A List of 30+ Animals That Live In Forests

Forest is home to numerous animal species 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.

When we hear of forests, the thing that comes to our mind is the Amazon rainforests and tropical rainforests which is more commonly known as jungles. These forests are located in most parts of the Equator and these areas are both hot and humid, where there is rainfall all year round without any dry season Forest is built with four floors known as forest floor, herbaceous layer, shrub layer, and tree layer.

Forest Floor

The forest floor is defined as the land surface under trees in a forested area. This totally depends on the types and density of the trees, as well as climate and soil, the floor may be relatively barren or lush with undergrowth (shrubs, ferns, grasses, flowers, vines, etc.) The best thing about the forest floor is that it is the nursery for flora & fauna. The animals living on the forest floor are beetles, hedgehogs, insects, lizards, mice, salamanders, snails, and spiders. The decomposers such as termites, slugs, scorpions, worms, and fungi, thrive on the forest floor. 

Herbaceous layer 

The Herbaceous layer of fresh has a special significance in maintaining the health and structure of the forests. The diversity of species is highest in this layer composed of all vascular species that are 1 meter (m) or less in height.  The animals seen at the Herbaceous layer are badgers, bees, beetles, butterflies, hares, fireflies, foxes, lynxes, and wasps.

Shrub layer

The hub layer is the darkest place in the entire rainforest that consists of shrubs and very small trees of tropical rain forest which is located between the ground layer and the understory tree layer.  The animals seen at the shrub layer are blackbirds, deer, edible dormouse, hazel dormouse, robins, squirrels, and thrush.

Tree layer 

The trees layer usually consists of birds and has their nesting places, however, at the tree layer, they are optimally protected against animals of prey that are living on the ground. There are e few examples of animals at the tree layer such as bats, Eurasian jays, owl, squirrels,

Here is a list of the animals that live in forests,

Animals That Live In Forests

1. Deer

Deer is one of the animals that live in forests that can be easily seen across all the forests except in Australia and 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.

Deer

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 animals that live in forests because can survive in grasslands, mountains, the 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

Fox

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.

Also Read: 10 Types Of Animal Patterns In The World

Tiger

4. Elephant

Elephants are the largest and one of the strongest animals in the world 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 spends 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.

Elephant

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 taiga 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.

Lynxes

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 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.

Woodpecker

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. These incredible orange animals considered as the closest relative because they have 32 teeth and even their pregnancy lasts for 9 months just like human women.

One of the animals with big lips 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.

Orangutan

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.

Howler Monkey

9. Wild boar

Wild boars are also one of the most popular animals that live in forests 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.

Wild boar

10. Marten

Martens belong to the family of Mustelidae and are animals that live in forests 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 average weight is between 3.7 to 8.4 lb. The avarage lifespan of martens is upto 15 years in the wild.

Marten

11. African elephant

The African savanna elephant is the world’s largest land mammal with a standing hieght of 3m and an average weight is upto 6,000kg, however, it is also listed as one of the animals with small eyes. 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.

African Elephant

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.

Red squirrel

13. Red deer

Red deer is one of the amazing deer species and animals that live in forests 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, clearcuts, 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 deer 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.

Red deer

Image Source: Wikimedia

14. Okapi

Okapi is one of the forest animals from Africa 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 the Leopard. It is also listed as one of the animals with long faces in the world.

Okapi

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 lived most of the time in the trees. The monkey species is the closest relative to the capuchin monkeys.

The animal species in the forest can grow upto 12.5 inches (32 cm) and their average weight 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.

Squirrel monkey

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 average weight 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. Spotted hyenas are one of the popular animals with spots in the world

Hyena

17. Koala

Koalas are one of the cutest animals affected by deforestation native to Australia and prefer to thrive in eucalyptus forests. These animal species have poor eyesight but have excellent sources of smell that help 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.

Koala

18. Kangaroo

Kangaroos are skinny 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 they feed 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.

Kangaroo

19. Giraffe

The giraffe is one of the most popular animals with long tails 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. It is also listed as one of the animals with long necks in the world.

Group of giraffes running in the forest

20. Gorilla

Gorilla is one of the toughest animals and is believed to be the second closest relative to humans followed by chimpanzees. There are three subspecies of gorillas known to humans: 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. It is also one of the popular animals that eat bamboo.

Gorilla

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 use 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.

