Ahmet DeveciTropical rainforests are home to more than half of the world’s species of plants and animals, yet they cover less than 10% of the earth’s surface. These forests are rich in biodiversity, meaning they have various living organisms that interact and depend on each other. Tropical rainforests are also crucial for regulating the global climate, producing oxygen, storing carbon, and providing millions of people with food, medicine, and other resources.
In this article, we will explore the fascinating wildlife of tropical rainforests, focusing on the mammals that inhabit these habitats. We will also look at some of these animals’ threats and challenges and what we can do to protect them and their environment.
What are tropical rainforests?
Tropical rainforests are forests that grow in regions near the equator, where the temperature is warm and humid throughout the year. They receive abundant rainfall, usually more than 2000 mm per year, supporting dense vegetation growth. Tropical rainforests have four main layers: the forest floor, the understory, the canopy, and the emergent layer.
- The forest floor is the lowest layer, where only a tiny amount of sunlight reaches. It is covered with leaf litter, fallen branches, and decomposing organic matter. Here you can find many insects, worms, fungi, bacteria, and small mammals, such as rodents, anteaters, armadillos, and tapirs.
- The understory is the layer above the forest floor, where shrubs, ferns, vines, and young trees grow. It is dark and humid, with little air movement. Here you can find many animals adapted to low-light conditions, such as snakes, frogs, lizards, bats, birds, and monkeys.
- The canopy is the layer above the understory, where most trees form a continuous cover of leaves and branches. It is bright and warm, with a lot of sunlight and wind. Here you can find many animals adapted to living in the treetops, such as sloths, toucans, parrots, butterflies, bees, and monkeys.
- The emergent layer is the highest layer, where some trees grow taller than the canopy and emerge above it. It is exposed to strong sunlight and wind. Here you can find some of the largest and most spectacular rainforest animals, such as eagles, harpy eagles, macaws, hornbills, orangutans, and jaguars.
How many species of mammals live in tropical rainforests?
It is estimated that about 5,000 species of mammals worldwide, and nearly half of them live in tropical rainforests. That means around 2,500 species of mammals are in these forests, ranging from tiny shrews to giant elephants. However, this number is not exact or definitive, as scientists constantly discover or reclassify new species.
Some of the most diverse groups of mammals in tropical rainforests are:
- Primates: These are animals that have opposable thumbs or toes (or both), large brains relative to their body size
- Rodents: These are animals that have continuously growing incisor teeth that they use for gnawing
- Bats: These are animals that have wings made of skin stretched over their fingers
- Carnivores: These are animals that have sharp teeth and claws for hunting other animals
- Ungulates: These are animals that have hooves on their feet
Each group has hundreds of species that vary in size, shape, color, behavior, and ecology. Some examples of well-known mammals from each group are:
- Primates: Gorillas, chimpanzees, orangutans, gibbons, lemurs, tarsiers, marmosets, capuchins, howler monkeys, spider monkeys, and squirrel monkeys
- Rodents: Capybaras, porcupines, agoutis, pacas, rats, mice, squirrels, and beavers
- Bats: Flying foxes, vampire bats, fruit bats, insectivorous bats, and nectar bats
- Carnivores: Jaguars, leopards, tigers, lions, cheetahs, hyenas, wild dogs, foxes, bears, raccoons, skunks, weasels, otters, mongooses, and civets
- Ungulates: Elephants, rhinoceroses, hippopotamuses, giraffes, zebras, antelopes, deer, pigs, tapirs,
and peccaries
Why are tropical rainforest mammals important?
Tropical rainforest mammals are essential for many reasons, both for the ecosystem and for humans. Some of the roles and benefits of these animals are:
- They help maintain the balance and diversity of the forest by dispersing seeds, pollinating flowers, controlling pests, and recycling nutrients
- They provide food, clothing, medicine, and other products for local and indigenous people who depend on the forest for their livelihoods
- They contribute to the cultural, spiritual, and aesthetic values of the forest for people who appreciate their beauty, intelligence, and uniqueness
- They support the ecotourism industry, which generates income and employment for many countries and regions that have tropical rainforests
- They serve as indicators of the health and status of the forest, as they are sensitive to changes in habitat quality, climate, and human activities
What are some of the threats and challenges that tropical rainforest mammals face?
Tropical rainforest mammals face many threats and challenges that threaten their survival and well-being. Some of the main ones are:
- Habitat loss and fragmentation: This is the destruction or degradation of the forest due to logging, mining, agriculture, urbanization, road construction, and other human activities. This reduces the area and quality of the habitat available for the animals and isolates them from other populations of their species. This can lead to reduced genetic diversity, increased competition, increased predation, increased disease transmission, and increased vulnerability to natural disasters.
- Hunting and poaching: Killing or capturing animals for food, sport, trade, or other purposes. This reduces the population size and density of the animals and disrupts their social structure and behavior. This can lead to diminished reproductive success, increased mortality, stress, and increased risk of extinction.
- Climate change: This is the global climate alteration due to human activities’ greenhouse gas emissions. This affects different regions’ temperature, precipitation, seasonality, and climate variability. This can affect the availability and quality of food, water, shelter, and other animal resources. This can also affect their distribution, migration, hibernation, and reproduction patterns.
- Invasive species: These are species that are introduced or spread into a new area where they are not native. They can compete with or prey on native species, introduce diseases or parasites, or alter the habitat or ecosystem. This can reduce the population size or diversity of native species or even cause their local extinction.
What can we do to protect tropical rainforest mammals and their habitat?
We can take many actions to protect tropical rainforest mammals and their habitat. Some of them are:
- Support conservation organizations that work to protect tropical rainforests and their wildlife. You can donate money, volunteer time, or raise awareness about their causes.
- Adopt sustainable practices that reduce your environmental impact. You can use less energy, water, and paper, recycle your waste, buy organic and fair-trade products, and avoid products that contain palm oil or other ingredients that come from deforestation.
- Educate yourself and others about tropical rainforests and their wildlife. You can read books, watch documentaries, visit websites, or attend events that inform you about these topics. You can also share your knowledge and passion with your friends, family, and community.
- Travel responsibly to tropical rainforest destinations. You can choose eco-friendly tours that respect the local culture, environment, and wildlife. You can also follow responsible tourism guidelines, such as not feeding or touching wild animals, not buying or selling wildlife products, and not littering or damaging natural resources.
FAQs
Here are some frequently asked questions about tropical rainforest mammals:
Q: How many species of primates live in tropical rainforests?
A: About 400 species of primates worldwide, and about 90% of them live in tropical rainforests. That means around 360 species of primates are in these forests, making them one of the most diverse mammals in these habitats.
Q: What is the largest mammal in tropical rainforests?
A: The largest mammal in tropical rainforests is the African forest elephant (Loxodonta cyclotis), which can weigh up to 2.7 tonnes (6,000 lbs). It is slightly smaller than its savanna cousin (Loxodonta africana) but still more significant than any other land mammal in these forests.
Q: What is the smallest mammal in tropical rainforests?
A: The smallest mammal in tropical rainforests is the bumblebee bat (Craseonycteris thonglongyai), which weighs only 2 grams (0.07 oz). It is also one of the smallest mammals in the world, along with another bat species.
Ahmet Deveci
