Birds
African gray parrot
Psittacus erithacus
The African gray parrot is a gray, red-tailed parrot of Central and West African rainforests, famed for its intelligence and speech. Size, diet and threats.
Habitat · 32 species
Animals of rainforests
Animals of tropical rainforests, the richest habitats on land: jaguars, orangutans, toucans, poison dart frogs and more.
Species profiles
Insects
Atlas moth
Attacus atlas
The Atlas moth is a giant silk moth of Asian forests with a wingspan of about 25 cm. Its snake-head wingtips, mouthless adults, huge caterpillars and silk.
Reptiles
Boa constrictor
Boa constrictor
The boa constrictor is a large, nonvenomous snake of tropical America, usually 1.8–3 m long. Facts on its size, red tail, habitat, diet, birth and taxonomy.
Mammals
Bornean orangutan
Pongo pygmaeus
The Bornean orangutan is a Critically Endangered great ape found only on Borneo. Facts on its size, cheek pads, fruit diet, nightly nests, babies and threats.
Mammals
Brown-throated sloth
Bradypus variegatus
The brown-throated sloth is the most common three-toed sloth of Central and South America. Facts on its size, leaf diet, green fur, slow life and lifespan.
Mammals
Chimpanzee
Pan troglodytes
The chimpanzee is an endangered great ape of equatorial Africa and, with the bonobo, our closest relative. Facts on size, diet, tools, social life and range.
Mammals
Common vampire bat
Desmodus rotundus
The common vampire bat is a small Latin American bat that feeds only on blood, mostly from livestock. Facts on its size, heat-sensing nose, range and colonies.
Mammals
Eastern gorilla
Gorilla beringei
The eastern gorilla, home of mountain and Grauer's gorillas, is the largest living primate. Facts on its size, diet, family groups, range and Critical status.
Amphibians
Golden poison frog
Phyllobates terribilis
The golden poison frog of Colombia's Pacific rainforest may be the most poisonous animal alive. Its batrachotoxin, diet, color forms, dart use and status.
Arachnids
Goliath birdeater
Theraphosa blondi
The Goliath birdeater is the heaviest spider on Earth, a South American tarantula of up to 175 g (6.2 oz). Facts on its size, burrows, diet, hairs and lifespan.
Reptiles
Green anaconda
Eunectes murinus
The green anaconda is the world's heaviest snake, a giant boa of South American swamps and rivers. Facts on its size, hunting, breeding balls and live birth.
Reptiles
Green iguana
Iguana iguana
The green iguana is a large, plant-eating tree lizard of Central and South America that can top 1.5 m. Size, colors, diet, swimming, nesting and lifespan.
Birds
Harpy eagle
Harpia harpyja
The harpy eagle is a huge rainforest eagle of Central and South America that hunts sloths and monkeys. Facts on its size, talons, diet, breeding and status.
Insects
Hercules beetle
Dynastes hercules
The Hercules beetle is the world's longest beetle, with males up to about 17 cm (7 in) including the horn. Facts on its horns, fights, color change and larvae.
Mammals
Hoffmann's two-toed sloth
Choloepus hoffmanni
Hoffmann's two-toed sloth is a nocturnal, tree-dwelling sloth of Central and South America. Facts on its size, claws, diet, babies, lifespan and how it lives.
Reptiles
King cobra
Ophiophagus hannah
The king cobra is the world's longest venomous snake, usually 3–4 m long. Facts on its size, hood and growl, snake-eating diet, nests, range and status.
Mammals
Large flying fox
Pteropus vampyrus
The large flying fox is one of the world's biggest bats, with wings up to 1.5 m (5 ft) across. Facts on its fruit and nectar diet, eyesight, roosts and threats.
Insects
Leafcutter ant
Atta cephalotes
The leafcutter ant Atta cephalotes farms fungus on chewed leaves in giant underground nests. Facts on its castes, colonies, range, fungus gardens and role.
Reptiles
Panther chameleon
Furcifer pardalis
The panther chameleon is Madagascar's most colorful chameleon. Facts on its color forms, rival displays, tongue, eyes, size, short wild life and breeding.
Mammals
Pygmy hippopotamus
Choeropsis liberiensis
The pygmy hippopotamus is a small, shy forest hippo of West Africa, mainly Liberia. Facts on its size, night life, diet, calves, Endangered status and Moo Deng.
Amphibians
Red-eyed tree frog
Agalychnis callidryas
The red-eyed tree frog is a small nocturnal frog of Central American rainforests. Its size, colors, startle display, diet, eggs on leaves, lifespan and status.
Reptiles
Reticulated python
Malayopython reticulatus
The reticulated python of Southeast Asia is the world's longest snake, measured at almost 7 m in the wild. Facts on its size, net-like pattern, diet and range.
Birds
Scarlet macaw
Ara macao
The scarlet macaw is a large red, yellow and blue parrot of tropical American forests. Facts on its size, diet, clay licks, nesting, lifespan and conservation.
Birds
Southern cassowary
Casuarius casuarius
The southern cassowary is a huge flightless rainforest bird of New Guinea and Queensland with a blue neck, a tall casque and a dagger claw. Size, diet, habits.
Amphibians
Strawberry poison dart frog
Oophaga pumilio
The strawberry poison dart frog is a tiny red-and-blue frog of Central American rainforests. Facts on its color morphs, toxins, calls and tadpole care.
Mammals
Sunda pangolin
Manis javanica
The Sunda pangolin is a scaly, ant-eating mammal of Southeast Asia that rolls into a ball when threatened. Facts on its scales, diet, young and illegal trade.
Mammals
Western gorilla
Gorilla gorilla
The western gorilla is a Critically Endangered great ape of Central African rainforests. Facts on its size, diet, silverback-led groups, range and threats.