Forest is home to numerous animal species where that can have both food and shelter at the same time. There are different animals who love to live in their own scope such as trees, shrubs, bushes, or even on the forest ground. Forests are one of the most important places where animals can survive and breed because they can provide food, protection against weather, and places for breeding. Forests are also important for human civilization because it is responsible for climate protection and continuously give us air in the form of oxygen production. Here is a list of the most amazing forest animals in the world,
Forest Animals In The World
1. Deer
Deer is one of the most amazing forest animals that can be easily seen across all the forests except in Australia and on Antarctica. It belongs to the family Cervidae which has approximately 90 different species of hoofed mammals. The best part is that deer can survive in different types of forests such as temperate forests, tropical rainforests, or deciduous, coniferous, and mixed forests along with savannas and meadows. The tufted deer is listed as one of the coolest animals in the world.
The smallest known deer species is the Northern pudu which weighs only 20 pounds. The largest type of deer is moose which weighs about 1000 pounds. The diet includes twigs, leaves, grass, fruit, and lichens.
2. Fox
Foxes are animal species that are very closely related to jackals, wolves, and dogs. All of them belong to the canine family consisting of 39 described species and have 12 true species of foxes that can be seen on all continents. They are amazing forest animals because can survive in grasslands, mountains, Arctic Circle, the countryside, and even near urban areas.
The size of the species depends on the fox species and has an avarage wieght of 13 pounds. Foxes have even similarities with cats where they have retractable claws and vertical pupils. The avarage lifespan of foxes is 3 years in the wild and up to 10 years in captivity. The Arctic fox is listed as one of the most amazing winter animals in the world.
Also Read: A List Of 15+ Cutest Snakes In The World
3. Tiger
Tigers are the biggest cat in the world and can be seen in different types of forests such as tropical rainforests, savannas, and Siberian forests. As of now, 5 subspecies of tigers are known to humans and the bad news is that all of them are endangered and approximately 7400 tigers are left in the wild.
The toughest animal species is best known for its stripes. White tigers are very rare in nature and they have white fur with stripes and blue eyes. Tigers are wild cat species that are apex predators and only meet during the mating season. One of the amazing land and water animals is rarely seen in groups and it is known as the “streak” of tigers. The avarage lifespan of tigers is 10-15 years in the wild and around 20 in captivity.
4. Elephant
Elephants are the largest mammal on planet Earth and as of now, three species are known to humans namely, Indian, savannah, and forest elephants. The animal species only sleeps for only 2 to 3 hours a day and spent the rest of the time eating. The favorite diet of elephants is acacia, however, they move away from the tree if the ants are crawling because eventually, they will injure the sensitive trunk of elephants.
Elephants used to communicate with each other with the help of sounds that humans can’t hear and also by producing vibrations on the ground with the help of their feet. The avarage lifespan of elephants is 60-70 years in the wild and in captivity, it is more than 80 years.
5. Lynxes
Lynxes are a member of the cat family and are mostly seen in Europe, Asia, and North America regions of the world. The animal species are very well adapted to the areas of the north and can thrive in low temperatures.
The size of the lynxes depends on the species where the Eurasian lynx is larger than the American species. It can reach upto 32 to 40 inches in length and weighs between 8 to 11 kg. Talking about appearance, the body of the fur is covered with thick fur and the color depends on the season. The avarage lifespan of Lynxes is 14.5 years in the wild and over 25 years in captivity.
6. Woodpecker
Woodpeckers are one of the amazing types of birds and as of now, 200 species of woodpeckers are known species that can be seen across the globe except in Australia, New Zealand, and Madagascar. These bird species loves to thrive in forests, backyards, and various other types of habitat where trees are available.
The size of the woodpecker birds depends on the species where the largest known woodpecker is a great slaty woodpecker that can reach upto 20 inches in length and the smallest known woodpecker is the piculet which can be only 3 to 4 inches long. The avarage lifespan of woodpeckers is 5 and 11 years in the wild.
