rainforest animals and their adaptations

Animals and their Adaptations

Tropical rainforests are almost perfect for animal survival. It is always warm, and there are no season changes bringing times when there is little food. There is shade from the heat and shelter from the rain. There is no shortage of water.

PREDATORS

Colour: Animals which display darker colours are more likely to be able to hide from predators.

Glow: Glow worms use bioluminescence to attract prey to their snares in the darkness of the rainforest.

Wings: Unlike birds which hunt for prey in open or coastal environments, larger birds of prey (owls, grey goshawks) who hunt amongst forest trees have wing shapes that enable them to manoeuvre between trees and also remain silent as they fly.

Body shape: To cope with cool rainforest temperatures Tasmanian pademelons have developed a more rounded body shape which is better at conserving heat.

Since the rain forest has many trees, a good adaptation would be the one that allows animals to be able to climb and forage for food in trees Monkeys and sloths are a good example of this.

The second could be the adaptation to being able to swim and cope with a lot of rainfall, caimans, turtles and snakes such as anacondas are a good examples of this.

A third one could be being nocturnal to avoid the high temperatures of the day and the competition from diurnal animals such as bats.

The little aye-aye, a small Madagascan primate

evolved to be a nocturnal feeder in order to escape the clutches of predators in the daylight.

Chameleons change colors to help them blend in

a Tigers stripes help it blend into the shadows

Poison Dart Frogs have many flashy greens, blues and yellows to help warn off predators but to also stay hidden amongst the leaves, water, and sun spots

Looper caterpillars look like part of the green plant that they attach themselves to.

Another way is many of them have developed some sort of camouflaging mechanism

Another way of adaptation in birds is the development of strong or longer beaks. Toucans, Macaws and Herens are very good examples of this.