Tropical Rainforest Animals

From scarlet macaws to jaguars, tropical rainforest animals are colorful, exotic and intriguing. Rainforests are home to more than 50 percent of plant and animal species in the world, and usually contain over 125 species of birds, 60 species of amphibians, 100 species of reptiles, 150 species of butterflies and more per every four square miles. Countless tropical rainforest animals are still undiscovered, but everyone can learn interesting facts about discovered tropical rainforest animals.

1. Scarlet Macaw. With a body that grows as long as 33 inches, scarlet macaws are the largest species of parrots in the world. These beautiful creamy white, red, blue and yellow feathered birds can be found in the forests of Peru, Bolivia, eastern Brazil, Trinidad, southern Mexico and Costa Rica. Scarlet macaws stay in large groups near rivers, mate for life and enjoy eating nuts. Rainforest destruction and pet trading threaten the scarlet macaws existence.
2. Brown-Throated Three-Toed Sloth. The brown-throated three-toad sloth, which is the slowest mammal species in the world, lives on top of trees in the forests of Central and South America. Coarse light brown fur, long legs, small eyes, and a round head are the features of brown-throated three-toad sloths. These cat-sized mammals have long, curved claws that help them hang upside down from trees. Interestingly, brown-throated three-toad sloths only leave trees once a week to defecate, and it takes them up to a month to digest a meal.
3. Jaguar. Reaching up to six feet in length and standing three feet tall, jaguars are fierce tropical rainforest animals. They are recognized worldwide for their beautiful spotted coats that look like open rosettes. Jaguars do not only live in tropical rainforests; they can be found in grasslands, woodlands and seasonally flooded forests. After 15,000 jaguars were killed for fur between the 1960s and 1970s, jaguars become an endangered animal. Loss of habitat combined with poaching threaten the existence of jaguars.
4. Chameleon. Very special members of the lizard species, chameleons are distinguishable by their tongues and ability to change colors. Across the lands of Africa, Madagascar, Spain, Portugal, Asia and Sri Lanka, the chameleon enjoys eating insects and blending with the environment. They can amazingly change color based on temperature and fear.
5. Chimpanzee. Standing about three feet tall, chimpanzees are black-haired, tailless monkeys. Chimpanzees never stay too long in one area, and they stay in packs of fifteen to 100 members. Interestingly, chimpanzees live to be 60 years old, a lifespan similar to humans. There may be around 35,000 chimpanzees left in the world due to destruction of tropical rainforests and poaching.