Raccoon

22. Beetles

Beetles are the types of insects that can be seen across the world. As of now, 400.000 species of beetles are known that are members of the order Coleoptera. They prefer to habitat in both terrestrial and aquatic habitats. Almost all beetles can fly except Ground beetles and beetles that inhabit caves and deserts have lost their ability to fly.  There are  4 developmental stages in their life such as egg, larva, pupa, and adult insect is the complete metamorphosis.

Dung Beetle

23. Hedgehog

The hedgehog is an aping mammal and one of the cutest animals in the forests that belongs to the family Erinaceidae. As of now, 17 species of hedgehogs are known in forests that are native to Europe, Asia, and Africa.  The body length of the hedgehog is between 6 to 8 inches in length and the average weight is between 0.5 to 1.25 pounds. It is a nocturnal animal that is active during the night and sleeps during tend day. The avarage lifespan of a Hedgehog is between 4 to 7 years in the wild.

Hedgehog

24. Snails

Snails are one of the animals that live in forests that belongs to the class Gastropod. It is believed that snails appeared on Earth nearly 500 million years ago and are an important source of food for wild animals and humans. The body length of snails is between 0.04 inches to 12 inches length and the average wieght is between a few ounces to 2 pounds of weight.  The shell of a small grows its entire life and chemically it consists of calcium carbonate. The avarage lifespan of snails is between 3 to 7 years in the wild and up to 25 years in captivity.

Snails

25. Spiders

Spiders are one of the important animals of the forests they have eight legs and chelicerae with fangs that inject venom. The species can be seen on every continent in the world except Antarctica. The average age lifespan of spiders is between 1 to 3 years, however, female tarantulas are known to live up to 30 years. The smallest spider in the world is Patu dig which reaches a body size of about 0.37 millimeters and the largest spider in the world is the Goliath Bird-Eating tarantula food that has a leg span of up to 28 cm and a body length is upto 11.9 cm.

26. Badgers

Baders are also one of the animals that live in forests and belong to the weasel family.  As of now 11 species of badgers has been identified that has been divided into two subfamilies Eurasian badgers (9 species),  African badger (honey badger), and American badger.  The body length of the badger is between 20 to 34 inches in length and the average wieght is between 9 to 39 pounds. The dietary habits are omnivores in nature and feed on earthworms, insects, slugs, fruit, berries, and bulbs.  The avarage lifespan of badgers is upto up to 14 years in the wild.

Honey Badger

27. Butterflies

Butterflies are a species belonging to a huge order of insects called Lepidoptera.  The meaning of Lepidoptera is scaly wings and their wings are covered by thousands of tiny scales.  Butterflies can live in all kinds of climates and temperatures, however, few species are very beautifully colored when they are in tropical rainforests. They are important for the environment in two ways, They are pollinators of flowers and provide meals for frogs, bats, birds, and lizards.

Viceroy Butterfly

28. Wasps

Wasps is an important forest animal that is defined as a black and yellow insect with biting mouthparts. The wasp species can appear solitary y as well as in groups. The difference is that solitary wasps may lay eggs in underground tunnels while social wasps build paper nests.  It primarily feeds on spiders or other insects which they have paralyzed to thier larvae. The adult wasp species feeds on nectar.

Wasps

29. Firefly

Firefly is also known as lightning bug and there are more than 2.000 species of fireflies mostly seen in the tropical and temperate parts of the world. The body size is between  0.2 to 1 inch and the body is covered with yellow or orange markings. It primarily feeds on snails and worms during the larval stage. The adult species feeds on nectar, pollen, and mites.  Fireflies emit yellow, pale green, or green light and the intensity and pattern depend on the species.

Firefly

Image Source: Wikimedia

30. Edible Dormouse

The edible dormouse is a genus of rodents that has two extant species known as edible dormice and fat dormice. The body size is between 4 to 19 cm and the average weight is between 120 to 150 grams. The avarage lifespan of edible dormouse is upto 10 years in the wild. The Edible dormice is the largest of all dormice and the name comes from the Romans, who ate them as a delicacy. 

Edible Dormouse

Image Source: Wikimedia

31. Bat

Bats are one of the diverse groups of animals that live n forests and can be seen on all continents except Antarctica. As of now, 1100 species of bats make up a quarter of all known mammal species. Almost 70% of all bats eat insects and other various species feed on fruits. Only three known species of bats are known to drink blood and they live in South America. Bats have a long lifespan and they can live upto 40 years in the wild.

Little brown bat

These are the list of 30+ animals that live in forests. Kindly share and post your comments.

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