most numerous animals in rainforests.

JAGUAR

The jaguar is a large, spotted wild cat from South and Central America.

JULIA

The Julia is a yellow-orange tropical butterfly from the Americas, about 3-4 inches wide. It belongs to the group of Heliconians, tropical butterflies that have a bad taste and smell, and a large head. The eggs are round. The pupa is angular. The Julia feeds on passion flowers (Passiflora). Julias are found from South and Central America to the southern USA.

KAKAPO

A large, flightless, nocturnal, solitary parrot from New Zealand.

KEEL BILLED TOUCAN

A rainforest bird with a huge, colorful beak.

KINKAJOU

A long-tailed, nocturnal mammal from rainforests in the Americas.

KOMODO DRAGON

The biggest lizard in the world and a fierce predator.

LEAFCUTTER ANT

Leafcutter ants are fungus farmers - they grow their own food.

LEMUR

Lemurs are large-eyed primates from Madagascar.

LEOPARD

Leopards are widely-distributed, spotted wild cats.

LESSER APES

The lesser apes (family Hylobatidae) include the gibbon and siamang.

LIZARD

There are 2,500 types of lizards, many of which live in rainforests around the world.

MAMMAL

Mammals are warm-blooded animals with hair. They nourish their young with milk. Mammals evolved during the Triassic period. Many mammals live in rainforests, including gorillas, sloths, jaguars, and people.

MANDRILL

Mandrills are large, brightly-colored monkeys.

MILLIPEDE

Segmented plant-eaters with many, many legs.

MONARCH BUTTERFLY

The Monarch (Danaus plexippus) is a common poisonous butterfly found worldwide. It eats milkweed in its larval stage and lays eggs on the poisonous milkweed plant. Monarchs have a wingspan of 3 3/8 - 4 7/8 inches (8.6 - 12.4 cm).

MONKEY

There are two types of monkeys: Old World monkeys from Asia and Africa, and New World monkeys from the Americas.

Morpho Butterfly

The Blue Morpho is a brilliant blue butterfly from rainforests of South and Central America.

MOSQUITO

A small flying insect that is a carrier of disease.

MOTH

Moths are winged insects that belong to the Order Lepidoptera. Moths have feathered antennae (not clubbed antennae, like butterflies), a frenulum or jugum, and are generally dull colored. There are over 100,000 moth species alive today.

MOUSE

Mice are small rodents with long, hairless tails.

NUTRIA
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Nutrias (also called coypus) are semi-aquatic rodents that are originally from South America

OCELOT

Ocelots are wild cats from the Americas.

OKAPI

The Okapi is a nocturnal, giraffe-like mammal from African rainforests.

ORANGUTAN

Orangutans are large, tree-dwelling apes from southeast Asia.

OROPENDOLA, CRESTED

The crested oropendola is a tropical black bird that builds long, pendulous nests.

OWL

Owls are nocturnal birds with large eyes and very good eyesight. Some owls live in rainforests.

PEAFOWL (Peacocks and Peahens)

Peafowl are magnificent birds from India.

POISON ARROW FROG

Poison arrow frogs are poisonous frogs from rainforests of South and Central America. Some South American Indians apply the poison to the tips of their hunting arrows and blow-gun darts.

PRIMATE
Primates are mammals that include monkeys, apes, lemurs (prosimians), and people. All primates have 5 fingers on each hand and 5 toes on each foot. They have color vision.

QUEEN ALEXANDRA'S BIRDWING BUTTERFLY

Queen Alexandra's Birdwing is the biggest butterfly in the world, with a wingspan up to 1 ft (30 cm) wide. The female is brown with cream spots and larger than the male. The male is brown with blue and green markings; it has a bright yellow abdomen. The caterpillar is black with red tentacles, and with a cream-colored spot in the middle of its body. This rare butterfly is found in the lowland forests of northern Papua New Guinea (east of the Owen Stanley Mountains).

QUETZAL
A quetzal is a beautiful rain forest bird with very long tail feathers.

QUOLL

The Quoll is a cat-sized carnivorous marsupial from the islands of Tasmania and Australia.

RAINBOW LORIKEET

A small, colorful, brush-tongued parrot from Australia.

RAT

A rat is a rodent with a long tail.

RED-EYED TREE FROG

A small rainforest frog with bright red eyes.

REPTILE
Reptiles (meaning"to creep") are a group of animals that have scales (or modified scales), breathe air, and usually lay eggs. The term reptile is loosely defined in everyday English to mean scaly, cold-blooded, egg-laying animals. In cladistics (a way of classifying life forms), the reptiles are more strictly defined as: all the descendants of the most recent common ancestor of the turtles, lepidosaurs (lizards, snakes, tuataras), and archosaurs (crocodilians, dinosaurs, and birds). The maintenance of body temperature (cold- vs. warm-blooded) is not a factor in this classification, but skull and egg structure are.

SATURN BUTTERFLY

The Saturn Butterfly (Zeuxidia amethystus) has a wingspan of about 3.9-4.3 inches (10-11cm) and lives in the shady forest understory. The female is paler than the male (above). The Saturn Butterfly is found in Malaysia, Borneo, the Philippines, Burma, and Sumatra. It was named by Butler in 1865. Classification: Family Nymphalidae (Subfamily Morphinae).

SCARLET MACAW

A brilliantly-colored parrot from Central and South American rain forests.

SCORPION

A venomous arachnid with a large stinger on its tail. Found worldwide except in Antarctica.

SIAMANG

The siamang is a rare, black, long-armed ape, a type of gibbon.

SKIPPER
Skippers (family Hesperiidae) are drab-colored, moth-like butterflies that are distinguished by the hook at the end of their antennae (instead of a club, like other butterflies have). These antennae are also farther apart at the base than other butterflies. There are about 2,000 different species of Skippers. They fly in a darting fashion (hence their name) and hold their wings in a moth-like fashion when at rest. The Australian Skipper also has a humeral lobe (a frenulum-like projection on its hind wing which holds the forewings and hind wings together during flight).

SLOTH

The sloth is a slow-moving mammal that lives in trees. Sloths spend most of their lives hanging upside-down from tree branches; they eat, sleep, mate, and give birth upside-down in the trees. They hold onto tree branches with strong, curved claws that are on each of their four feet. These plant-eaters are more active at night; they eat leaves, tender young shoots, and fruit. Sloths have a thick brown (and slightly-greenish) fur coat and are about the size of a cat (roughly 2 feet = 61 cm long). Their coloration and their slow actions make them almost disappear in the forest canopy. Some sloths have colonies of green algae encrusting their fur, both adding to the camouflage effect and providing some nutrients to the sloths, who lick the algae. These mostly-quiet mammals live in the tropical rainforests of South and Central America. Sloths may live 10-20 years in the wild. Sloths are hunted by jaguars, eagles, and man. Classification: Class Mammalia, Order Xenarthra, Family Bradypodidae and Megalonychidae.

SLUG

The slug is an animal that lives in moist areas.

SMALL-EARED ZORRO
The small-eared zorro is a dog-like fox from South American rainforests.

SNAKE

A snake is a reptile with no legs. Its skin is scaly. There are many snakes in rainforests.

SPECTACLED CAIMAN

The Spectacled Caiman is a common meat-eating reptile from fresh water habitats in South and Central America.

Strata of Tropical Rainforests

Label the strata (layers) of the tropical rainforest.
Answers

SWALLOWTAIL BUTTERFLY

Swallowtail butterflies (family Papilionidae) are strong fliers with three fully developed pairs of legs. Many swallowtails have distinctive tailed wings (hence the family name). They lay spherical eggs. These butterflies are found from the tropics to more temperate regions.

SUGAR GLIDER

This small marsupial (also known as the lesser flying phalanger) glides from tree to tree in Australia and nearby islands.

TAPIR

A plant-eating, hoofed mammal with a small trunk.

TARANTULA

A tarantula is a large, hairy spider.

TARSIER

Tarsiers are small mammals with enormous eyes.

THREE-TOED SLOTH

The sloth is a slow-moving mammal that lives hanging upside-down from trees.

TIGER

Tigers are large, fierce Asian cats that have stripes. They live mostly in forests in India, Sumatra, Indochina, and Siberia. Tigers are threatened with extinction due to loss of habitat.

TOAD

Toads are amphibians with poison glands. They usually have warty skin.

TOUCAN

A South American rainforest bird with a huge, colorful beak.

Toucan Read-and-Answer Quiz
Read about the toucan, then answer questions about it. Or go to the answers.

TURTLE

Turtles have a protective shell on their body. They are anapsids, having no extra holes in the sides of their heads. Turtles evolved during the late Triassic period, roughly 220 million years ago, about the same time the dinosaurs and mammals evolved. Proganochelys is the oldest known turtle.

ULYSSES BUTTERFLY

The ulysses is a spectacular swallowtail butterfly from Australia.

UMBRELLABIRD

A bird with a large tuft of feathers on its head.

WHITE-TAILED DEER

The White-Tailed Deer is a shy, fast-moving plant-eater.

XENOPS
The Xenops is a rainforest bird from the Americas.

ZODIAC MOTH
The Zodiac moth (Alcides zodiaca) is a large moth that looks like a swallowtail butterfly (but like all moths, it rests with its wings outspread). Its rounded wings have large brown and cream/purple stripes. This moth lives in Australian tropical rainforests. It drinks flower nectar through its proboscis. The Zodiac moth is diurnal (most actice during the day).

ZORRO
The small-eared zorro is a dog-like fox from South American rainforests.

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grassland  animal coloring pages tall grass prairie steppe

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short grass prairie biome veld campos pampas veldt

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Grassland Animal Printouts. A grassland is a grassy, windy, partly-dry biome, a sea of grass. There are many different words for grassland environments around the world, including savannas, pampas, campos, plains, steppes, prairies and veldts.

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Freshwater Marsh Animal Printouts

Freshwater marshes are a type of wetland that is teeming with both animal and plant life. Freshwater marshes are usually low-lying, open areas located near creeks, streams, rivers and lakes, where water flows into the marsh. Marshes are especially common at the mouths of rivers. The water level in freshwater marshes usually ranges from 1 to 6 feet deep (for most of the year); this water is rich in minerals and the water level varies seasonally. In the United States, the biggest freshwater marsh in the United States is the Florida Everglades (in southwestern Florida).

The waterlogged land in marshes supports many low-growing plants, like grasses and sedges; there are few trees in marshes. Some marsh plants are cattail, sawgrass, water lily, pickerel weed, spike rush, and bullrush.

Some animals live in the water (including fish, crabs, shrimp, tadpoles, insect larvae, etc.), some animals live at the surface of the water (like frogs, turtles, beavers, etc.), some animals live above the water (like birds, insects, frogs, etc.), and other animals live in the spongy areas of land surrounding the swamp (like raccoons, opossums, muskrats, deer, snails, earthworms, etc.), using the marsh for feeding, shelter, and/or nesting areas.

Printouts of Freshwater Marsh Animals:

deer
Deer are long-legged mammals that have hoofed, two-toed feet.

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freshwater marsh marshes life wetlands animal printouts swamps everglades animals animal coloring pages

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Freshwater Marsh Life Animal Printouts - EnchantedLearning.com

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Freshwater Marsh Life Animal Printouts. Freshwater marshes are teeming with both animal and plant life. Some animals live in the water (fish, crabs, etc.), some live above the water (birds, ducks, insects, etc.), and others live in the drier area surrounding the marsh (raccoons, earthworms, etc.).

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taiga  animal coloring pages taigas cold forest boreal forest cold climate forest northern coniferous forest

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Taiga Animal Printouts - EnchantedLearning.com

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Taiga Animal Printouts. A taiga, also called a boreal forest or northern coniferous forest, is a cold woodland or forest. Taiga is a Russian word for marshy pine forest. .

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Tundra Animal Printouts - EnchantedLearning.com

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Desert Animal Printouts - EnchantedLearning.com

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Desert Animal Printouts. The desert is a harsh environment with very little rainfall and extreme temperatures. Desert plant life is not abundant; neither is animal life.

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The taiga or boreal forests is a biome characterized by coniferous forests with pines, larches, and spruces as the dominant vegetation. In North America, the taiga biome encompasses Alaska, large parts of inland Canada, and northern extremes of continental US. In Eurasia, the taiga biome covers large parts of Finland, Sweden, Norway, coastal Iceland, Russia, northern Mongolia, northern Kazakhstan, and northern Japan.

The summer temperatures, dominant species, the length of the growing season, and other related aspects vary in the different taiga ecoregions of the world.

The harsh climate of the taiga does not allow a great diversity of species to inhabit this biome. Species living in the taiga are well adapted to survive the extreme winter temperatures. Here we present a list of "What Animals Live In The Taiga?" that includes some of the notable species of this biome. They are as follows:

18. Reptiles Of Taiga -

Very few species of reptiles inhabit the cold taiga habitat. The frigid winters and short summers offer a great challenge to the cold-blooded reptiles in the taiga. The red-sided garter snake and the European adder are two species of snakes whose range stretches as far north as the taiga regions of North America and Europe, respectively. These snakes hibernate during the winter to avoid death in the harsh environment.

17. Amphibians Of Taiga -

Like reptiles, the cold-blooded amphibians also find it difficult to inhabit the cold taiga environment. The fact that these animals cannot regulate their body temperature, unlike the warm-blooded animals, makes them easily vulnerable to winters in taiga environs. Only a few species of frogs (northern leopard frog, wood frog), toads (American and Canadian toad), and salamanders (blue-spotted salamander, Siberian salamander, and the northern two-lined salamander) are found in the taiga. Most of these amphibians hibernate underground during the winter season.

16. Fish Of Taiga -

The fish found in the water bodies of the Taiga region are less diverse in nature that those found in other warmer regions of the world. These fish are well-adapted to survive in cold water and also survive when the water at the surface remains frozen during winter. Some common fish species found in the taiga habitat include Alaska blackfish, lake and round whitefish, brook trout, Siberian taimen, walleye, white and longnose sucker, chum salmon, cisco, lake chub, lenok, etc.

15. Otters -

The North American otter and the European otter are two species of otters found in the taiga biome of North America and Europe respectively. The former is endemic to North America and is a semi-aquatic species found near coasts and waterways. They weigh between 5 and 14 kg. They possess a water repellant coat that protects them in water. The otters feed primarily on fish. However, amphibians, snails, clams, mussels, and occasionally small mammals and birds also form the prey base of these creatures.

14. Birds Of Taiga -

As per estimates, about 60% of the bird population of North America that is found north of the border of Mexico, inhabits the boreal forests or the taiga region. Many of these birds are migratory in nature, migrating southwards during the winter season to warmer grounds. The common goldeneye, common loon, common tern, herring gull, bufflehead, spruce grouse, etc., are some of the avian species that are heavily reliant on the boreal forests for their survival. Threats to these forests threaten the existence of these birds.

13. Rodents And Rabbits Of Taiga -

A large number of rodents and rabbits inhabit the taiga biome of the world. Beavers, squirrels, voles, rats, and mice being some of the rodents living in the taiga habitat. These rodents are a vital part of the food chain and are the food source for a number of taiga carnivores like weasels, minks, stoats, lynx, coyotes, and others. Among rabbits and hares that inhabit the taiga region, the snowshoe hare finds a special mention. The snowshoe hare weighs about 3-4 pounds and measures about 36 to 52 cm. These hares possess a thick brown coat in summer which turns to a white, wooly coat in winter. Like the rodents, these animals are also an important food source for a number of taiga predators.

