Animals of the Rain Forest

Tropical rain forests1 are warm, rainy places. The toucan lives in the leafy
trees of some tropical rain forests. Its beak can be different colors. Keep
reading to learn about other animals that live in rain forests.

Life in a Rain Forest
Tropical rain forests are home to more kinds of plants and animals than any other place in
the world. A rain forest has four layers. Read about the layers of the rain forest and some
animals that live there.

Emergent Layer
The tops of the tallest trees in the rain forest make up the emergent layer.2 Macaws live
in this part of the rain forest. Macaws are birds with long tails and strong beaks. They
belong to the parrot family.

Canopy
The tops of most of the trees in the rain forest make up the canopy.3 The
canopy blocks sunlight from reaching the areas of the rain forest below.
Spider monkeys live here. Spider monkeys eat fruits, seeds, and other
plants. These monkeys hang from trees by their tails and swing from branch
to branch.

Understory
The understory4 of the rain forest is a cool, shady place. Plants that grow here have large leaves. Some
anacondas live in the understory. Anacondas are one of the largest snakes in the world, reaching more
than 15 feet long. They are nocturnal.5 That means they are most active at night.

The forest floor is very dark and wet. Few plants grow on the floor. Many large animals live in this part
of the rain forest, such as jaguars. Jaguars are wild cats that live in the rain forests in Mexico,

which is a country in Central America.