Animals in the Rainforest

Many families of animal live in the rainforest, in an even wider range of habitats and locations.

The Capuchin monkey is part of the Cebus Genus and lives mainly in Central and South American forests. It swings from tree to tree in the Understory and sometimes is found in the canopy. It has many Predators but it's main predator is the dangerous Harpy Eagle. It is a brave species of monkey that guards it's nest and is considered the smartest New World Monkey. It was also seen being cheeky in Ben Stiller's 'Night at the Museum'!

The layers in a Rainforest

There are four layers in a rainforest: The Forest Floor, The Understory, The Canopy, and The Emergent Layer.

The Floor is usually muddy and filled with moisture. It is mostly the home of insects and a few species of amphibians like frogs and toads.

The Understory is the home of smaller and weaker trees competing for the scraps of light left over from the taller trees of the canopy. They are home to small birds, frogs, snakes and lizards, and sometimes it is used as a resting spot for a big cat like a cougar, puma or jaguar.

The Canopy is the roof of the Rainforest.It holds the most species of trees and most species of animal. It holds birds escaping from predators that can't climb or glide so high. It also holds medium sized primates like monkeys or orangutans that swing from tree to tree. It is the Rainforest Hotel.

The Emergent Layer is quite boring. It holds the strongest of trees that have reached stardom in the tree world.

What is a Rainforest?

A rainforest is a natural environment that is very scarce. It is very damp and often foggy. It is inhabited by a varied group of ancient and rare plants and animals. There are temperate rainforests and tropical rainforests. To be classified as tropical, a rainforest must be found within the Tropics of Cancer and Capricorn. These are usually warmer. There are fewer Temperate rainforests because they are located closer to the polar ice caps.