12. American Marten -

The American marten ( Martes americana) inhabits a wide range from arctic Alaska and Canada in the north to Mexico in the south. Its range also stretches from Newfoundland in eastern Canada to California in the western US. In Canada and Alaska, the marten inhabits the coniferous and mixed forests of the taiga biome. By the end of the 20th century, the population of this species was severely reduced due to indiscriminate hunting for its fur. However, intense conservation efforts helped revive the population of the American marten. Today, deforestation continue to threaten the sustained survival of this species.

11. Weasel -

Weasels are small, active predators with slender bodies and short legs. Weasels usually possess a red or brown upper coat and white bellies. Weasels feed on small mammals, especially rodents. Sometimes, weasel populations are regarded as vermins when they attack at poultry farms or rabbits in commercial warrens.

10. Mink -

The minks of North America and Europe are heavily exploited for fur. These animals are either caught from the wild or reared in mink farms for their fur. Mink killing for fur is a highly controversial subject, and the practice is a focus of many animal right activities. The minks are semiaquatic, small, carnivorous animals. Minks feed on frogs, small mammals, waterfowl, and crayfish during summer. During winter, minks prey primarily on small mammals like mice, rabbits, and shrews. Though birds of prey, coyotes, and other carnivores might occasionally predate on these creatures, their agile and secretive nature allows them to avoid most such predators on many occasions.

9. Stoat -

The stoat is a mammal of the Mustelidae family that is widely distributed across Eurasia and North America. Rodents and lagomorphs are the primary diet of this carnivorous species. Birds, amphibians, lizards, and insects are also occasionally consumed by these creatures. An opportunistic predator, the stoat searches every burrow and hole for signs of prey species. They can also climb trees to access the nests of birds. Stoats kill by damaging the spine of their prey.

8. Moose -

Moose ( Alces alces) are the largest species of the deer family living today and deserves to be enlisted in the list of "What Animals Live In The Taiga?" Once widespread across the temperate and sub-arctic regions of the Northern Hemisphere, today the population of moose is highly reduced due to hunting and habitat destruction. Today, they occur in the temperate broadleaf and mixed forests, and the boreal forests of North America and Eurasia. In Eurasia, they are referred to as elk. Gray wolves and bears are the most common predators of moose. Moose are solitary creatures and meet only during the mating season. They can behave aggressively when confronted. Forbs and other non-grasses and shoots of birches and willows form the primary diet of these herbivores.

7. Caribou -

Caribou is a large herbivore of the species Rangifer tarandus. Several subspecies, ecotypes, and populations of caribou are distributed across North America. The Peary caribou is the smallest among them while the boreal woodland caribou is the largest in size. These animals are widespread across the northern parts of US and Canada where they occupy the tundra and taiga biomes. The caribou feeds on lichens, leaves of birches and willows, grasses, and sedges.

6. Elk -

The elk ( Cervus canadensis) is a large species of deer found in the taiga ecoregion of North America and Eastern Asia. The elks migrate north during spring as snow recedes, and during winter, they migrate in the opposite direction. These herbivorous species consume tree barks during winter and foliage during spring and summer. Humans exploit these species for their meat and velvety antlers. The antlers of the elk are utilized for preparing traditional medicine in parts of East Asia. Though the elks have a widespread distribution currently, indiscriminate hunting might also put its survival at stake in the future.

5. Roe Deer -

The European roe deer ( Capreolus capreolus) and the Siberian roe deer (Capreolus pygargus) are found across the taiga region in northern Europe and Asia. The former species is found from Britain in the west to the Caucacus in the east, and from the Mediterranean region in the south to the Scandinavian region in the north. The Siberian roe deer is found in parts of northeastern Asia including Siberia, Mongolia, Kazakhstan, mountainous region of Kyrgyzstan, northeastern parts of China, and the Korean Peninsula. The roe deer feed on plant parts like leaves, roots, shoots, etc. They also

4. Lynx -

The Canada lynx ( Lynx canadensis) and the Eurasian lynx (Lynx lynx) are two species of lynx that finds mention in our list of "What Animals Live In The Taiga?" These creatures inhabit the taiga belt of their respective continents. The Canada lynx is over twice the size of a domesticated cat, has a silvery-white coat, tufted ears, and ruffed face. Snowshoe hares form the biggest part of the diet of these wild cats. The Eurasian lynx is larger in size that the Canada lynx, 31 to 51 in long and 24-30 in tall. The lynx species possess a reddish or brownish coat with black spots on the fur in summer. In winter, it adorns a thick, silky, silver-gray or grayish brown fur. The Eurasian lynx feeds on a variety of mammals like hares, squirrels, rodents, red foxes, young deer species, etc.

3. Wolves And Foxes -

The gray wolf ( Canis lupus), coyote ( Canis latran s), and red fox ( Vulpes vulpes) are all found in the taiga habitat of the world. The gray wolf is found across the taiga wilderness of North America and Eurasia, the red fox occurs in North America, North Africa, and Eurasia south of the Arctic Circle, and the coyote is found exclusively in North America. Rodents, rabbits, hares, birds, reptiles, amphibians, etc., form the prey base of these inhabitants of the taiga.

2. Bears (Brown/Black/Polar) -

Brown bear, American and Asiatic black bear, and polar bear are all found in taiga habitat across North America, Europe, and Asia. Polar bears are the northernmost of these bear species and are usually found beyond the Arctic Circle. The brown bear is a large terrestrial carnivore with a wide distribution in North America and Eurasia. It is found in parts of US (especially Alaska), Canada, Russia, China, Central Asia, the Caucasus, and the Carpathian region. The Asian black bear inhabits the taiga habitat of northeastern China, Russia, Taiwan, parts of Japan, and also the Himalayan mountain region in the Indian subcontinent. The North American black bear is widely distributed across the forested land in Canada and US.

1. Siberian Tiger -

One of the most iconic species of the taiga definitely finds mention in our list of "What Animals Live In The Taiga?" The endangered Siberian tiger ( Panthera tigris altaica) once occupied large parts of taiga habitat in eastern Russia, north-eastern China, Korea, and Eastern Mongolia. Currently, only a small population of the Siberian tiger remains in the Primorye Province and the Sikhote Alin mountain region in far-eastern Russia. Years of indiscriminate poaching has severely reduced the Siberian tiger population. Intense conservation efforts attempted to improve the status of the Siberian tigers bore some success when the number of these tigers increased to 480-540 from 331-393 adult and subadult tigers. Siberian musk deer, Siberian roe deer, Manchurian sika deer, moose, hares, pikas, rabbits, etc., are some of the prey species of the Siberian tiger.

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The taiga or boreal forests is a biome characterized by coniferous forests with pines, larches, and spruces as the dominant vegetation. In North America, the taiga biome encompasses Alaska, large parts of inland Canada, and northern extremes of continental US.

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You can Use this Database to search different biomes and the animals that can live there.

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The Arctic is a hostile environment, yet the species on this Arctic animals list are able to live either on the frozen tundra or in the icy waters that surround the North Pole.

Many of the Arctic animals on this list have special adaptations that enable them to cope with the extreme conditions of the far north. These may include:

a thick, multi-layered coat;

fur that changes color with the seasons (providing camouflage against the snow in winter, and the rocky tundra in the summer);

layers of body fat to provide insulation;

seasonal migration between feeding and breeding grounds;

hibernation during the coldest months of the year;

large body size (with a proportionally smaller surface area through which heat can be lost);

small extremities (such as ears, nose, etc.) through which heat can be lost.

This list of Arctic animals includes not only species that live within the Arctic Circle, but also those that live in the subarctic (the area immediately below (i.e. south of) the Arctic).

You can click on the pictures to discover more facts and figures about many of the animals.

Arctic Animals List

A list of Arctic animals with pictures and facts. Click on the pictures or follow the links for further information about an animal.

Arctic Fox

The Arctic Fox has several adaptations for living in the Arctic environment. The most obvious of these is its thick fur, which changes color from brown in the summer to white in the winter. The fox's coat provides both insulation and camouflage.

You can find out more about the Arctic fox here.

Arctic Ground Squirrel

This small Arctic rodent is found in Alaska, Canada and Russia. In order to survive the harsh northern winter, it hibernates in a burrow.

In fact, the Arctic ground squirrel has one of the longest hibernation periods of any animal, remaining inactive for two thirds to three quarters of the year!

Arctic Hare

Arctic Hares have smaller noses and ears than other hares; this prevents heat from being lost from these uninsulated areas. 20% of their body is fat - another adaptation for living in extreme Arctic conditions.

However, all that additional insulation doesn't slow them down. These speedy lagomorphs* are able to reach speeds of up to 60 km/h (40 mph)!

* A lagomorph is a member of the order Lagomorpha, the animal group that contains hares, rabbits and pikas.

Arctic Tern

The Arctic Tern is one of nature's true voyagers. Flying over 19,000 km in a year, these incredible birds see more daylight hours than any other creature, and experience two summers every year.

Arctic Wolf

One of our favourite animals on the Arctic animals list, the Arctic Wolf is found in Canada's frozen north. This Grey Wolf subspecies is smaller than the similar North-Western Wolf (another wolf subspecies) and has narrower features.

Believe it or not, the Arctic wolf is the same species as your pet dog! Domestic dogs and Arctic wolves are both subspecies of Grey wolf, Canis lupus.

Due to its Arctic habitat, the Arctic Wolf has been hunted by humans less than other wolves.

Bald Eagle

The Bald Eagle is both the national bird and the national animal of the USA. It is found not just in the Arctic, but also in a variety of other habitats throughout North America, from Canada to northern Mexico.

The bald eagle is a member of the genus Haliaeetus, a group of eagles also known as 'sea eagles'. Fish forms the majority of the bald eagle's diet.

You can read more about bald eagles here.

Beluga Whale

The beluga whale is found around the coasts of Russia, North America and Greenland. It is a highly social species, usually living in small pods of around 10 animals.

The pure white color of the beluga whale provides camouflage when it is swimming under the Arctic ice.

Caribou / Reindeer

Caribou are also known as reindeer, especially in Europe. These hardy animals have several adaptations for living in a cold-climate, including enlarged chambers in the nose (to warm up the cold Arctic air) and hooves that get both smaller and harder in the winter - providing improved grip in the ice and snow.

Herds of caribou in North America make the longest migration of any land mammal.

Dall Sheep

The Dall Sheep is found in Subarctic areas of Alaska and Canada. It lives in rocky, mountainous regions, and is an excellent climber.

Ermine / Stoat

The Stoat, or Ermine, is a member of the weasel family. (The name 'ermine' is sometimes only used to refer to the animal while in its white winter coat.)

Although small, stoats are skillful hunters, capable of preying on animals (such as rabbits) considerably larger than themselves. Stoats will often live in the burrows of their victims rather than digging their own.

You can find out more about the stoat here: Stoat Facts

Greenland Shark

Native to the North Atlantic Ocean around Canada and Greenland, Greenland sharks live further north than any other type of shark. Greenland sharks are rather slow swimmers and prefer to catch prey while it is sleeping. They also scavenge food left by other predators.

Harp Seal

The harp seal is born with a yellow coat that turns white after three days. As the animal gets older it becomes silvery-grey.

Harp seals have a thick coat of blubber to keep them warm. Their flippers act as heat exchangers, cooling them down in the summer and warming them up in the winter.

Lemming

Lemmings are small rodents with long, soft fur. They are herbivorous, and eat grasses, roots, and leaves. Lemmings remain active during the winters rather than hibernating. They stock up on grasses before the winter, and burrow under the snow to find food.

Moose

Moose are the largest members of the deer family. These large-antlered animals are most commonly found in Alaska, Canada, Russia, and Scandinavia. Moose are unique among deer in that they are solitary and don't live in herds.

Although usually slow moving, moose can become agile and aggressive when frightened or angered.

Musk Ox

During the mating season, the male Musk Ox produces a musky odour to attract females, which is how the animals get their name. Musk Oxen have thick fur coats to keep them warm. Both males and females have long, curved horns.

Narwhal

Narwhals are medium-sized whales with one highly distinguishing feature: a long tusk that projects from the front of their heads. The tusk is in fact an extended front tooth. Narwhals spend the whole year in the arctic waters surrounding Russia, Greenland, and Canada.

You can read more narwhal facts here.

Orca

Also known as the killer whale, this toothed whale is a member of the dolphin family. Orcas have distinctive black backs and white chest and eye patches. Orcas prey on other marine creatures, often working in a group. Orcas are apex predators, having no natural predators themselves.

Polar Bear

No arctic animals list would be complete without the polar bear. Polar bears are marine mammals. They are able to swim long distances in cold waters and are also fast movers on the land. Polar bears are the largest type of bear.

Find out more about these awesome Arctic animals here.

Ptarmigan

Ptarmigans have white plumage during the winter which provides camouflage against the snow. Ptarmigans feed on fruit and berries in the summer, and forage for food under the snow in winter.

Ptarmigans are also known as 'rock ptarmigans' and 'snow chickens'.

Puffin

Puffins are birds that are built for swimming as well as for flying; their short wings propel them through the water as well as through the air.

Puffins have black and white feathers and brightly-colored bills. They spend most of their lives far out at sea, but for a few months each year gather on cliffs to form breeding colonies.

Ringed Seal

The ringed seal is the most common seal found in the Arctic. One of the smallest species of seal, it has a small, cat-like head and a plump body.

The ringed seal gets its name from its coat, which is brown with silver rings on the back and side. The ringed seal preys on small fish.

Sea Otter

Sea otters are the heaviest mustelids (members of the weasel family, Mustelidae), but are one of the smallest marine mammals. Sea otters have thick fur coats for insulation, and they tend to spend more time in the water than on the land.

Snow Goose

Snow geese raise their young in northern America and Canada at the start of summer, then migrate south in the winter.

Snow geese often stop to feed on crop fields during their migration. Their bills are adapted for digging roots out of the ground.

Snowshoe Hare

The snowshoe hare's coat changes color from brown in the summer to white in the winter. This provides year-round camouflage.

The species gets its name from its large, furry-soled hind feed. They are adapted to prevent the hare from sinking into the snow.

Walrus

The walrus is easy to recognise with its large tusks, long whiskers, and short flippers. These large, heavy creatures used to be hunted for their meat and fat. This practice has now been banned in order to protect the species.

Wolverine

The wolverine has a well-deserved reputation for being a ferocious predator that isn't afraid to take on animals bigger than itself. Like the sea otter (see above), the wolverine is a member of the weasel (mustelidae) family.

Arctic Animals List: Conclusion

We hope that you've enjoyed this list of Arctic animals.

Now that you've met the region's wildlife, why not discover more about the Arctic itself? You'll find some incredible facts here: Arctic Facts.

You can find out about the animals of the South Pole here: Antarctic Animals Pictures and Facts.

Or, take a look at our other animal lists pages:

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Arctic Animals List With Pictures, Facts & Information

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The Arctic is a hostile environment, yet the species on this Arctic animals list are able to live either on the frozen tundra or in the icy waters that surround the North Pole. Many of the Arctic animals on this list have special adaptations that enable them to cope with the extreme conditions of the far north.

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Rainforest Animals

Rainforest animals include mammals such as sloths, tapirs, jaguars, tigers, howler monkeys, spider monkeys and orangutans; reptiles such as caimans and the green anaconda; amphibians such as poison dart frogs and the red-eyed tree frog; and birds such as toucans, macaws and the harpy eagle.
On this page is an alphabetical list of rainforest animals with pictures and facts.

