Animals In Forest Ecosystems

The term ecosystem refers to an environment filled with living organisms that range from botanical life to animals. When referring to forest ecosystems, this can mean anything from a tropical rain forests to a savanna. Animals in forest ecosystems vary wildly.

Rain forests are located throughout the world and are identifiable because they are both warm and wet. Insects in South American rain forests include the blue morpho butterfly with bright blue wings as well as the Monarch butterfly with orange wings speckled with black. The rain forest is also home to such big cats as jaguars and ocelots as well as birds such as the quetzal, which is known for its long tail of feathers. Among the animals in Australian rain forests are several types of kangaroos such as the tree kangaroo and the rat kangaroo.

Deciduous forests are found all over the globe, especially in North America, Asia and Europe, according to the website Blue Planet Biomes. Unlike rain forests, deciduous forests are in climates that have all four seasons. Animals in deciduous forests include such mammals as brown bears, deer and the collared peccary, an animal that looks like a pig. Birds within these forests are red cardinals and bald eagles.

Coniferous forests stretch across the northern parts of Asia, North American and Europe. They typically skirt mountain regions and have trees that grow close together and tower over the landscape. Animals that thrive in these regions include:

• long-eared owls
• otters
• porcupines
• bobcats
• coyotes
• black bears
• beavers

Unlike a coniferous forest, a savanna forest doesn't have towering trees, but it is populated by tall grasses. Savanna forests exist in countries with warm climates, such as Africa, India and Australia. In Africa animals such as African elephants, antelopes, cheetahs, gnus and rhinoceroses prowl the land. In Australia animal inhabitants include the wallaby and kangaroo. In India there are tigers and water buffaloes.