7. Orangutan
Orangutans are ape species and there are two types of apes, one that lives on the islands of Indonesia and the other one is Borean orangutans that live in the rainforests of Sumatra and Borneo. It is also known as “Red Apes” because of their red coat. Orangutan is also considered as the closest relative because they have 32 teeth and even their pregnancy lasts for 9 months just like human women.
The species can grow between 3.5 to 4.5 feet tall and weigh between 110 to 200 pounds. The diet of orangutans consists of the majority of fruits, apart from that they have also seen eating leaves, bark, and even insects. The avarage lifespan of an Orangutan is 35 years in the wild and up to 50 years in captivity.
8. Howler monkey
Howler monkeys are one of the types of largest monkeys in the world and also one of the loudest animals in the world. As of now, 15 species of howler monkeys are known to humans and they are mostly seen in teh regions of Central and South America.
These cutest mokeys love to thrive in the regions of Cloud forests, rainforests, and tropical dry forests. The avarage lifespan of howler monkeys is between 5 to 20 years in the wild. It can grow between a hieght of 56 to 92 cm excluding its tails. The average weight of howler monkeys is between 4 to 8 kg. It is also listed as one of the amazing animals with a throat pouch.
9. Wild boar
Wild boars are also one of the most popular forest animals in the world seen in the regions of Africa, Europe, and Asia that include Japan, Indonesia, India, and the Far East. These animal species love to thrive in the regions of grasslands, taiga, tropical rainforests, and most likely deciduous forests.
Medium-sized animals can grow between 3 to 6.5 feet in length with a hieght of 39.3 inches and an avarage wieght between 90 to 700 pounds. Talking about their appearance, Wild boars are covered with a double coat of fur that can be of different colors such as brown, red, black, or grey. The avarage lifespan of wild boars is up to 10 years in the wild and up to 25 years in captivity.
10. Marten
Martens belong to the family of Mustelidae and are amazing forest animals that come with thick brown fur. The diet of martens consists of fruits, small mammals, and insects. These species love to thrive in the regions of boreal forests, pine forests, and taiga. They are seen in the regions of India, Alaska, Canada, Usa and Russia. It can grow between 14 to 26 inches and its avarage wieght is between 3.7 to 8.4 lb. The avarage lifespan of martens is upto 15 years in the wild.
11. African elephant
The African savanna elephant is the world’s largest land mammal with a standing hieght of 3m high and an avarage wieght is upto 6,000kg. The ears of African elephants are much larger than as compared to the other species of elephants. There is also a trunk difference where African elephants have two ‘fingers’ at the tip of their trunks, however, Asian elephants have only one. The avarage lifespan of African elephants is between 60 to 70 years in the wild.
12. Red squirrel
Red squirrels are one of the cutest mammals native to Europe and northern Asia. They live in a special kind of nest known as dreys where they will give birth to young ones and the baby red squirrels are known as kittens.
Talking about their appearance, red squirrels are red in color, howvever, their fur can looks orange or dark brown. The tail and tummies are white in color and the fur coat will become thicker in the winter season to keep them warm. The avarage lifespan of red squirrels is upto 6 years in the wild. The squirrel species love to eat nuts and seeds such as pine nuts and hazelnuts.
13. Red deer
Red dear is one of the amazing deer species and forest animals are mostly seen in the regions of Asia Minor, Iran, parts of western Asia, and central Asia. They are also visible in the Atlas Mountains region between Morocco and Tunisia in northwestern Africa. The deer species loves to thrive in coniferous swamps, clear cuts, aspen-hardwood forests, and coniferous-hardwood forests.
The avarage lifespan of red deer species is between 10 to 13 years and over 20 years in captivity. Red deers are one of the largest species of deer and majorly feed on grasses, sedges, and forbs in summer and woody growth in the winter months.