You can use the Rainforest Animals Index, below, to find information on a specific rainforest species.

Find out how much you know about rainforest animals by downloading the free printable worksheet for use with this page (simply download and print: no sign-up necessary!)

Become a rainforest expert with our Rainforest Workbooks (a fun home or classroom activity!)

Introduction

Despite covering only between 6 and 7% of the world's land surface, rainforests are home to more than half of all the world's animal and plant species.

In addition to the vast number of known rainforest animals, biologists estimate that there are millions of species living in rainforests that are still to be discovered!

On this page you'll find information on a wide range of rainforest animals. What's your favorite? Have you ever seen any of the animals on this page? Let us know in the comments section at the bottom of the page!

Rainforest Animals List: Index

You can find out more about the animals listed below by clicking on the pictures or on the links provided.

Other rainforest animal pages on ActiveWild:

FREE Rainforest Animals Printable Worksheet - Test your knowledge!

Click on the images or links below to view & download FREE printable question sheets for use with this page.

(You can find more free worksheets from Active Wild on this page: Free Printable Worksheets.)

Worksheet Download Links
The answers to the questions can be found either on this page or on pages linked to from this page.
These question sheets make a great home or classroom activity, and can be used to encourage internet-based research, as well as to improve knowledge of the rainforest biome.

List Of Rainforest Animals

For individual species (i.e. tiger), we've included the animal's scientific name and its IUCN conservation status (if assessed).

For groups of species (i.e. anteaters) we've included the number of species in the group and the group's name.

Amazonian Giant Centipede

Reaching lengths of up to 30 cm (1 ft.), the Amazonian giant centipede is one of the world's largest centipedes. The species is found in the Amazon Basin (the region surrounding the Amazon River) and other tropical parts of northern South America.

The Amazonian giant centipede is a voracious predator. It hunts insects, spiders (including tarantulas), lizards, frogs, snakes and even small mammals. The centipede injects its prey with paralyzing venom. This venom is delivered via 'venom claws' located on the centipede's first segment.
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Anteater

Anteaters belong to a group of animals with the Latin name Vermilingua, which means ' worm tongue '. The name comes from the animals' long, thin tongues, which are used to gather up large quantities of ants and termites.

There are four species of anteater: the giant anteater, silky anteater, southern tamandua and northern tamandua.
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Arrau Turtle

The Arrau turtle is also known as the South American river turtle. It is a large freshwater turtle found in rivers throughout much of northern South America. The species is present in both the Amazon and the Orinoco rivers.

Full-grown adults have carapace (shell) lengths of over 1 m (3.3 ft.) and can weigh up to 90 kg (200 lb.).

The Arrau turtle is the world's largest species of side-necked turtle. Side-necked turtles (Pleurodira) tuck their heads into their shells with a sideways motion. (Members of the other main group of turtles, Cryptodira, draw their heads straight back into their shells.)

Although the Arrau turtle's conservation status is currently 'Lower Risk', its population is thought to be declining rapidly and there are some calls for the species to be considered 'Critically Endangered'.
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Aye-aye

The aye-aye is a species of lemur found in the rainforests of Madagascar (an island country off the east coast of Africa). It is the world's largest nocturnal primate.

(You can find out more about lemurs further down the page.)

The aye-aye eats grubs (insect larvae), which it finds by tapping on trees with its fingers. By listening carefully to the noise produced by the tapping, it can tell if a grub is hidden under the bark.

The aye-aye's elongated middle fingers are specially adapted for hooking grubs out of holes.
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Binturong

Binturongs - otherwise known as ' bearcats' - are the largest members of the animal family Viverridae. (Members of this family are known as viverrids).

The binturong's long tail is ' prehensile ' (i.e. it can hold onto things). A binturong uses its tail as an 'extra hand' while climbing.

The binturong is the only Old World mammal with a prehensile tail. ('Old World' is a collective term for the continents of Europe, Asia and Africa.)

Binturongs live in the forests of South and Southeast Asia.
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Blue Morpho Butterfly

Blue morphos are brilliant blue butterflies. There is more than one species of blue morpho; the name is used for any blue butterfly in the genus morpho. (A genus is a group of closely related species.)

Blue morphos feed (among other things) on rotting fruit, which they find on the floor of rainforests in South and Central America.

Sometimes there are so many blue morphos flying over the rainforest canopy that pilots can see the blue of their wings from the sky!
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Boa Constrictor

The boa constrictor is a large rainforest snake. It ambushes its prey, then constricts (squeezes) it before swallowing it whole.

This fearsome reptile is found in Central and South American rainforests.

The boa constrictor is a member of the family Boidae, a group of large, non-venomous snakes that also contains the green anaconda (see further down the page).

The boa constrictor is one of the few animals commonly known by their scientific names!
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Caiman

Number of species: 6

Family: Alligatoridae; subfamily Caimaninae

Where found: Central & South America

Caimans are predatory reptiles that live in the rivers and lakes of Central and South American rain forests (and other habitats). There are six species of caiman.

The spectacled caiman ( Caiman crocodilus) is one of the most common species of caiman. It gets its name from the bony ridge on its nose, which makes the reptile appear to be wearing glasses.

The largest caiman is the black caiman ( Melanosuchus niger), which grows to lengths in excess of 5 m (16 ft).

Together with crocodiles, alligators and gharials, caimans form a group of animals known as ' Crocodilians '.
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Candiru

The candiru is a small fish found in the Amazon River and several other South American rivers and their tributaries. It has a long, thin, translucent body. Small spines are present on its gill covers.

These rainforest fish feed on the blood of larger fish by attaching themselves to their gills of their victims. It is even rumored that the candiru can enter a human body. However, this is both unproven and unlikely.
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Capybara

The capybara is the world's largest rodent. It lives South and Central American forests.

The capybara has several adaptations for a semi-aquatic lifestyle. and is always found living close to water. It can remain submerged for up to five minutes; a useful skill for an animal whose predators include jaguars and ocelots!
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Civet

Civets are cat-like mammals found in rainforests in Asia and Africa. They produce a strong-smelling substance that is used to make perfume (although most perfume manufacturers are now switching to synthetic alternatives).

Most civets are members of the family Viverridae (the binturong also belongs to this family). The African palm civet, a civet found in African rainforests, is the only species in the family Nandiniidae.

Civets are mammals in the group Carnivora. This group is split into two branches; Feliforma (the cat-like carnivorans) and Caniformia (the dog-like carnivorans). Civits, along with animals such as cats and hyenas, are placed in Feliforma.
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Coati

Coatis are also known as ' coatimundis'. These cat-sized carnivorous mammals are members of the raccoon family, Procyonidae.

Coatis forage on the forest floor by day. They find food among the leaf litter using their acute sense of smell. During the night they rest in the rainforest canopy.

Coatis are found in South America and in southern North America.
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Electric Eel

Despite its name and eel-like appearance, the electric eel is a knifefish rather than a true eel. This long, thin fish has a fin running almost the whole length of the underside of its body. By moving this fin with a wave-like motion the electric eel is able to swim both forwards and backwards.

Like other knifefish, the electric eel is able to produce electrical fields that help it navigate in murky water. The electric eel has greatly developed this ability and is able to produce voltages strong enough both to stun prey and deter predators. A shock from an electric eel can even be life-threatening to humans!
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Giraffe Weevil

This strange-looking rainforest bug is found in the island country of Madagascar. The giraffe weevil's name comes from the species' elongated neck. This is an adaptation for fighting and nest-building.

The neck of the male is over twice as long as that of the female, giving the insect a total body length of almost 1 in. (2.54 cm).

The female makes a nest by rolling a leaf into a tube, in which she will lay a single egg.
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Goliath Beetle

The five species of goliath beetles are the world's largest insects. In their adult form they are over 10 cm (3.93 in.) long. Their larvae weigh up to 100 grams (3.5 oz.)

Despite their large size, Goliath beetles are still able to fly.

Goliath beetles are found in the tropical rainforests of Africa.
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Goliath Birdeater

The goliath birdeater is a member of the tarantula family Theraphosidae. This huge rainforest spider is the heaviest spider in the world (although its leg-span, at 11 inches (28 cm) is only the second largest, after the giant huntsman spider). Its body reaches a length of up to 4.75 in. (12 cm).

The Goliath birdeater lives deep in the rainforests of northern South America, including the Amazon rainforest. It hunts at night, preying on a variety of large invertebrates and small vertebrates, including lizards and frogs. Despite its name, the species only occasionally eats birds.
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Green Anaconda

The green anaconda is the world's heaviest species of snake, but not the longest (that's the reticulated python). However, a green anaconda can still grow to over 16.4 ft. / 5 metres in length!

This huge rainforest snake is an excellent swimmer, and is found in the lakes and rivers of the Amazon Rainforest.

Like all members of the family Boidae, the green anaconda is non-venomous. Instead, it relies on its squeezing ability to subdue its prey.
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Green Iguana

The green iguana is a large lizard that lives in the forests of Central and South America. Although this rainforest reptile looks fierce, it mainly eats plants.

The species is arboreal (tree-dwelling). It is often found near water, and is an excellent swimmer.

The closely-related Lesser Antillean iguana, a species found in the rainforests of the Lesser Antilles islands in the Caribbean, is critically endangered.

You can find out more about iguanas on this page: Iguana Facts
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Harpy Eagle

The harpy eagle is the largest bird of prey found in the rainforest.

Although it is one of the world's biggest eagles, it's wingspan is (relatively) small; this is an adaption for flying through the forest.

The harpy eagle is said to be the world's most powerful bird of prey. It is capable of plucking mid-sized mammals such as monkeys and sloths from out of trees.
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Hoatzin

The hoatzin is a pheasant-shaped bird with a long body, broad tail, and a spiky crest on its head.

The hoatzin is an unusual bird for several reasons. Juvenile hoatzins have a claw at the 'elbow' joint of each of their wings. The species nests above water, and if threatened, the juveniles drop into the water. Using their claws, they are able to climb back into the nest once the danger has passed.

The species also has an unusual way of digesting its food, which consists largely of green leaves. The food is broken down by bacteria in a special area in the bird's crop (the expandable storage area in a bird's throat), in a similar way to that in which cows digest grass.

The fermenting leaves in the hoatzin's crop give off an unpleasant aroma. Because of this, the species has the alternative name of ' stinkbird '.
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Howler Monkey

All fifteen species of howler monkey live in the rainforests of South and Central America. Howler monkeys live in groups known as ' troops '. There can be from 6 to 15 howler monkeys in a troop.

A howler monkey's cry can be heard through 3 miles of rainforest. The monkeys use their loud voices to let rival troops know where they are (this way they don't actually have to fight to keep their territories).

Despite the loud calls, some people keep howler monkeys as pets!
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Jaguar

Jaguars are the world's third-largest cat species - only tigers and lions are bigger. These big cats live in South American rain forests, where they are apex predators (i.e. top of the food chain).

Jaguars have extremely powerful jaws and are excellent swimmers - not even caimans are safe from these fearsome carnivores!

You can find out more about this rainforest predator on this page: Jaguar Facts.
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King Vulture

Scientific name: Sarcoramphus papa

Conservation status: Least Concern

Where found: Central and South America

The king vulture is a large bird that lives in the rainforests of Central and South America. It has black and white plumage and a strikingly-colored head and bill.

Like other vultures, it is primarily a scavenger. It feeds on carrion that it finds on the forest floor. Due to its size and strength it is able to prevent other scavenging birds from feeding on the carrion until it has had its fill.
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Leafcutter Ant

They may be small, but leafcutter ants are some of the most amazing - and important - animals that live in rainforests.

These industrious insects build nests that are up to 30 m (98 ft.) across. These huge nests are home to over 8 million insects!

(There are many countries in the world whose human populations are smaller than the number of leaf cutter ants that live in just one nest!)

Perhaps even more amazingly, leafcutter ants grow their own food in special ' fungus gardens ' within their immense nests!

Long trails of leafcutter ants can often be seen carrying leaves from the rainforest canopy to their nest. The leaves are fed to the fungus, which in turn is fed to the ants' larvae.
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Lemur

Lemurs are small primates found in the rainforests of Madagascar. Lemurs are ' endemic ' to Madagascar, which means that they're found nowhere else on Earth!

There are around 100 species of lemur. The species shown in the photo above is a ring-tailed lemur. Sadly, like many lemurs, the ring-tailed lemur is endangered.
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Leopard

Leopards are big cats found in Africa and parts of Asia. The rainforest is just one habitat in which this versatile animal is able to live; it's equally at home in savannas, woodlands and grasslands.

The spots on a leopard's coat are called ' rosettes'. One way of telling leopards and jaguars apart is by looking at their rosettes. A leopard's rosettes are empty, whereas those of a jaguar are filled with smaller black spots. Leopards are also slightly smaller than jaguars.

Leopards are incredibly strong, and are known to carry their prey up trees. (They have to do this, otherwise lions and hyenas might try to steal it from them!)
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Lovely Fairywren

The lovely fairywren is an Australian rainforest bird found in the northeast of the country. It often lives on the rainforest edge, and is frequently seen high in the rainforest canopy. The species lives in small family groups.

The lovely fairywren lives in the rainforests of northeastern Australia. It is usually found at the edges of rainforests, often high up in the rainforest canopy. The species lives in small family groups.

This colorful Australian bird is one of 11 species of fairywren, all of which are small and brightly-colored.
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Macaw

Macaws are members of the family Psittacidae, one of the three parrot families (not all of the members of this family are macaws). Macaws are large, colorful birds with large bills and long tails. Most species can be told apart from other parrots by their featherless faces.

There are 19 species of macaw. Several of these, including the hyacinth macaw, great green macaw and scarlet macaw, are found in rainforests.

A macaw's feet are " zygodactyl "; the outer two toes face forwards while the inner two toes face backwards. This helps the bird to climb and land on tree trunks. This type of foot is a characteristic of several woodland and forest birds, including parrots, woodpeckers and cuckoos.
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Ocelot

The ocelot is a small wild cat found in South and Central America. The species is also occasionally seen as far north as Texas and Arizona.

Around the size of a bobcat, the ocelot is sometimes referred to as the 'dwarf leopard' on behalf of its spotted coat.

The ocelot is a nocturnal predator that rarely targets prey larger than rabbits and armadillos.

You can find out more about the ocelot on this page: Ocelot Facts
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Orangutan

Orangutans are members of the great ape family, Hominidae - just like us! Orangutans live in rainforests on the Southeast Asian islands Borneo and Sumatra. The name 'orangutan' means 'man of the forest' in Malay.

Orangutans are the world's largest arborial (tree-dwelling) animals. They spend up to 95% of their lives in the trees.

Sadly, all three species of orangutan are now critically endangered. This is mainly due to deforestation. Much of the orangutan's natural habitat has been cleared to make way for palm oil plantations.
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Piranha

Piranhas are freshwater fish found in the lakes and rivers of South America. With powerful jaws tightly packed with sharp teeth, piranhas have a reputation for being dangerous predators.

This fearsome reputation isn't entirely deserved. Piranhas aren't top of the rainforest food chain, and are just as likely to end up as dinner for other animals.

Many piranhas, rather than being purely carnivorous, are actually omnivores who feed on plant matter as well as on meat.

Piranha attacks on humans are rare, and seldom result in serious injury.

There may be over 60 species of piranha (scientists are unsure of the exact number). The largest piranha species is the red-bellied piranha, which grows up to 50 cm (20 in) in length.

