Animals That Live In The Jungle

Last Updated on February 17, 2022 by

In the jungle, you will find wild tangles and webs of foliage, and dense, thick forests. There is nothing quite like it in the world. A jungle can be found in many different places throughout the world.

There are different types of rainforests in the world, some of which are found in Latin America, such as the Amazon rainforest and the jungles of Borneo, which are found in Asia.

The same is also true in India and West Africa, where many rainforests exist. There are jungles all over the world that surround rainforests.

The forest floor is like one big moving mat of insects that eat any fallen or dying matter. Usually, they are found near the equator since they need warm temperatures. In every square meter, there are about 800 ants.

You can really appreciate what it has to offer as it is a place filled with nature, but it is also quite dangerous. These are three different animals in the jungle you’ll find in each area of the world – some are more terrifying than others!

The Difference Between a Jungle and a Rainforest

Jungles and rainforests share many similarities; both are tropical forests with thick vegetation.

However, there are some key differences between them. As jungles do not have skyscraping vegetation, they do not have a dense canopy like rainforests do.

Rainforests are characterized by dense, canopy-covered trees that block sunlight from reaching the forest floor, thereby limiting vegetation on the forest floor. The canopy also keeps moisture and humidity in the forest.

Due to their sparser canopy, jungles are drier and lighter than rainforests, and their ground vegetation is much more abundant than in rainforests.

Jungle Animals From Africa

Chimpanzee

The species lives in the jungles of West Africa and shares almost 99% of its DNA with humans. The diet of this species consists of fruits, roots, nuts, leaves, and invertebrates.

Moreover, small pigs and birds can also be hunted by it, but catching a glimpse of either is quite rare.

A chimpanzee is an intelligent creature, living in a hierarchy based on social ranking, and using tools to dig wells and perform other activities.

The scientific name of this animal is Pan troglodytes.

Gorilla

There are only chimpanzees and bonobos that are more closely related to humans than gorillas. They are the largest non-human primates on earth.

Western gorillas and eastern gorillas are two types of gorillas. In the jungle, along with other forest habitats, both species can be found. In mountain forests of Central Africa, a subspecies of gorillas called the mountain gorilla lives.

A silverback is the leader of a group of gorillas led by a large male. Leafy shoots and foliage make up most of the diet of gorillas, who are mainly herbivorous.

Pygmy Hippopotamus

Pygmy hippos are among the species on this list that are actively involved in conservation efforts. One of the living species in the family Hippopotamidae is its larger cousin, the hippopotamus; all of the other species that have been known are extinct.

There is a growing concern among conservation groups that the pygmy hippo is in danger of becoming extinct, as it is thought to number under 2,500 adult individuals in the wild.

Pygmy hippopotamuses are semi-aquatic, herbivorous animals that spend most of their time in the water, just like their cousins the hippopotamuses.

This particular species of the hippopotamus is nocturnal, solitary, and rarely seen by humans. You would be extremely lucky to catch a sighting of this specific type of hippo! The scientific name of this species is Hippopotamus amphibius.

Jungle Animals From Asia

Tiger

This beautiful animal belongs to the Felidae family. Tigers are the largest members of this family. An apex predator, this solitary hunter has no natural predators. Tigers can also be found in grasslands, taiga forests, and even tropical jungles that are covered in snow.

As one of the most recognizable animals in the world, the tiger is most easily identified by its orange coat and black stripes.

Tigers are facing a number of hardships despite their familiarity. With fewer than 3,500 adults left in the wild, this frightening animal is in a fight for survival. Panthera tigris is the scientific name for tigers.

Sumatran Rhinoceros

One of the rarest jungle animals in the world, the Sumatran rhinoceros is thought to have a total adult population of fewer than 30 individuals. In the past few centuries, overhunting and habitat destruction have resulted in the near-extinction of this large herbivore.

Despite being the smallest rhino species, the Sumatran rhino can reach a length of over 3 meters and a weight of up to a metric ton / 2,200 pounds.

The Sumatran rhino is one of the rarest rhinoceroses despite its large size. The species roam over a large home range and is shy and solitary. Rhinocerotidae is the scientific name for this animal.

Dhole

We are going to introduce you to an animal you probably have never heard of before! In the jungles of Central and Southern Asia, there lives an endangered breed of wild dog called the dhole. Tigers and leopards live in the same areas of the world, and both of them hunt the same type of food.

The threat to the dhole is not due to competition with fearsome cats such as these; the threat is instead a direct result of competition with humans. Humans overhunt animals such as deer, which are the main prey of the dhole, resulting in a lack of suitable prey for the dhole.

This along with the loss of habitat due to human expansion has resulted in less food for the dhole and a smaller hunting area for it to make use of.

There are around 12 dholes in a pack, and they communicate using a number of different sounds, including whistles and whines. Dholes are scientifically known as Cuon alpinus.

Jungle Animals From South America

Jaguar

One of the most powerful jungle predators is the jaguar, one of the largest cats in the world. In Central and South America, this fearsome jungle cat is resident in the jungles, and on occasion even ventures as far as the southern United States.

Third in size among the cats of the genus Panthera, the jaguar stands quite capable of capturing large prey such as caimans and tapirs that are quite formidable. This would not be something you want to come across in the jungle.

Keel-Billed Toucan

Among the most charismatic birds of the jungle, the keel-billed toucan is one of the most popular. Toucans are known for their large curved bills with which they forage for food in the rainforest canopy, just like all other toucans.

While it looks like a formidable weapon, a toucan’s bill is hollow most of the time and relatively lightweight.

It is thought that in addition to its usefulness as a tool for reaching fruit, the toucan bill also keeps its body at a temperature that is appropriate for its species. In spite of their friendly appearance, toucans are sneaky predators.

They regularly steal eggs and nestlings from other birds. This has a crazy scientific name called Ramphastidae.

Red-Bellied Piranha

In the Amazon basin, as well as several other river systems along South American coastlines, you can find the red-bellied piranha. This species gets its name from the red color of its underside. As far as the size of piranhas go, this is by far the largest.

The teeth and jaws of a piranha are sharp and powerful. Piranhas are rarely aggressive towards humans, despite the fearsome reputation they have built.

In addition to their primary role as scavengers, birds are also preyed upon by other animals. We wouldn’t advise antagonizing a group of these fish as you never know how they’ll react!

Summary

We couldn’t list all the animals in the jungle because there are so many. There are many jungle animals throughout the world, but we have selected a few of the most iconic and some you might not be familiar with.

Some of the facts included here might surprise you. We’re sure you learned something interesting about one of these animals.

There is nothing quite like visiting the jungle, so if you can, do not forget to keep an eye out for these animals!