Animals of the Rain Forest

There are more living things in a rain forest than any other place on Earth. Thousands of kinds of animals live in tropical rain forests. Most of the animals live in the canopy layer, and some never come down from the trees! They don't need to. The trees provide a thick, leafy shelter and plenty of food in the form of leaves, nuts, seeds, and fruit.

Many animals are adapted for their life high in the trees. Some animals, like flying squirrels, glide from tree to tree. Other animals, like monkeys, hang from branches with their tails.

The three-toed sloth is especially adapted for life in the canopy. This animal moves so slowly that it is barely noticed by its predators. Green algae often grows on the gray fur of the sloth, so the animal blends in with the trees. The sloth spends most of its time hanging upside down from branches, using its hooked claws to hold on.