You can find out more about piranhas on this page: Piranha Facts.
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Poison Dart Frog

Most of the 170 or so species of poison dart frog have brightly-coloured skin. This acts as a warning to potential predators that the frogs are poisonous.

Hunters from rainforest tribes used poison taken from the skin of poison dart frogs on the tips of their blowdarts.

The golden poison frog ( Phyllobates terribilis) is one of the world's most poisonous animals.

Poison dart frogs are found in Central and South American rainforests.
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Rainforest Scops Owl

This rainforest owl lives in the rainforests of eastern Madagascar. With a wingspan of up to 54 cm (21 in.), it is one of the smaller owl species.

The rainforest scops owl appears in three color variations, brown, grey or reddish-brown. When threatened it raises the two ear-like crests on its head.
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Red Eyed Tree Frog

Thanks to its eye-catching good looks the red-eyed tree frog has become one of the world's best-known amphibians.

When resting, the frog conceals its bright colors under its green body and closes its large red eyes, making it surprisingly difficult to spot.

These iconic frogs live in the canopy layer of Central American rainforests.

The red eyed tree frog's bright colors are part of a defense mechanism called ' startle coloration '. The frog hopes that a quick flash of its bright red eyes will momentarily confuse a potential predator, giving it time to escape!
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Red Imported Fire Ant

The red imported fire ant is an ant in the genus Solenopsis. It is found in tropical areas of South America. The species is found in a number of habitats, including rainforests.

The species has spread beyond its original range, and is considered to be one of the world's worst invasive species. It has been introduced to the United States and even to Australia via shipping containers.

Like all fire ants, the red imported fire ant can deliver a painful sting. The species is resilient to floods and droughts, and has even been seen amassing into floating, living 'boats' consisting of thousands of individuals.
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Sloth

Sloths are medium-sized rainforest mammals found in South and Central America. These tree-dwelling animals spend nearly all of their lives hanging upside-down from branches in the rainforest canopy.

Sloths move very slowly and have a low metabolism (the rate at which the body uses energy). This is an adaptation for living on leaves, which contain very little energy. Moving slowly also helps sloths stay hidden from predators such as the harpy eagle.

Because sloths are such slow movers, algae often begins to grow in their fur, giving them a green color. This is actually beneficial to the sloths, as it camouflages them among the leaves.

You can find out more about sloths on this page: Sloth Facts
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South American Lungfish

The South American lungfish is one of six species of lungfish alive today. Lungfish are fish that have retained their ancestors' ability to breathe air. As the name suggests, lungfish have lungs, and can breathe without using their gills.

The South American lungfish is found in slow-moving rivers and streams in the Amazon Basin. It is a long, thin fish that can grow to over 1 meter (3.3 ft.) in length.

During the dry season, the South American lungfish is able to surround its body in mucous and can survive buried in the mud, even if the river dries up.
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Spider Monkey

Spider monkeys get their name from their long limbs and tail; these agile primates actually look like giant spiders! Spider monkeys live in the rainforests of South America.

All seven species of Spider Monkey are now threatened; one is rated Vulnerable, four are Endangered, and two are Critically Endangered.
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Tapir

Tapirs are large hoofed animals in the family Tapiridae. They have long, prehensile snouts which they use to grasp and manipulate foliage while foraging for food. (Prehensile means 'adapted for grasping or holding'.)

Tapiridae, the family to which all 5 species of tapir belong, is one of three animal families that make up the group of animals known as odd-toed ungulates.

The other families in this group are the horse family (Equidae) and the rhinoceros family (Rhinocerotidae).

The only species of tapir found outside of the Americas is the Malayan tapir, which is found in Asia.

You can find out more about these rainforest animals on this page: Tapir Facts
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Tarsier

Tarsiers are small primates that live in rainforests on Southeast Asian islands. They have extremely large eyes and long tails. (The eyes of some tarsier species are larger than their brains!) Tarsiers are adapted for jumping, and move around by leaping through the trees.

These nocturnal animals exist mainly on a diet of insects.

There is some confusion over the exact number of tarsier species. Currently, 11 species of tarsier are listed in the Catalogue of Life (a list of all of the world's species), but other authorities recognize more or fewer species. All tarsiers are in the family Tarsiidae.
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Tiger

The tiger is the world's largest cat species. It lives in a variety of habitats, including rainforests and a variety of other types of forest.

Tigers are found in several Asian countries, including India, Indonesia, Malaysia and Thailand. The species is also found in southeast Russia.

The tiger is an endangered species. It is estimated that there are only around 3,000 to 4,000 of these beautiful animals left in the wild. The main threats to tigers are habitat loss and poaching.

You can find out more about tigers on this page: Tiger Facts.
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Toucan

Toucans are a family of around 43 crow-sized birds found in Central and South America.

These distinctive birds are known for their large, colorful bills.

A toucan uses its long bill to reach food without having to fly or climb to another branch. The bill also helps the toucan stay cool by transferring body heat to the surrounding air.

The keel-billed toucan, pictured above, lives in the canopy of Central American rainforests. It is primarily a frugivore (fruit-eater), although it will also eat a variety of animals, including snakes and the nestlings of other birds.

You can find out more about toucans on this page: Toucan Facts.
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Vampire Bat

Bats are mammals whose arms have evolved into wings, allowing them to fly. There are 3 species of vampire bat: the common vampire bat, the hairy-legged vampire bat, and the white-winged vampire bat.

All vampire bats feed on the blood of other animals. Vampire bats know exactly where to bite their victims by using infrared radiation to see where the blood is flowing closest to the skin!

Vampire bats are found in the Americas. As well as being found in rainforests, they also live in woodlands and grasslands.
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White-Lipped Treefrog

This Australian amphibian is the world's largest species of tree frog, and Australia's largest native frog. The species is also found in Papua New Guinea.

Tree frogs are amphibians in the family Hylidae. Tree frogs are named for their arboreal (tree-dwelling) lifestyle.

The white-lipped tree frog is found in north-east Queensland, and is present in the Daintree Rainforest. The species is also found in urban areas, and occasionally gets transported hundreds of miles to other states in banana boxes.

You can find out more about the white-lipped tree frog on this page: White-Lipped Tree Frog Facts

What Is A Rainforest?
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As the name suggests, rainforests are forests found in areas that receive a high amount of rain. All rainforests receive at least 1.8 m (70 in.) of rain in a year; some rainforests receive over 3 m (118 in.).

Tropical rainforests are rainforests that are located near the Equator. They are hot, humid places. The average monthly temperature in a tropical rainforest is at least 18 °C (64 °F), with little difference between summer and winter.

A tropical rainforest's unique mix of high rainfall and constant high temperature provides plants and animals with an ideal environment in which to live.

Because of their high biodiversity, tropical rainforests are among the world's most important habitats. (Biodiversity is the amount of different species that live in one area.)

Rainforest Animals List: Discover More with Active Wild!

We hope that you've enjoyed discovering the amazing rainforest animals on this page. Rainforests are home to a wide and varied range of species and this ancient habitat is vitally important for sustaining a large proportion of the world's biodiversity.

What's your favorite rainforest animal? Are there any animals we've missed? Let us know in the comments below!

The animals on this list represent only a fraction of the species that live in the world's rainforests; you can discover more animals on the pages listed below:

You can find out more about rainforests on the following pages:

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Rainforest Animals List With Pictures & Facts, Free Printable Worksheet

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Rainforest animals include mammals such as sloths, tapirs, jaguars, tigers, howler monkeys, spider monkeys and orangutans; reptiles such as caimans and the green anaconda; amphibians such as poison dart frogs and the red-eyed tree frog; and birds such as toucans, macaws and the harpy eagle.

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African animals list with pictures and facts. Click on the pictures to discover more about the animals.

Africa is home to many of the world's most famous animals. Lions, zebras, giraffes, gorillas, hippos, crocodiles and rhinos are all found in the wild in the continent. You'll see pictures of all of these - plus many more amazing animals - in the list below.

Africa is the world's second largest continent (Asia is the largest). Habitats range from rainforest to desert, and Africa's animal life is every bit as varied as its landscapes.

The animals included on this list represent just a fraction of what can be found in the continent, and we'll be adding new species regularly - so be sure to come back soon!

You can click on many of the images below to find out more amazing facts about the animal.

List of African Animals: Introduction

Perhaps the best-known African habitat is savanna (UK spelling: savannah). Savannas are grasslands with widely-spaced trees. They are home to many of Africa's most recognizable animals, including lions, cheetahs, giraffes and zebras.

Africa's rainforests are extremely important habitats for endangered species such as gorillas and okapis.

Deserts such as the Sahara Desert are home to species with special adaptations for living in the intense heat.

How many species on our African animals list have you heard of?

African Animals List

Aardvark

The aardvark is a nocturnal mammal whose diet consists mainly of ants and termites. It uses its excellent sense of smell to find food, and its long, sticky tongue to capture its prey.

The aardvark is an expert digger, and can even burrow its way out of danger from predators.

Although slightly pig-like in appearance, the aardvark is not a member of the Suidae (pig) family. In fact, the aardvark is the last remaining species of the order Tubulidentata.

You can find out more about aardvarks here.

Aardwolf

Aardwolf means 'earth wolf' in Afrikaans, a language spoken by many South African people. The aardwolf lives in scrublands in eastern and southern Africa.

The aardwolf is nocturnal, and sleeps in burrows during the day. Although the aardwolf is in the hyena family, it doesn't eat large animals. Instead, it eats insects, its favourite food being termites.

The aardwolf uses its long, sticky tongue to capture and eat up to 250,000 termites in one night!

African Elephant

The African elephant is the world's largest land animal. Recent studies have shown that there are two subspecies of African elephant: the African bush elephant, and the smaller African forest elephant.

Learn about the amazing African elephant here.

Antelopes

There are 91 species of antelope, most of which are native to Africa. They live in a range of habitats, including forests and grasslands. Antelopes are herbivores (plant eaters), and many species live in large herds.

Living in herds helps to keep antelopes safe from predators. With all those eyes and ears looking and listening out for danger, predators find it hard to approach undetected.

Baboon

Baboons are monkeys with long muzzles and close-set eyes, giving their faces a dog-like appearance.

Baboons live in groups called troops, which range in size from 5 to 250 individuals. Male baboons use noises and visual threats such as showing their sharp, pointed teeth to establish their standing within the troop.

You can find out more about baboons here.

Bonobo

The bonobo is an endangered primate that lives in the Central African rainforests. It is closely related to the chimpanzee.

Buffalo

The African buffalo has distinctive upwards-curved horns. The buffalo is a very thick-set and robust animal, generally standing at around 1.5m (5ft).

Although distantly related to other bovines, the buffalo is not an ancestor of domestic cattle.

Bushbaby

Also known as Galagos or Nagapies (which means 'little night monkeys' in Afrikaans), Bushbabies are nocturnal (active at night), and have large, round eyes, giving them excellent night vision.

Bushbabies have long tails that help them balance, and powerful hind legs for jumping. When leaping through dense vegetation, bushbabies can fold their bat-like ears back for protection.

Cheetah

The cheetah is the world's fastest land animal. It uses its great speed to capture its prey, which consists of animals such as antelope and hares.

The cheetah's coat is pale brown / yellow and covered with distinctive black spots. The spots provide camouflage, breaking up the animal's outline against grasses and other foliage.

The cheetah is a member of the felidae (cat) family.

Click here to learn more awesome cheetah facts.

Crocodile

You need to be careful when walking near rivers and lakes in Africa; the continent is home to several species of crocodile!

Crocodiles are large, meat-eating reptiles, and are among Africa's most dangerous animals. These ambush predators lie in wait in shallow water for their unsuspecting prey to approach.

The largest African crocodile is the Nile crocodile. It is the second-largest crocodile species: only Australia's saltwater crocodile is bigger!

Giraffe

No African animals list would be complete without the giraffe! One of the most distinctive of all animals, this long-necked creature is the world's tallest land animal.

Its extreme height gives the giraffe easy access to tall trees, meaning that it can eat plants and leaves that other herbivores can't reach.

You can find out more about the tallest creature in the world here.

Gorilla

Gorillas live in the forests of central Africa. Gorillas are members of the great ape family Hominidae, and are the largest living primates.

Despite their fearsome looks, gorillas are peaceful creatures and are largely herbivorous.

There are two species of gorilla: the eastern gorilla and the western gorilla. Both are critically endangered. Only 880 mountain gorillas (a subspecies of eastern gorilla) are left in the wild.

Gorilla Charity: The Gorilla Organization.

Hippopotamus

The word 'hippopotamus' is derived from ancient Greek for 'river horse'. It is a fitting name for this large animal, which has a semi-aquatic lifestyle.

Commonly known as 'hippos', these herbivorous animals spend most of the day bathing in water or mud, only emerging at dusk when the temperature is cooler.

A smaller hippo species, the pymgy hippo, lives in Africa's rainforests.

The hippos' closest relatives in the animal kingdom are the Cetaceans - the group of animals that includes whales and porpoises.

Hyena

Hyenas may look like a mixture between a dog and a wolf, but they are more closely related to cats and viverrids (cat-like mammals).

Although hyenas have a reputation for being scavengers it is only the striped hyena and the brown hyena that find most of their food this way. The spotted hyena (also known as the laughing hyena) actively hunts most of its own prey.

The fourth member of the hyena family is the Aardwolf, which appears further up this list.

Hyenas often appear in African and Middle Eastern folklore and mythology.

Jackal

Jackals are small canines (members of the dog family). They have long, agile legs and curved teeth that are well adapted to their omnivorous diet. Jackals are built for long distance running and are most active at dawn and dusk.

Leopard

The leopard is a fast and powerful big cat that is found in Africa and Asia. Its coat is dotted with distinctive rings known as ' rosettes '. These provide camouflage in the grasslands and forests in which the leopard lives.

After subduing its victim, the leopard will sometimes drag its prey up a tree. Here the leopard can finish its meal in peace away from other predators.

You can learn some amazing leopard facts here.

Lion

Although known as the 'king of the jungle', the lion is actually the second biggest of the big cats (the tiger is the biggest).

Lions tend to be fairly inactive during the day and can spend up to 20 hours of the day resting.

Lions are most active after dusk, when they groom and socialise before going to hunt. Lions are carnivores (meat eaters) and use teamwork to capture large prey.

Mongoose

There are around 33 species of mongoose. These small mammals are found in Africa and Asia. They range in size from 20cm (8in) to 60cm (27in).

Mongooses are diurnal (active during the day). Their diet consists mostly of insects, earthworms, and other small creatures such as crabs, lizards, snakes, and birds.

One of the best-known species of mongoose is the meerkat, which lives in desert habitats in southern Africa.

Monkeys

Africa is home to many species of monkey, including the black-and-white colobus monkey, mandrill, de Brazza's monkey and the vervet monkey (pictured above).

Some species live in trees and some tend to stay on the ground. Most monkeys are active during the day and live in organized social groups.

Monkeys are omnivorous (i.e. they eat both meat and plants).

Monkeys range in size from pygmy species which can be as small as 12cm (4.6 in) in height, to larger species which can weigh up to 36kg (80lb).

Okapi

These shy, rarely-seen African animals live in the forests of central Africa. They have zebra-like stripes, but in fact are more closely related to the giraffe. The okapi's markings provide camouflage in the forest environment.

The okapi is an endangered species.

Ostrich

The ostrich may not be able to fly, but it is a true record breaker. Not only is it the world's largest bird, but it is also the fastest (on land) and the layer of the biggest eggs!

Ostriches mainly eat grasses and other plants, but occasionally also eat insects and bugs.