Image Source: Wikimedia
14. Okapi
Okapi is one of the closest relatives of giraffes mostly seen in the regions of northern, central, and eastern parts of the Congo in Africa. Okapi was discovered back in 1900 with over 45000 species living in the forest at the same time. It can grow upto 6.5 feet tall and reach 8.1 feet in length. The avarage wieght is between 440 to 700 pounds. The tongue of the okapi is 18 inches long and can reach both its eyes and ears. The avarage lifespan of Okapi is 20 to 30 years in the wild. The only natural enemy of the okapi is Leopard.
15. Squirrel monkey
Squirrel monkeys scientifically known as Saimiri mostly seen in the forests of South America The species was active during the day and live most of the time in the trees. The monkey species is closest relative to the capuchin monkeys.
The animal species in the forest can grow upto 12.5 inches (32 cm) and their avarage wieght is up to 3 lbs. The diet of squirrel monkeys consists of fruit, leaves, and little animals. They are known as squirrel monkeys because they are active and can move quickly as squirrels. In Germany, they are also known as skull monkeys (“Totenkopf-Äffchen”) because its face resembles a skull.
16. Hyena
Hyenas are large dog-size species and as of now, 4 species are known to humans that differ in size and type of diet. The size of hyenas varies in size and the largest known hyenas come at 35 inches in height and an avarage wieght of 90 pounds. The smallest known as hyenas are aardwolves that come at 20 inches in height and 60 pounds in weight. Hyenas are both hunters and scavengers. The avarage lifespan of Hyenas is 10-12 years in the wild and up to 25 years in captivity.
17. Koala
Koalas are one of the cutest animals native to Australia and prefer to thrive in eucalyptus forests. These animal species have poor eyesight but have excellent sources of smell that helps them to identify the type of eucalyptus they like to eat. Koalas spend most of their time on trees and they can climb with the help of powerful limbs and sharp claws. The average sleeping hours of Koalas is between 16 to 18 hours per day. The baby koalas are known as “joeys” with an average lifespan between 10 to 14 years in the wild and over 16 years in captivity.
18. Kangaroo
Kangaroos are one of the largest animals that move by jumping which will help them to save energy. They cannot move their hind legs separately during jumps. The animal species take the help of the tail during movements to balance their body. The dietary habits are herbivores in nature and it feeds on grass, shrubs, shoots, and tree leaves. Kangaroos are social animals and love to stay in groups known as mobs, troops, or courts. The female species of Kangaroo are known as mobs, troops, or courts. The average lifespan of kangaroos is between 8 to 10 years in the wild and 20 years in captivity. It is one of the amazing animals that start with K.
19. Giraffe
Giraffe is one of the most popular animals in Africa that prefers to thrive in savannas, Sahel, and open woodland areas of the region. The unique part is that giraffes can survive without water for a longer duration than camels and their worst enemies include lions and crocodiles. The animal species have between 2 to 4 horns on the forehead and they can run at a top speed of 35 miles per hour on a short distance. The young giraffe starts its life by falling to the ground from a height of 6 feet.
20. Gorilla
Gorilla is one of the toughest animals and is believed to have the second closest relative to humans followed by chimpanzees. There are three subspecies of gorillas known to humans named as western lowland, eastern lowland, and mountain gorillas. It can reach up to a height of 6 feet and its avarage weight is upto 480 pounds. Gorillas are also one of the smartest animals in the world and can communicate with the help of 22 different sounds, body posture, facial expression, and body odor. The average lifespan of gorillas is between 35 and 50 years in the wild.
21. Raccoon
Raccoons are one of the smaller relatives of bears native to the regions of South and North America, however, they are visible in Asia and Europe too. It can reach upto a length of 2.5 feet and the average weight is between 12 to 16 pounds. The hand of the raccoon looks similar to humans where they have 5 fingers and used them for different purposes collecting food, opening shells, and even doors. The various sounds of Raccoons include hiss, purr, whistle, and growl. The average lifespan of the raccoon is upto 5 years in the wild and can survive upto 20 years in captivity.
These are the list of 21 amazing forest animals in the world. Kindly share and do post your comments.