Pangolin

The pangolin's most distinctive feature is its thick, armored coat, which is made of keratin - the same substance out of which fingernails and hair are made.

Pangolins are often referred to as ' scaly anteaters '. They live in hollows in trees or in burrows, and are active at night. They eat ants and termites.

Rhinoceros

The rhinoceros is another creature that is sure to appear in any list of African animals. These big, powerful animals are unmistakeable due to their bulk and distinctive nose horns.

There are five species of rhino, two of which, the white rhino and the black rhino, are found in Africa. The black rhino is critically endangered.

Rhinos are herbivores and mainly eat grass.

Serval

The serval is a medium-sized wild cat that is closely related to the African golden cat. Servals are tall, with small heads and big ears. They have yellow-gold coats with black spots.

Servals are fast and agile, and their diet consists of a variety of small creatures such as birds, mammals and reptiles. They are nocturnal, and their preferred habitat is savannah.

Warthog

The warthog is a member of the pig family, Suidae. It lives in grassland and savanna habitats. There are two species of warthog, the common warthog and the desert warthog.

The common warthog, as its name suggests, is widespread throughout much of sub-Saharan Africa. The desert warthog is found in parts of east Africa.

Warthogs are large animals with two pairs of tusks protruding from their faces. These are used for digging and for fighting with other warthogs.

The warthog's name refers to the fleshy bumps on its face.

Wildebeest

Wildebeests, also known as gnus, are a type of antelope. Herds of wildebeest are a common sight on the African savanna, often mingling with herds of zebra.

Wildebeest are mostly found in open plains or woodlands, where they graze on grass.

Zebra

The zebra is one of the most distinctive African animals. Its black and white striped coat is famous throughout the world.

Zebras are herd animals, and are found in grasslands, savannas and woodlands.

There are t hree species of zebra, the plains zebra, Grévy's zebra and mountain zebra.

You can find out more about zebras here.

African Animals List: Conclusion & Related Pages

We hope that you have enjoyed this list of African animals, and have clicked on some of the pictures for more information on your favourite species!

What's your favorite African animal? Are there any we've missed? Let us know in the comments below!

You can learn more about African countries using this simple map.

Now you're an expert on African animals, it's time to discover more of the animal kingdom! Visit this page to get started: Animals: The Ultimate Guide.

Related pages:

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African Animals List, With Pictures, Facts, Information & Worksheet

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African animals list with pictures and facts. Click on the pictures to discover more about the animals. Africa is home to many of the world's most famous animals. Lions, zebras, giraffes, gorillas, hippos, crocodiles and rhinos are all found in the wild in the continent.

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1. Show the start of the chain (where does the energy begin)
2. Show the FLOW OF ENERGY (how does it move through the chain)
3. Your organisms (plants and animals) must be from your BIOME
4.MUST INCLUDE AT LEAST:
-  1 Producer
-  1 Herbivore
-  2 Carnivores/ Omnivores

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A savanna is a rolling grassland scattered with shrubs and isolated trees, which can be found between a tropical rainforest and desert biome. Not enough rain falls on a savanna to support forests. Savannas are also known as tropical grasslands. They are found in a wide band on either side of the equator on the edges of tropical rainforests.

Savannas have warm temperature year round. There are actually two very different seasons in a savanna; a very long dry season (winter), and a very wet season (summer). In the dry season only an average of about 4 inches of rain falls. Between December and February no rain will fall at all. Oddly enough, it is actually a little cooler during this dry season. But don't expect sweater weather; it is still around 70° F.

In the summer there is lots of rain. In Africa the monsoon rains begin in May. An average of 15 to 25 inches of rain falls during this time. It gets hot and very humid during the rainy season. Every day the hot, humid air rises off the ground and collides with cooler air above and turns into rain. In the afternoons on the summer savanna the rains pour down for hours. African savannas have large herds of grazing and browsing hoofed animals. Each animal has a specialized eating habit that reduces compitition for food.

There are several different types of savannas around the world. The savannas we are most familiar with are the East African savannas covered with acacia trees. The Serengeti Plains of Tanzania are some of the most well known. Here animals like lions, zebras, elephants, and giraffes and many types of ungulates(animals with hooves) graze and hunt. Many large grass-eating mammals (herbivores) can survive here because they can move around and eat the plentiful grasses. There are also lots of carnivores (meat eaters) who eat them in turn.

South America also has savannas, but there are very few species that exist only on this savanna. In Brazil, Colombia, and Venezuela, savannas occupy some 2.5 million square kilometers, an area about one-quarter the size of Canada. Animals from the neighboring biomes kind of spill into this savanna. The Llanos of the Orinoco basin of Venezuela and Columbia is flooded annually by the Orinoco River. Plants have adapted to growing for long periods in standing water. The capybara and marsh deer have adapted themselves to a semi-aquatic life.

Brazil's cerrado is an open woodland of short twisted trees. The diversity of animals is very great here, with several plants and animals that don't exist anywhere else on earth.

There is also a savanna in northern Australia. Eucalyptus trees take the place of acacias in the Australian savanna. There are many species of kangaroos in this savanna but not too much diversity of different animals

Plants of the savannas are highly specialized to grow in this environment of long periods of drought. They have long tap roots that can reach the deep water table, thick bark to resist annual fires, trunks that can store water, and leaves that drop of during the winter to conserve water. The grasses have adaptations that discourage animals from grazing on them; some grasses are too sharp or bitter tasting for some animals, but not others, to eat. The side benefit of this is that every species of animal has something to eat. Different species will also eat different parts of the grass. Many grasses grow from the bottom up, so that the growth tissue doesn't get damaged by grazers. Many plants of the savanna also have storage organs like bulbs and corms for making it though the dry season.

Most of the animals on the savanna have long legs or wings to be able to go on long migrations. Many burrow under ground to avoid the heat or raise their young. The savanna is a perfect place for birds of prey like hawks and buzzards. The wide, open plain provides them with a clear view of their prey, hot air updrafts keep them soaring, and there is the occasional tree to rest on or nest in. Animals don't sweat to lose body heat, so they lose it through panting or through large areas of exposed skin, or ears, like those of the elephant.

The savanna has a large range of highly specialized plants and animals. They all depend on the each other to keep the environment in balance. There are over 40 different species of hoofed mammals that live on the savannas of Africa. Up to 16 different species of browsers (those who eat leaves of trees) and grazers can coexist in one area. They do this by having their own food preferences, browsing/grazing at different heights, time of day or year to use a given area, and different places to go during the dry season.

These different herbivores provide a wide range of food for carnivores, like lions, leopards, cheetahs, jackals and hyenas. Each species has its own preference, making it possible to live side by side and not be in competition for food.

In many parts of the savannas of Africa people have started using it to graze their cattle and goats. They don't move around and soon the grasses are completely eaten up. With no vegetation, the savanna turns into a desert. Huge areas of savanna are lost to the Sahara desert every year because of overgrazing and farming.

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A savanna is a rolling grassland scattered with shrubs and isolated trees, which can be found between a tropical rainforest and desert biome. Not enough rain falls on a savanna to support forests. Savannas are also known as tropical grasslands. They are found in a wide band on either side of the equator on the edges of tropical rainforests.

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A biome is the type of habitat in certain places, like mountain tops, deserts, and tropical forests, and is determined by the climate of the place. The taiga is the biome of the needleleaf forest. Living in the taiga is cold and lonely. Coldness and food shortages make things very difficult, mostly in the winter. Some of the animals in the taiga hibernate in the winter, some fly south if they can, while some just cooperate with the environment, which is very difficult. (Dillon Bartkus)

Taiga is the Russian word for forest and is the largest biome in the world. It stretches over Eurasia and North America. The taiga is located near the top of the world, just below the tundra biome. The winters in the taiga are very cold with only snowfall. The summers are warm, rainy, and humid. A lot of coniferous trees grow in the taiga. The taiga is also known as the boreal forest. Did you know that Boreal was the Greek goddess of the North Wind?

The taiga doesn't have as many plant and animal species as the tropical or the deciduous forest biomes. It does have millions of insects in the summertime. Birds migrate there every year to nest and feed.

Here is some information about the temperatures and weather in the taiga. The average temperature is below freezing for six months out of the year. The winter temperature range is -54 to -1° C (-65 to 30° F). The winters, as you can see, are really cold, with lots of snow.

Temperature range in the summer gets as low as -7° C (20° F). The high in summer can be 21° C (70° F). The summers are mostly warm, rainy and humid. They are also very short with about 50 to 100 frost free days. The total precipitation in a year is 30 - 85 cm (12 - 33 in) . The forms the precipitation comes in are rain, snow and dew. Most of the precipitation in the taiga falls as rain in the summer.

The main seasons in the taiga are winter and summer. The spring and autumn are so short, you hardly know they exist. It is either hot and humid or very cold in the taiga.

There are not a lot of species of plants in the taiga because of the harsh conditions. Not many plants can survive the extreme cold of the taiga winter. There are some lichens and mosses, but most plants are coniferous trees like pine, white spruce, hemlock and douglas fir.

Coniferous trees are also known as evergreens. They have long, thin waxy needles. The wax gives them some protection from freezing temperatures and from drying out. Evergreens don't loose their leaves in the winter like deciduous trees. They keep their needles all year long. This is so they can start photosynthesis as soon as the weather gets warm. The dark color of evergreen needles allows them to absorb heat from the sun and also helps them start photosynthesis early.

Evergreens in the taiga tend to be thin and grow close together. This gives them protection from the cold and wind. Evergreens also are usually shaped like an upside down cone to protects the branches from breaking under the weight of all that snow. The snow slides right off the slanted branches.

The taiga is susceptible to many wildfires. Trees have adapted by growing thick bark. The fires will burn away the upper canopy of the trees and let sunlight reach the ground. New plants will grow and provide food for animals that once could not live there because there were only evergreen trees.

Animals of the taiga tend to be predators like the lynx and members of the weasel family like wolverines, bobcat, minks and ermine. They hunt herbivores like snowshoe rabbits, red squirrels and voles. Red deer, elk, and moose can be found in regions of the taiga where more deciduous trees grow.

Many insect eating birds come to the taiga to breed. They leave when the breeding season is over. Seed eaters like finches and sparrows, and omnivorous birds like crows stay all year long.

2000
bibliography:
"Taiga Facts", http://www.hewett.norfolk.sch.uk/curric/NewGeog/Habitats/facts.htm, (June 2000).

"Taiga Plants", http://www.richmond.edu/~ed344/webunits/biomes/tplants.html, (June 2000).

"Taiga", http://www.runet.edu/~swoodwar/CLASSES/GEOG235/biomes/taiga/taiga.html, (June 2000).

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A biome is the type of habitat in certain places, like mountain tops, deserts, and tropical forests, and is determined by the climate of the place. The taiga is the biome of the needleleaf forest. Living in the taiga is cold and lonely. Coldness and food shortages make things very difficult, mostly in the winter.

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The tropical rain forest is a forest of tall trees in a region of year-round warmth. An average of 50 to 260 inches (125 to 660 cm.) of rain falls yearly.

Rain forests belong to the tropical wet climate group. The temperature in a rain forest rarely gets higher than 93 °F (34 °C) or drops below 68 °F (20 °C); average humidity is between 77 and 88%; rainfall is often more than 100 inches a year. There is usually a brief season of less rain. In monsoonal areas, there is a real dry season. Almost all rain forests lie near the equator.

Rainforests now cover less than 6% of Earth's land surface. Scientists estimate that more than half of all the world's plant and animal species live in tropical rain forests. Tropical rainforests produce 40% of Earth's oxygen.

A tropical rain forest has more kinds of trees than any other area in the world. Scientists have counted about 100 to 300 species in one 2 1/2-acre (1-hectare) area in South America. Seventy percent of the plants in the rainforest are trees.

About 1/4 of all the medicines we use come from rainforest plants. Curare comes from a tropical vine, and is used as an anesthetic and to relax muscles during surgery. Quinine, from the cinchona tree, is used to treat malaria. A person with lymphocytic leukemia has a 99% chance that the disease will go into remission because of the rosy periwinkle. More than 1,400 varieties of tropical plants are thought to be potential cures for cancer.

All tropical rain forests resemble one another in some ways. Many of the trees have straight trunks that don't branch out for 100 feet or more. There is no sense in growing branches below the canopy where there is little light. The majority of the trees have smooth, thin bark because there is no need to protect the them from water loss and freezing temperatures. It also makes it difficult for epiphytes and plant parasites to get a hold on the trunks. The bark of different species is so similar that it is difficult to identify a tree by its bark. Many trees can only be identified by their flowers.

Despite these differences, each of the three largest rainforests--the American, the African, and the Asian--has a different group of animal and plant species. Each rain forest has many species of monkeys, all of which differ from the species of the other two rain forests. In addition, different areas of the same rain forest may have different species. Many kinds of trees that grow in the mountains of the Amazon rain forest do not grow in the lowlands of that same forest.
Layers of the Rainforest
There are four very distinct layers of trees in a tropical rain forest. These layers have been identified as the emergent, upper canopy, understory, and forest floor.

Emergent trees are spaced wide apart, and are 100 to 240 feet tall with umbrella-shaped canopies that grow above the forest. Because emergent trees are exposed to drying winds, they tend to have small, pointed leaves. Some species lose their leaves during the brief dry season in monsoon rainforests. These giant trees have straight, smooth trunks with few branches. Their root system is very shallow, and to support their size they grow buttresses that can spread out to a distance of 30 feet.

The upper canopy of 60 to 130 foot trees allows light to be easily available at the top of this layer, but greatly reduced any light below it. Most of the rainforest's animals live in the upper canopy. There is so much food available at this level that some animals never go down to the forest floor. The leaves have "drip spouts" that allows rain to run off. This keeps them dry and prevents mold and mildew from forming in the humid environment.

The understory, or lower canopy, consists of 60 foot trees. This layer is made up of the trunks of canopy trees, shrubs, plants and small trees. There is little air movement. As a result the humidity is constantly high. This level is in constant shade.

The forest floor is usually completely shaded, except where a canopy tree has fallen and created an opening. Most areas of the forest floor receive so little light that few bushes or herbs can grow there. As a result, a person can easily walk through most parts of a tropical rain forest. Less than 1 % of the light that strikes the top of the forest penetrates to the forest floor. The top soil is very thin and of poor quality. A lot of litter falls to the ground where it is quickly broken down by decomposers like termites, earthworms and fungi. The heat and humidity further help to break down the litter. This organic matter is then just as quickly absorbed by the trees' shallow roots.

Plant Life
Besides these four layers, a shrub/sapling layer receives about 3 % of the light that filters in through the canopies. These stunted trees are capable of a sudden growth surge when a gap in the canopy opens above them.

The air beneath the lower canopy is almost always humid. The trees themselves give off water through the pores (stomata) of their leaves. This process, called transpiration, can account for as much as half of the precipitation in the rain forest.

Rainforest plants have made many adaptations to their environment. With over 80 inches of rain per year, plants have made adaptations that helps them shed water off their leaves quickly so the branches don't get weighed down and break. Many plants have drip tips and grooved leaves, and some leaves have oily coatings to shed water. To absorb as much sunlight as possible on the dark understory, leaves are very large. Some trees have leaf stalks that turn with the movement of the sun so they always absorb the maximum amount of light. Leaves in the upper canopy are dark green, small and leathery to reduce water loss in the strong sunlight. Some trees will grow large leaves at the lower canopy level and small leaves in the upper canopy. Other plants grow in the upper canopy on larger trees to get sunlight. These are the epiphytes such as orchids and bromeliads. Many trees have buttress and stilt roots for extra support in the shallow, wet soil of the rainforests.

Over 2,500 species of vines grow in the rainforest. Lianas start off as small shrubs that grow on the forest floor. To reach the sunlight in the upper canopy it sends out tendrils to grab sapling trees. The liana and the tree grow towards the canopy together. The vines grow from one tree to another and make up 40% of the canopy leaves. The rattan vine has spikes on the underside of its leaves that point backwards to grab onto sapling trees. Other "strangler" vines will use trees as support and grow thicker and thicker as they reach the canopy, strangling its host tree. They look like trees whose centers have been hollowed out.

Dominant species do not exist in tropical rainforests. Lowland dipterocarp forest can consist of many different species of Dipterocarpaceae, but not all of the same species. Trees of the same species are very seldom found growing close together. This bio diversity and separation of the species prevents mass contamination and die-off from disease or insect infestation. Bio diversity also insures that there will be enough pollinators to take care of each species' needs. Animals depend on the staggered blooming and fruiting of rainforest plants to supply them with a year-round source of food.
Animal Life
Many species of animal life can be found in the rain forest. Common characteristics found among mammals and birds (and reptiles and amphibians, too) include adaptations to a life in the trees, such as the prehensile tails of New World monkeys. Other characteristics are bright colors and sharp patterns, loud vocalizations, and diets heavy on fruits.

Insects make up the largest single group of animals that live in tropical forests. They include brightly colored butterflies, mosquitoes, camouflaged stick insects, and huge colonies of ants.

The Amazon river basin rainforest contains a wider variety of plant and animal life than any other biome in the world. The second largest population of plant and animal life can be found in scattered locations and islands of Southeast Asia. The lowest variety can be found in Africa. There may be 40 to 100 different species in 2.5 acres ( 1 hectare) of a tropical rain forest.

When early explorers first discovered the rainforests of Africa, Southeast Asia and South America, they They were amazed by the dense growth, trees with giant buttresses, vines and epiphytes . The tropical vegetation grew so dense that it was difficult to cut one's way through it. It was thought at the time that the soil of a rainforest must be very fertile, filled with nutrients, enabling it to support the immense trees and other vegetation they found.

Today we know that the soil of the tropical rainforests is shallow, very poor in nutrients and almost without soluble minerals. Thousands of years of heavy rains have washed away the nutrients in the soil obtained from weathered rocks. The rainforest has a very short nutrient cycle. Nutrients generally stay in an ecosystem by being recycled and in a rainforest are mainly found in the living plants and the layers of decomposing leaf litter. Various species of decomposers like insects, bacteria, and fungi make quick work of turning dead plant and animal matter into nutrients. Plants take up these nutrients the moment they are released.

A study in the Amazon rainforest found that 99% of nutrients are held in root mats. When a rainforest is burned or cut down the nutrients are removed from the ecosystem. The soil can only be used for a very short time before it becomes completely depleted of all nutrients.
Where the Rainforests Are Found
The tropical rain forest can be found in three major geographical areas around the world.

Central America in the Amazon river basin.

Africa - Zaire basin, with a small area in West Africa; also eastern Madagascar.

Indo-Malaysia - west coast of India, Assam, Southeast Asia, New Guinea and Queensland, Australia.

Rainforests
In an average year the climate in a tropical rain forest is very humid because of all the rainfall. A tropical rainforest gets about 150 cm of rain per year. It gets lots of rain because it is very hot and wet in rain forests. The hotter the air, the more water vapor it can hold. It rains usually about 1/8 of an inch per day.

This climate is found near the equator. That means that there is more direct sunlight hitting the land and sea there than anywhere else. The sun warms the land and sea and the water evaporates into the air. The warm air can hold a lot of water vapor. As the air rises, it cools. That means it can hold less water vapor. Then as warm meets cold, condensation takes place and the vapor forms droplets and clouds form. The clouds then produce rain. It rains more than ninety days a year and the strong sun usually shines between the storms. The water cycle repeats often along the equator.

The main plants in this biome are trees. This is important because in the rain forest, some rain never gets past the trees and to the smaller plants and ground below. Trees in this climate reach a height of more than 164 feet. They form a canopy. The forest floor is called understory. The canopy also keeps sunlight from reaching the plants in the understory. Between the canopy and understory is a lower canopy made up of smaller trees. These plants do receive some filtered sunlight.

The tropical rain forest is classified under the Köppen Classification system as Af, meaning tropical forest. The A is given to tropical climates that are moist for all months and which have average temperatures above 18 degrees Celsius. The f stands for sufficient precipitation for all months. The latitude range for my climate is 15° to 25° North and South of the equator.

The annual precipitation of a rain forest is greater than 150 cm. In a rain forest there is a short dry season. In only a month the rainforest receives 4 inches of rain. The rain forest climate is different from a lot of other climates. In other climates, the evaporation is carried away to fall as rain in far off areas, but in the rain forests, 50 percent of the precipitation comes from its own evaporation. A lot of the rain that falls on the rain forest never reaches the ground, instead it stays on the trees because the leaves act as a shield.

The average temperature of a rain forest is about 77° Fahrenheit. The rain forest is about the same temperature year round. The temperature never drops below 64° Fahrenheit. Rain forests are so hot because they are found near the equator. The closer to the equator you are, the more solar radiation there is. The more solar radiation there is, the hotter it is. Rain forest are never found in climates which have temperatures 32° Fahrenheit and below because the plant life will not be able to live in the frost. All the plants will die out if the rain forest is cooler.

The plants that make up the understory of a rain forest have adapted to the small amount of sunlight that they receive. Ferns and mosses do well, along with epiphytes. These are plants that grow on other plants. They can be found growing on branches of tall trees. There are many different plant species found in the rain forest.

by Michael G. 2001
Bibliography:
"Introduction", http://www.hqlist.demon.nl/gvg/ctkoppen.htm (Nov 2000)

"Köppen Biomes", http://www.tesarta.com/www/resources/library/biomes.html (Dec 2000)

"Rainfall", http://encarta.msn.com/find/print.asp?&pg=8&ti=00531000&sc=29&pt=1 (Dec.2000)

"Temperature", http://encarta.msn.com/find/print.asp?&pg=8&ti=00531000&sc=29&pt=1 (Dec.2000)

Allaby, Michael, Biomes of the world volume 7 Oxford: Anndromedia Limited1999

Kellert, Stephen R. Macmillion Encyclopedia of the Environment. Simon and Schuster and Prentice Hall International. 1997

"Rainforest Climate", http://passporttoknowledge.com/rainforest/GEOsystem/Rainforests/climate.html (March 2001)

Stralhler, Arthur N. Strahler, Alan H. Elements of Physical Geography . John Wiley & Sons. 1997.

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The tropical rain forest is a forest of tall trees in a region of year-round warmth. An average of 50 to 260 inches (125 to 660 cm.) of rain falls yearly. Rain forests belong to the tropical wet climate group.

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In this report you will learn about Hot and Dry Deserts and Cold Deserts. I hope you enjoy!

A Hot and Dry Desert is, as you can tell from the name, hot and dry. Most Hot and Dry Deserts don't have very many plants. They do have some low down plants though. The only animals they have that can survive have the ability to burrow under ground. This is because they would not be able to live in the hot sun and heat. They only come out in the night when it is a little cooler.

A cold desert is a desert that has snow in the winter instead of just dropping a few degrees in temperature like they would in a Hot and Dry Desert. It never gets warm enough for plants to grow. Just maybe a few grasses and mosses. The animals in Cold Deserts also have to burrow but in this case to keep warm, not cool. That is why you might find some of the same animals here as you would in the Hot and Dry Deserts.

Deserts cover about one fifth of the Earth's land surface. Most Hot and Dry Deserts are near the Tropic of Cancer or the Tropic of Capricorn. Cold Deserts are near the Arctic part of the world.

Hot and Dry Deserts temperature ranges from 20 to 25° C. The extreme maximum temperature for Hot Desert ranges from 43.5 to 49° C. Cold Deserts temperature in winter ranges from -2 to 4° C and in the summer 21 to 26° C a year

The precipitation in Hot and Dry Deserts and the precipitation in Cold Deserts is different. Hot and Dry Deserts usually have very little rainfall and/or concentrated rainfall in short periods between long rainless periods. This averages out to under 15 cm a year. Cold Deserts usually have lots of snow. They also have rain around spring. This averages out to 15 - 26 cm a year.

Hot and Dry Deserts are warm throughout the fall and spring seasons and very hot during the summer. the winters usually have very little if any rainfall. Cold Deserts have quite a bit of snow during winter. The summer and the beginning of the spring are barely warm enough for a few lichens, grasses and mosses to grow.

Hot and Dry Deserts vegetation is very rare. Plants are almost all ground-hugging shrubs and short woody trees. All of the leaves are replete (packed with nutrients). Some examples of these kinds of plant are Turpentine Bush, Prickly Pears, and Brittle Bush. For all of these plants to survive they have to have adaptations. Some of the adaptations in this case are the ability to store water for long periods of time and the ability to stand the hot weather.

Cold Desert's plants are scattered. In areas with little shade,about 10 percent of the ground is covered with plants. In some areas of sagebrush it reaches 85 percent. The height of scrub varies from 15 cm to 122 cm. All plants are either deciduous and more or less contain spiny leaves.

Hot and Dry Deserts animals include small nocturnal (only active at night) carnivores. There are also insects, arachnids, reptiles, and birds. Some examples of these animals are Borrowers, Mourning Wheatears, and Horned Vipers. Cold Deserts have animals like Antelope, Ground Squirrels, Jack Rabbits, and Kangaroo Rats.

Stetson N. 2000
Bibliography:
Lambert, Wayne, "Deserts", The World Book Encyclopedia, 1994 ed.

Critchfield, Howard J., "Deserts", The New Book of Knowledge, 1998 ed.

"Deserts". http://www.ucmp.berkeley.edu/glossary/gloss5/deserts.html, (5/30/00)

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In this report you will learn about Hot and Dry Deserts and Cold Deserts. I hope you enjoy! A Hot and Dry Desert is, as you can tell from the name, hot and dry. Most Hot and Dry Deserts don't have very many plants. They do have some low down plants though.

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Grassland biomes can be found in the middle latitudes, in the interiors of continents. They can have either moist continental climates or dry subtropical climates. In Argentina, South America, the grasslands are known as pampas. The climate there is humid and moist.

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Did you know that the Arctic Tundra is the world's youngest biome? It was formed 10,000 years ago. Located at latitudes 55° to 70° North, the tundra is a vast and treeless land which covers about 20% of the Earth's surface, circumnavigating the North pole. It is usually very cold, and the land is pretty stark. Almost all tundras are located in the Northern Hemisphere. Small tundra-like areas do exist in Antarctica in the Southern Hemisphere, but because it is much colder than the Arctic, the ground is always covered with snow and ice. Conditions are not right for a true tundra to form. Average annual temperatures are -70°F (-56°C).

Tundra comes from the Finnish word "tunturia", which means a barren land. The ground is permanently frozen 10 inches to 3 feet (25 to 100 cm) down so that trees can't grow there. The bare and sometimes rocky ground can only support low growing plants like mosses, heaths, and lichen. In the winter it is cold and dark and in the summer, when the snow and the top layer of permafrost melt, it is very soggy and the tundra is covered with marshes, lakes, bogs and streams that breed thousands of insects and attract many migrating birds.

The main seasons are winter and summer. Spring and fall are only short periods between winter and summer. The tundra is the world's coldest and driest biomes. The average annual temperature is -18° F (-28° C). Nights can last for weeks when the sun barely rises during some months in the winter, and the temperature can drop to -94° F (-70° C). During the summer the sun shines almost 24 hours a day, which is why the Arctic is also called the Land of the Midnight Sun. Summer are usually warm. Temperatures can get up to 54° F (12° C), but it can get as cold as 37° F (3° C). Average summer temperatures range from 37° to 60°F (3° to 16°C).

The Arctic tundra is also a windy place and winds can blow between 30 to 60 miles (48 to 97 kilometers) per hour. Of the North American, Scandinavian and Russian tundras, the Scandinavian tundra is the warmest, with winter temperatures averaging 18°F (-8°C)

The tundra is basically like a desert when it comes to precipitation. Only about 6 - 10 inches of precipitation (mostly snow) fall each year. Below the soil is the tundra's permafrost, a permanently frozen layer of earth. During the short summers the top layer of soil may thaw just long enough to let plants grow and reproduce. Since it can't sink into the ground, water from melting permafrost and snow forms lakes and marshes each summer.

There is barely any vegetation in the tundra, only about 1,700 different species, which isn't very much. These are mostly shrubs, sedges, mosses, lichens and grasses. There are about 400 varieties of flowers. The growing season is only about 50 to 60 days long. There are no trees, except for some birches in the lower latitudes. The ground is always frozen beneath the top layer of soil, so trees can't send their roots down. Willows do grow on some parts of the tundra but only as low carpets about 3 inches (8 cm) high. Most plants grow in a dense mat of roots which has developed over thousands of years. The soil is very low in nutrients and minerals, except where animal droppings fertilize the soil.

Surprisingly there are animals in the tundra. Although there isn't a lot of biodiversity, only 48 species of land mammals are found on the tundra, there are a lot of each species. These consist of slightly modified shrews, hares, rodents, wolves, foxes, bears and deer. There are huge herds of caribou in North America (known as reindeer in Eurasia) which feed on lichens and plants. There are also smaller herds of musk-oxen. Wolves, wolverines, arctic foxes, and polar bears are the predators of the tundra. Smaller mammals are snowshoe rabbits and lemmings. There aren't many different species of insects in the tundra, but black flies, deer flies, mosquitoes and "no-see-ums" (tiny biting midges) can make the tundra a miserable place to be in the summer. Mosquitoes can keep themselves from freezing by replacing the water in their bodies with a chemical called glycerol. It works like an antifreeze and allows them to survive under the snow during the winter. The marshy tundra is a great place for migratory birds like the harlequin duck, sandpipers and plovers.

The tundra is one of Earth's three major carbon dioxide sinks. A carbon dioxide sink is a biomass which takes in more carbon dioxide than it releases. Carbon dioxide is a greenhouse gas that contributes to global warming. During the short summer tundra's plants take in carbon dioxide, sunlight and water in the process of photosynthesis. Plants normally give off carbon dioxide after they die and decompose. But because of the short, cool summer and freezing winter temperatures, plants can't decompose. Remains of plants thousands of years old have been found in the tundra permafrost. In this way the tundra traps the carbon dioxide and removes it from the atmosphere. Today global warming is melting the permafrost of the tundra and every year several feet of tundra are lost. As the tundra melts, the plant mass decomposes and returns carbon dioxide to the atmosphere.

The tundra is a very fragile environment. The extremely cold temperatures makes it a difficult environment to survive in during the winter, and plants and animals have a hard time coping with any extra stresses and disturbances. More people moving to the tundra to work in the mines and oil rigs have created towns and more roads. Some animal's movements to traditional feeding and denning grounds have been disrupted by these obstacles. When they try to pass through a town they are often scared away or shot. With their feeding patterns disrupted, many polar bears have starved. The Alaskan oil pipeline was built across a caribou migration route. In some places the pipeline has been raised above the ground so the caribou can pass under it. Pesticides have been used to control the hordes of insects. Thousands of migrating birds come to the tundra because of the abundant insects. Through the food chain the pesticides reach many of the animals that live on the tundra.

Pollution from mining and drilling for oil has polluted the air, lakes and rivers. The land around some nickel mines in Russia has become so polluted that the plants in the surrounding area have died. Footprints and tire tracks can be visible for many years after they were made. When the sun hits the ruts it causes the permafrost to melt. This causes erosion and the ruts get bigger, and eventually the ruts turn into gullies. Tracks made during WW II have grown so large that some of them are now lakes.

The tundra is not a cold and useless wasteland. It is a very fragile environment and the plants and animals that have made their home on the tundra biome have made some incredible adaptations to the long, cold winters and the short but abundant summers. They live on a precarious edge and the smallest stresses can bring about their destruction.

by Whitney S. 2002

Bibliography:

Kaplan, E. (1996). Biomes of the World: Tundra. Hong Kong: Marshall Cavendish Corporation.

"Encyclopedia.com - Results for tundra", http://www.encyclopedia.com/articles/13116.html, (June 2000)

"The World's Biomes: Tundra", http://www.latymer-upper.org/geog/sixth/tundra%20the%20not%20do%20barren%20land.htm, (July 2000).

Photo Credit: "Interface", http://www.nsbsd.k12.ak.us/PROJECTS/arctic_year/anaktuvuk/interface.htm, (July 2000).
*Check out this website for great info on life on the tundra and the people who live there!

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Did you know that the Arctic Tundra is the world's youngest biome? It was formed 10,000 years ago. Located at latitudes 55° to 70° North, the tundra is a vast and treeless land which covers about 20% of the Earth's surface, circumnavigating the North pole.

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Tundra is the coldest of all the biomes. Tundra comes from the Finnish wordtunturia, meaning treeless plain. It is noted for its frost-molded landscapes, extremely low temperatures, little precipitation, poor nutrients, and short growing seasons. Dead organic material functions as a nutrient pool. The two major nutrients are nitrogen and phosphorus. Nitrogen is created by biological fixation, and phosphorus is created by precipitation. Tundra is separated into two types: arctic tundra and alpine tundra.

Characteristics of Tundra

1. Extremely cold climate

2. Low biotic diversity

3. Simple vegetation structure

4. Limitation of drainage

5. Short season of growth and reproduction

6. Energy and nutrients in the form of dead organic material

7. Large population oscillations

Arctic
Arctic tundra is located in the northern hemisphere, encircling the north pole and extending south to the coniferous forests of the taiga. The arctic is known for its cold, desert-like conditions. The growing season ranges from 50 to 60 days. The average winter temperature is -34° C (-30° F), but the average summer temperature is 3-12° C (37-54° F) which enables this biome to sustain life. Rainfall may vary in different regions of the arctic. Yearly precipitation, including melting snow, is 15 to 25 cm (6 to 10 inches). Soil is formed slowly. A layer of permanently frozen subsoil called permafrost exists, consisting mostly of gravel and finer material. When water saturates the upper surface, bogs and ponds may form, providing moisture for plants. There are no deep root systems in the vegetation of the arctic tundra, however, there are still a wide variety of plants that are able to resist the cold climate. There are about 1,700 kinds of plants in the arctic and subarctic, and these include:

low shrubs, sedges, reindeer mosses, liverworts, and grasses

400 varieties of flowers

crustose and foliose lichen

All of the plants are adapted to sweeping winds and disturbances of the soil. Plants are short and group together to resist the cold temperatures and are protected by the snow during the winter. They can carry out photosynthesis at low temperatures and low light intensities. The growing seasons are short and most plants reproduce by budding and division rather than sexually by flowering. The fauna in the arctic is also diverse:

Herbivorous mammals: lemmings, voles, caribou, arctic hares and squirrels

Carnivorous mammals: arctic foxes, wolves, and polar bears

Migratory birds: ravens, snow buntings, falcons, loons, ravens, sandpipers, terns, snow birds, and various species of gulls

Insects: mosquitoes, flies, moths, grasshoppers, blackflies and arctic bumble bees

Fish: cod, flatfish, salmon, and trout

Animals are adapted to handle long, cold winters and to breed and raise young quickly in the summer. Animals such as mammals and birds also have additional insulation from fat. Many animals hibernate during the winter because food is not abundant. Another alternative is to migrate south in the winter, like birds do. Reptiles and amphibians are few or absent because of the extremely cold temperatures. Because of constant immigration and emigration, the population continually oscillates.
Alpine
Alpine tundra is located on mountains throughout the world at high altitude where trees cannot grow. The growing season is approximately 180 days. The nighttime temperature is usually below freezing. Unlike the arctic tundra, the soil in the alpine is well drained. The plants are very similar to those of the arctic ones and include:

tussock grasses, dwarf trees, small-leafed shrubs, and heaths

Animals living in the alpine tundra are also well adapted:

Mammals: pikas, marmots, mountain goats, sheep, elk

Birds: grouselike birds

Insects: springtails, beetles, grasshoppers, butterflies

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Tundra is the coldest of all the biomes. Tundra comes from the Finnish wordtunturia , meaning treeless plain. It is noted for its frost-molded landscapes, extremely low temperatures, little precipitation, poor nutrients, and short growing seasons. Dead organic material functions as a nutrient pool. The two major nutrients are nitrogen and phosphorus.

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The topmost zone near the shore of a lake or pond is the littoral zone. This zone is the warmest since it is shallow and can absorb more of the Sun's heat. It sustains a fairly diverse community, which can include several species of algae (like diatoms), rooted and floating aquatic plants, grazing snails, clams, insects, crustaceans, fishes, and amphibians.

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The soil of the savanna is porous, with rapid drainage of water. It has only a thin layer of humus (the organic portion of the soil created by partial decomposition of plant or animal matter), which provides vegetation with nutrients. Savannas are sometimes classified as forests.

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There are relatively few large mammals in deserts because most are not capable of storing sufficient water and withstanding the heat. Deserts often provide little shelter from the sun for large animals. The dominant animals of warm deserts are nonmammalian vertebrates, such as reptiles. Mammals are usually small, like the kangaroo mice of North American deserts.

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Biomes

We've all seen deserts in the movies. They are full of miles and miles of sand dunes. However, not all deserts are like this. Many deserts are rocky with scattered plants and shrubs. There are even deserts that are icy and cold. On this page we will describe the hot and dry deserts. You can follow these links to read about the icy cold polar deserts that are found in the Antarctic and the North Pole.

What makes a desert a desert?

Deserts are primarily defined by their lack of rain. They generally get 10 inches or less rain in a year. Deserts are characterized in an overall lack of water. They have dry soil, little to no surface water, and high evaporation. They are so dry that sometimes rain evaporates before it can hit the ground!

Hot in the Day, Cold at Night

Because deserts are so dry and their humidity is so low, they have no "blanket" to help insulate the ground. As a result, they may get very hot during the day with the sun beating down, but don't hold the heat overnight. Many deserts can quickly get cold once the sun sets. Some deserts can reach temperatures of well over 100 degrees F during the day and then drop below freezing (32 degrees F) during the night.

Where are the major hot and dry deserts?

The largest hot and dry desert in the world is the Sahara Desert in Northern Africa. The Sahara is a sandy desert with giant sand dunes. It covers over 3 million square miles of Africa. Other major deserts include the Arabian Desert in the Middle East, the Gobi Desert in Northern China and Mongolia, and the Kalahari Desert in Africa. Go here to learn more about the world's deserts.

How do animals survive in the desert?

Animals have adapted to survive in the desert despite its extreme temperatures and lack of water. Many of the animals are nocturnal. Meaning they sleep during the heat of the day and come out when it is cooler at night. These same animals sleep in burrows, tunnels under the ground, during the day in order to stay cool. Desert animals include meerkats, camels, reptiles such as the horned toad, scorpions, and grasshoppers.

Animals that live in the desert also have adapted to needing little water. Many get all the water they need from the food they eat. Other animals store up water that they can use later. The camel stores up fat in its hump while other animals store up reserves in their tails.

What plants can live here?

Only certain types of plants can survive the harsh environment of the desert. These include cactus, grasses, shrubs, and some short trees. You won't see a lot of tall trees in the desert. Most of these plants have a way to store water in their stems, leaves, or trunks so they can survive a long time without water. They also tend to be spread out from each other and have a large root system so they can gather up all the water possible when it does rain. Many desert plants are armed with sharp spines and needles to help protect them from animals.

Dust Storms

Because the desert is so dry, the wind will grind pebbles and sand into dust. Occasionally a big wind storm will gather up this dust into a huge storm. Dust storms can be over 1 mile high and so thick with dust you can't breathe. They can travel for over a thousand miles, too.

Expanding Deserts

Currently deserts cover around 20% of the world's land, but they are growing. This is called desertification and is caused by different factors including human activities. The Sahara Desert is expanding at the rate of around 30 miles per year.

Facts about the Desert Biome

The giant saguaro cactus can grow 50 feet tall and live for 200 years.

Plants that store water in their stems are called succulents.

Some desert trees have deep taproots that grow up to 30 feet deep in order to find water.

The elf owl will sometimes live inside a cactus during the day and then come out at night to hunt.

Dust storms from the Gobi Desert have been known to reach Beijing, China nearly 1,000 miles away.

Camels can go without water for a week. A thirsty camel can drink 30 gallons of water in less than 15 minutes.

Activities

Take a ten question quiz about this page.

More ecosystem and biome subjects:

Land Biomes
Desert

Grasslands

Savanna

Tundra

Tropical Rainforest

Temperate Forest

Taiga Forest

Aquatic Biomes
Marine

Freshwater

Coral Reef

Nutrient Cycles
Food Chain and Food Web (Energy Cycle)

Carbon Cycle

Oxygen Cycle

Water Cycle

Nitrogen Cycle

Back to the main Biomes and Ecosystems page.

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Kids learn about the desert biome. The dryest areas on Earth still have plant and animal life.

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Use the following links to research different organisms of a Rainforest Biome

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Location | Weather | Plants | Animals | People | Links

LOCATION: There are two types of rainforest biomes: temperate and tropical rainforests. Temperate rainforests are found along coasts in temperate regions. The largest temperate rainforests are on the Pacific coast in North America, stretching from Alaska to Oregon. Other temperate rainforests are found along the coast of Chile, the United Kingdom, Norway, Japan, New Zealand, and S. Australia. Tropical rainforests are generally found between 30°N and 30°S latitudes, covering 6 - 7% of the Earth's land surface. Tropical rainforests can be found around the world: In Central and South America; in Western Africa, eastern Madagascar, and the Zaire basin; and in Indo-Malaysia along the west coast of India, Assam, Southeast Asia, New Guinea, and Queensland, Australia.

WEATHER: Rainforests are important because they help maintain global weather patterns and rain. Water that evaporates from trees falls in other areas as rain.

Tropical rainforests are lush and warm all year long! Temperatures don't even change much between night and day. The average temperature in tropical rainforests ranges from 70 to 85°F (21 to 30°C). The environment is pretty wet in tropical rainforests, maintaining a high humidity of 77% to 88% year-round. The yearly rainfall ranges from 80 to 400 inches (200 to 1000 cm), and it can rain hard. It can downpour as much as 2 inches (5 cm) in an hour!

Temperate rainforests are also wet, but not as rainy as tropical rainforests. It rains about from 60 - 200 inches (150 - 500 cm) each year, while the other moisture comes from the coastal fog that lingers on the trees. The fog provides about 7 - 12 inches (18 - 30°C) of rain each year. Temperate rainforests are a lot cooler than tropical rainforests, but the temperatures are still mild. They often have two distinct seasons: one long wet winter, and a short drier summer.

PLANTS: One type of plant often found in a rainforest is an epiphyte. Epiphytes are plants that live on the surface of other plants, especially the trunks and branches. They often grow on trees to take advantage of sunlight in the canopy. In temperate rainforests common epiphytes are mosses and ferns, while in tropical rainforests there are many kinds of epiphytes, including orchids and bromeliads. There are more than 20,000 varieties of orchids found in the rainforest.

There are about 10 -2 0 species of trees in temperate rainforests that are mostly coniferous, meaning they have needles. Trees in temperate rainforests can live much longer than humans, some live for up to 1000 years! Tropical rainforests have a bigger variety of trees, hundreds of species in fact! These trees are mostly broadleaf trees and have a shorter lifespan. They usually live for 50 - 100 years.

Most trees in tropical rainforests have thin, smooth bark. They don't need thick bark to keep them from drying out because the rainforest is so wet. Also, smooth bark makes it difficult for other plants, such as epiphytes, to grow on the tree surface. Trees often have buttresses, large branching ridges near the base, for support because their roots are often shallow and they grow tall to reach the sunlight. Prop roots also help support trees in shallow soils. Many plants in the rainforests have adapted leaf shapes that help water drip off the plant to avoid too much moisture, which might make bacteria and fungus grow.

Tropical rainforests are so big that they are divided into four zones. The top layer of the rainforest is called the emergent layer. Giant trees grow here that are much taller than the trees below. The next layer is the canopy. It contains trees standing 60 to 150 feet (18 to 45 meters) tall. Their branches form a canopy, like a big beach umbrella that shades the forest floor. Thick, woody vines are found in the canopy. Over 2,500 species of vines grow in the rainforest. Some vines, called lianas, are sometimes as big around as a person! They climb the trees in the canopy to reach for sunlight. The next layer, the understory, is a dark, cool area below the canopy, but above the ground. The understory is shaded from much of the sunlight by the canopy. The forest floor is the bottom layer of the rainforest. This is the area where fallen, decomposing plants and trees lay on the ground. Many insects live here. Temperate rainforests have all of these zones except the emergent layer. The tallest trees in the temperate rainforest canopy grow to be about 300 feet (90 meters) tall.

ANIMALS: Tropical rainforests are home to half the plant and animal species on Earth. Scientists believe that there is such a great diversity of animals in tropical rainforests because they are one of the oldest ecosystems on earth. Some forests in Southeast Asia have been around for at least 100 million years, ever since dinosaurs roamed the earth. Animals in the tropical rainforest are specially adapted to live in this unique environment. A common characteristic found among mammals, birds, reptiles and amphibians, is an adaptation to living in trees. One example is New World monkeys that have prehensile tails that curl around branches allowing the monkey to hold onto the tree with its tail! Other animals are brightly colored, sharply patterned, have loud vocalizations, and like to eat lots of fruit. Most of the animals in the tropical rainforest live in the canopy. There is so much food available up there that some animals never go down to explore the forest floor! Birds are important to rainforests because they like to eat seeds and fruit. Their droppings grow into new plants and help rainforests to survive. In turn, tropical rainforests are important to birds because they provide winter grounds as migratory destination. Parrots are not the only type of birds you will see in the rainforest. In fact, about 27% of the bird species in the world live in tropical rainforests. Insects make up the largest single group of animals that live in tropical forests. They include bright beautiful butterflies, menacing mosquitoes, camouflaged stick insects, and colossal colonies of ants.

In temperate rainforests you'll find a different set of amazing animals. Most of these animals live on, or near the forest floor where they are protected from the wind and rain by the trees above. Many birds and small mammals, such as chipmunks, like to eat seeds that fall on the forest floor. Lots of insects live in the temperate rainforest. Most of them live in tree bark, decomposing dead plant matter, or mossy areas. Birds and amphibians like to eat these insects. Some mammals in the temperate rainforest include deer and bobcats. Cougars and bobcats are the top predators in this biome.

PEOPLE AND THE RAINFOREST: Tropical rainforests are important because they provide oxygen, take in carbon dioxide, and are a huge source of biodiversity and cultural diversity. However, people also rely on tropical rainforests for food, medicine, timber, travel, and more. Rainforests around the world provide people with food and spices, for example, allspice, vanilla, cacao, cassava, ginger, bananas, black pepper, sugar cane, nutmeg and more. Many people are also moving from crowded cities where they cannot find jobs into the rainforest where they are becoming small-scale farmers. With all of this use, we need to be concerned about the stress we are putting on rainforests. Thirty acres of trees are cut in tropical rainforests every minute! Some scientists estimate that rainforests the size of Pennsylvania are lost each year. There are many causes of deforestation. People are logging for firewood, charcoal, building materials and other uses. Trees are being removed for commercial agriculture, which may cause permanent damage. Converting rainforests to pasture land for cattle ranching has destroyed many rainforests. Mining for gold, bauxite, and other minerals can destroy the land, and make it vulnerable to erosion.

What can you do to help our world's rainforests? One way to start helping is to learn more about the plants, animals and people, as well as the issues surrounding rainforests and deforestation. When you learn about new issues, write letters to governmental officials and the newspaper suggesting ways to help solve the problem. Practice conservation at home. This will help reduce the use of rainforests, as well as ecosystems all over the world. Bauxite is a mineral used to make aluminum. By recycling, you will reduce the need for bauxite, which is mined in tropical rainforests. Pets from other countries may have been taken from the wild or imported illegally from tropical countries. If you buy pets that are captively bred in the United States, you will be sure that they didn't come from the rainforest, or another unique environment. Investigate the source of the wood for your furniture to see where it comes from, and if it was harvested sustainably. All of these actions will help protect rainforests all over the world.
LINKS: Rainforest Education Cool Planet: Tropical Rain Forest Rainforest Species Profiles Explore Africa's Rainforest National Geographic: Rainforests at Night Mongabay.com Geography for Kids: Tropical Rain Forests Tropical Rainforests: What's it Like Where You Live?

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Location | Weather | Plants | Animals | People | Links LOCATION: There are two types of rainforest biomes: temperate and tropical rainforests. Temperate rainforests are found along coasts in temperate regions. The largest temperate rainforests are on the Pacific coast in North America, stretching from Alaska to Oregon.

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Use the following links to research different organisms of a Freshwater Biome

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So, what can we do to help freshwater biomes? First of all, we can conserve water. By using less water, we can help ensure that there is enough water for a healthy biome. We should also be careful not to pollute. Be careful what you put down the drain.

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Use the following links to research different organisms of a Savanna Biome

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Location | Weather | Plants | Animals | People | Games | Links

LOCATION: Savannas are comprised mostly of grasses and a few scattered trees. They cover half the surface of Africa, large areas of Australia, South America, and India. That is a lot of the earth's surface! Savannas can result from climate changes, soil conditions, animal behavior, or agricultural practices. Humans create savannas by burning grasslands and cutting down trees so they can plant crops. Large animals, like elephants, can turn a forest into a savanna by knocking trees down, stripping the bark from the trees, and tramping on tree seedlings.

WEATHER: An important factor in the savanna is climate. The climate is usually warm and temperatures range from 68° to 86°F (20 to 30°C). Savannas exist in areas where there is a 6 - 8 month wet summer season, and a 4 - 6 month dry winter season. The annual rainfall is from 10 - 30 inches (25 - 75 cm) per year. During the dry season, lightning often strikes the ground, igniting the dry grasses that cover the savanna.

PLANTS: The savanna is dominated by grasses such as Rhodes grass, red oats grass, star grass, lemon grass, and some shrubs. Most savanna grass is coarse and grows in patches with interspersed areas of bare ground. You won't see many trees in the savanna because of little rainfall. Occasionally, you'll find individual trees or small groves of trees. These mostly live near streams and ponds. The Acacia tree is an interesting plant in the savanna. It has an umbrella shape, with branches and leaves high off the ground that giraffes like to eat. Baobab trees also live in the savanna. They deal with dry conditions by storing water between the bark and meat of the tree.

ANIMALS: There are many different types of animals that live in the savanna. The species found in savannas vary by the geographic location of the biome. Animals native to African savannas include African elephants, zebras, horses, and giraffes. Many animals in the savanna are herbivores, which means they eat plants, and there is plenty of grass in the savanna. During the rainy months animals thrive in the savanna, but the rainy season is only half the year. During the dry season, surface water from the rain is quickly absorbed into the ground by thirsty soils. The competition for water during the dry season is so intense that most birds and many of the large mammals migrate elsewhere in search of water. Depending on the severity of the drought, the migration may be to a place nearby, or far away. The dry season is often associated with fires. Many insects with short life spans die in these fires, but the birds and larger animals are usually able to fly or run to safety. Although small burrowing animals probably can't outrun the flames, they often survive the fire by digging deep into the ground and remaining there until the flames are gone. Some birds, such as the Fork-tailed Drongos, don't flee the fires; they actually fly to the fires. For these birds fire means dinner. They eat the fleeing or flame-roasted insects.

PEOPLE AND THE SAVANNA: Some environmental concerns with savannas include poaching or hunting, overgrazing, and destruction of land for commercial crops. Many animals in the savanna, such as the rhinoceros and zebra, are endangered and threatened with extinction due to hunting, poaching, and habitat loss. The savanna is often damaged when it is used as pastureland for non-native domestic cattle. Cattle grazing also limits the amount of food available for wildlife.
GAMES: LINKS: Blue Planet Biomes: Savanna Enchanted Learning: Savanna Animal Printouts Smithsonian National Zoological Park: African Savanna for Kids

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Location | Weather | Plants | Animals | People | Games | Links LOCATION: Savannas are comprised mostly of grasses and a few scattered trees. They cover half the surface of Africa, large areas of Australia, South America, and India. That is a lot of the earth's surface!

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Use the following links to research different organisms of a Tundra Biome

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Use the following links to research different organisms of a Grassland Biome

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Use the following links to research different organisms of a Tagia Biome

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Location | Weather | Plants | Animals | People | Links

LOCATION: Taiga, also known as coniferous or boreal forest, is the largest terrestrial biome on earth. It extends in a broad band across North America, Europe, and Asia to the southern border of the arctic tundra. It is also found at cool, high elevations in the more temperate latitudes, for example, in much of the mountainous western region of North America. Much of the taiga in North America was once covered with glaciers. As the glaciers receded, cuts and depressions were left in the landscape that have since filled with rain creating lakes and bogs.

WEATHER: Long, cold winters, and short, mild, wet summers are typical of this region. In the winter, chilly winds from the arctic cause bitterly cold weather in the taiga. The length of day also varies with the seasons. Winter days are short, while summer days are long because of the tilt of the earth on its axis. Fire is not uncommon in the taiga during the summer. Fires may seem destructive, but they actually help this biome by removing old sick trees, making room for new growth. Precipitation is relatively high in the taiga and falls as snow during the winter and rain during the summer. The total yearly precipitation in the taiga biome is 10 - 30 inches (25 - 75 cm).

PLANTS: Compared to other biomes, the taiga has less diversity in plant life. The most common type of tree found in the taiga is the conifer, or cone-bearing tree. Conifers, also known as evergreens, include pines, spruces and firs. There may also occasionally be deciduous species present, such as oak, birch, willow, or alder, in a particularly wet or disturbed area. The soil in the taiga is thin, acidic and not very nutrient rich. It also is rocky. Due to these factors, plants in the taiga have different adaptations than the plants we find around Santa Barbara.

The< name, evergreen, describes an important adaptation of conifers. Just like Kermit, they are always green! Because they don't drop their leaves in the winter, they don't have to regrow them in the spring. This is good for trees in a tough environment because growing new leaves takes a lot of energy. Another adaptation of conifers to live in the taiga has to do with their needles. Although the taiga has moderately high precipitation, the frozen winter ground makes it difficult for trees to get water. Having thin needles with a waxy coating limits water loss of the conifer through transpiration. The dark color of the pine needles is also important. What happens when you where a dark T-shirt on a sunny day? You get hot, right? This is because your dark shirt is absorbing energy from the sun. Well, the dark needles do the same thing for the evergreen. They help the tree absorb the maximum amount of energy from the sun for photosynthesis. Conifers also have that pointy shape for a good reason. The winter snow slides right off of their branches. Without this shape the heavy snow might break or damage the conifer branches.

ANIMALS: The cold climate of the taiga makes it a difficult place for many animals to live. Many have thick coats of fur to insulate against the cold, and some hibernate. Others migrate to warmer areas in the chilly winters. Animal populations are mainly seed-eating squirrels and jays; small mammals like ermine and moles; and larger browsing animals such as deer, moose, elk, and snowshoe hare. The bogs and ponds in the taiga provide a great summertime breeding place for many different insects. Migratory birds often come to the taiga to nest and feed on all these insects. The typical predators for this area are grizzly bears, wolves, lynxes and wolverines. These are pretty ferocious, so their prey must adapt to flourish. Some animals hide from predators by changing color to blend into the different summer and winter habitats. For example, the ermine is dark brown in the summer, but in the winter it turns white. What excellent camouflage!

PEOPLE AND THE TAIGA: There are a few large cities in the southern parts of the taiga, such as Moscow and Toronto, but most of it is relatively unpopulated. There are also a few native communities of people who still live indigenously in the taiga. The major industries of the taiga include logging, mining, and hydroelectric development. These activities have had negative impacts on areas of this biome and may continue to negatively affect it in the future. A majority of the logging in the taiga is done by clear-cutting, using heavy machinery to remove much of the surrounding forest. Hydroelectric development may seem beneficial because it uses water to generate power, but it has damaged the taiga by changing stream habitats and flow patterns, and flooding large areas and changing the landscape. Mining is a concern because it may result in pollution of surrounding soils and water, specifically acid rain. Regrowth of mature forests takes a long time because of the climate and soil conditions of the taiga. Many large vertebrates who live in the taiga are sensitive to human presence, habitat alteration, and pollution. Two simple things you can do to help the taiga are learn more about this biome, and use paper wisely making sure to recycle. This will help reduce the need for logging of trees for pulp used to make paper.
LINKS: The Taiga Taiga Topics Blue Planet Biomes: Taiga Taiga Rescue Network Earth Floor: Taiga Geography for Kids: Coniferous Forest Earth Observatory: Coniferous Forest
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Location | Weather | Plants | Animals | People | Links LOCATION: Taiga, also known as coniferous or boreal forest, is the largest terrestrial biome on earth. It extends in a broad band across North America, Europe, and Asia to the southern border of the arctic tundra.

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Use the following links to research different organisms of a Desert Biome

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Location | Weather | Plants | Animals | People | Links

LOCATION: Although few animals and plants are adapted to the extremely dry desert life, the desert is a vital biome. The desert is important because it covers about a fifth of the earth's surface! There are both hot and cold deserts. Antarctica is the largest desert in the world, while the Sahara in Africa is the largest of the hot deserts. There are also deserts close to Santa Barbara, such as the Mojave the Colorado Desert which encompass parts of Southern California. In North America, there are four major hot, dry deserts, including the Mojave and the Great Basin. Outside the U.S. hot, dry deserts are found in the Southern Asian realm, South and Central America, Ethiopia and Australia.

Another type of desert is the coastal desert, for example, the Atacama Desert in Chile of South America. And then there are cold deserts. That sounds pretty silly! If deserts are supposed to be hot, how can there possibly be a cold desert? Well these deserts are in places like Antarctica and Greenland where vegetation is sparce, just like the more commonly known hot, dry deserts.

WEATHER: Weather is not the same in all deserts. The seasons in hot and dry deserts are usually very hot during the summer and warm during the rest of the year. During winter these deserts get little rainfall. Rain is often light, or in short concentrated bursts. Most of the time evaporation rates are faster than rainfall rates. Sometimes the rain evaporates before even hitting the ground. This is the reason for the dry characteristic of this type of desert. Coastal deserts are in moderately cool to warm areas. Coastal deserts usually have cool winters followed by fairly long, warm summers. The temperature in the winters is generally 41°F (5&degC) or below. In the summer the weather heats up to between 55° and 75°F (12 and 24&degC). Average rainfall is usually 3 - 5 inches (8 - 13 cm). The Atacama is the Earth's driest desert. In the Atacama 1 millimeter or more of rain falls every 5-20 years. Cold deserts have short, moist and moderately warm summers, and long cold winters like one could expect in Antarctica. The winter temperature ranges from -5°F to -110°F (-20.5 to -79&degC), and in the summer it can be a nice, balmy, 32°F (0&degC). The coldest day recorded in Antarctica was -113°F (-80.5&degC)!

PLANTS: Deserts plants have many adaptations to survive in such a dry environment. They are good at storing and finding water. Some plants have seeds that can stay dormant in the sand for a long time, until there is enough rain for them to grow. In hot deserts, you'll often find Cacti. Cacti are great at storing water. With their waxy coating, water can't escape and their spines protect them from being desert dinner. Their roots are shallow, and widely spread so that any rain can be absorbed immediately! Some other plants you might find in the hot desert are creosote bush, sagebrush, and ocotillo. Coastal deserts house a variety of plants. These plants must adapt to minimal rainfall by having extensive root systems that come up to the surface to absorb any possible rainfall, and go far down to absorb any water saturated in the ground. These plants also have very thick leaves that can absorb and store water whenever it is available. The plants that live in coastal deserts include salt bush, rice grass, black sage and chrysothamnus. Plants can even live in cold deserts, but you won't find as many here as in other types of deserts. Plants in cold deserts include algae, grasses, and plants with spiny thin leaves. Usually these plants grow only in the summer.

ANIMALS: Deserts are a very important biome. No, not because of all the sand! Mostly because of all the plants and animals that call the desert "home". Some animals that live in the hot desert are cold-blooded, like snakes, insects, and lizards. Mammals that live in the desert are usually small, such as the kangaroo rat and kit fox. Sometimes it's hard to survive in the desert. Some mice build their home out of fallen cactus spines to protect themselves from predators like coyotes and hawks. In the Eritrean coastal desert in Djibouti, Africa, animals like gazelles, skinks, geckos and dikdiks roam the desert. Fewer animals live in the cold desert. In Antarctica, most of the animals live near the ocean shore. Because of their ice home, seals, penguins, and other birds rely on fish, squid and other sea creatures for their food.

PEOPLE AND THE DESERT: People have a variety of uses for deserts. The desert is popular for tourism and recreation. Often people visit to see the beautiful sand colors and rock formations. Many people enjoy visiting the desert because it is a quiet place to get away from the business and noise of cities and spend time in the open land. The desert offers many types of recreation, for example, rock climbing, hiking and dirt biking. Mining, grazing, road building, and utility projects take place in the desert. Because of desert sensitivity, it is important that desert uses be managed properly to protect the wildlife and habitat.
LINKS: The Deserts in the American Southwest Deserts Environment Geography for Kids: Deserts Cool Planet: Deserts Biomes of the World: Desert
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Location | Weather | Plants | Animals | People | Links LOCATION: Although few animals and plants are adapted to the extremely dry desert life, the desert is a vital biome. The desert is important because it covers about a fifth of the earth's surface! There are both hot and cold deserts.

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You will create a diorama of a habitat to show the transfer of energy in a FOOD CHAIN. Using the link in your assigned Biome to find the different Producers, Herbivores, Carnivores, and Omnivores live in that ecosystem, as well as the plants and other organisms that live there.