When it comes to jungle inhabitants Mother Nature surpassed herself in imagination and adaptation. Here are some critters that range from the truly sublime to the somewhat, well if not ridiculous, at least the very unusual.
Glass Frog Did you know some frogs are see-through? Glass frogs have a translucent underside. If you pick up a glass frog and look at their belly or chest, you can clearly see their heart pumping blood into arteries, or food moving through their digestive tract. This physical characteristic is actually a form of camouflage. When viewed from underneath, the edges of the frog blend in with its surroundings, a phenomenon called “edge diffusion.” Glass frogs are found in lowland and montane tropical forests, primarily in Central and South America. These reptiles are highly territorial, and use noises and specific calls to establish a new territory or defend an established area. 
Bullet Ant
The Bullet Ant is a species of predatory ant known for its unbelievably painful sting. While not deadly, the sting can cause severe pain and swelling, and is considered to be one of the most painful insect stings in the world. The physical sensation has been compared to a gunshot, leading to the common name “Bullet Ant.” Bullet Ants nest in colonies of nearly 3,000 individuals, in tropical rainforests of Central and South America. These insects forage mainly at night or dusk, and food or water that has been collected is brought back to the nests for larvae and mature adults. Like many species of ants, Bullet Ants use pheromones to show other members of the colony where to locate a food source, and then follow the trail back to return to their nest. 
The Potoo
Potoo, often called “Ghost Birds,” are species of nocturnal birds native to tropical regions in the Americas. During daylight hours they typically sleep, perched on tree branches. Interesting patterns of black, grey, or brown feathers act as camouflage, so they resemble the bark of a tree. At dusk, they become active and use the night hours to search for food. Potoos have huge eyes to help them spot moths and other flying insects in near darkness. They also have huge, gaping mouths for catching their prey at night as they fly in near silence. These features are very striking in dim lighting, giving them a ghost-like appearance. 
Blue Morpho Butterfly
With its brilliant, iridescent blue wings, the blue morpho butterfly flutters through the rainforest canopy. The many “eyespots” on its brown underside trick predators into thinking the butterfly is a large predator. 
Brown-throated Three-toed Sloth
The slow-moving sloth, weighing only eight or nine pounds, lives exclusively in trees, feeding on leaves, twigs, and fruit. It moves so slowly that its fur takes on a green tinge from the algae that grows on it. It can take a month to digest a single meal. 
Capybara
Bearing a strong resemblance to its guinea pig cousin, the capybara is the largest rodent on Earth, weighing in at more than 100 pounds and standing two feet tall. It lives in the dense vegetation that surrounds water, and frequently leaps in water bodies to hide from predators. It can hold its breath for up to five minutes. 
Poison Dart Frog
One of the most brightly coloured animals on the planet, the poison dart frog uses its color to warn predators of the toxic venom the lies within its skin. Indigenous cultures often use this frog’s poison to coat the tip of blow darts used for hunting. 
Sulawesi Bear Cuscus
Named for its thick, dark, and bear-like fur, the Sulawesi bear cuscus isn’t a true bear, but is actually an arboreal marsupial. Like other marsupials, the female Sulawesi bear cuscus gives birth to relatively underdeveloped offspring and carries the infant in a pouch on her belly until it is approximately eight months old and sufficiently developed for survival. They live in the undisturbed forests of Indonesia, predominantly on the island of Sulawesi. |
Satanic Leaf-tailed Gecko
Leaf-tailed Geckos live in the humid forests of Madagascar and nearby islands. The Satanic Leaf-tailed Gecko is typically mottled brown, with a flat, leaf-like tail that looks like a decaying leaf, providing camouflage. Geckos do not have eyelids, but instead a transparent membrane that covers their eyes. To wipe away debris or dust that irritates their eyes, they typically use their long tongues. Solitary creatures, these geckos rely on their natural camouflage to go unnoticed during the day, and at night when they move about to feed on insects and other prey. These animals are carnivores, known to eat a wide range of insects as well as the occasional small rodent or reptile. Leaf-tailed Geckos are well-adapted to avoiding predators, not only through their physical resemblance of a dead leaf but also through their behaviour: flattening their body to reduce their shadow, or opening their jaw to show a threatening, bright red mouth. 
Slow Loris
Furry and cute, toxic, venomous, and potentially lethal. The Slow Loris is a large-eyed, nocturnal primate, found in the rainforests of South and Southeast Asia. Omnivorous, the Slow Loris consumes small birds, reptiles, insects, fruit, nectar, and gum. They have a long, narrow tongue to retrieve nectar from inside flowers. On the inner, upper arm, the Slow Loris has a brachial gland that secretes pungent, noxious oil. When they feel threatened, these mammals raise their arms and lick this gland. The secreted oil, when mixed with their saliva, produces a venomous solution. If the Slow Loris bites another animal, the venom enters the bloodstream of their victim. This bite is painful, and can cause swelling, heart irregularities, anaphylactic shock, or even death. The Slow Loris plays an important role in their ecosystem. They are pollinators, transferring pollen between flowers when they drink nectar from individual plants. They eat and digest fruit, spreading seeds in their feces. They are also prey for snakes, hawk-eagles, and occasionally orangutans. 
Mountain Gorillas
Mountain gorillas are the largest living primates on earth! Along with chimpanzees, orangutan, and bonobos, they are the closest living relatives of humans, with mountain gorillas having the most developed brain of the four. They live primarily on the lush mountain sides of national parks in Rwanda, Uganda, and the Democratic Republic of Congo in Central Africa. Mountain gorillas live in groups of roughly 30 members, with one dominant, male troop leader called a ‘silverback’ for the silver colour in his coat. 
Okapi
The striking okapi—the closest living relative of the giraffe—lives in the dense tropical Ituri Forest of Central Africa. A master of camouflage, its striped hindquarters and brown hide helps it “disappear” into the filtered light of the forest. 
Jaguar
Jaguars are famous for their beautiful spotted coats, which help them hide amongst the grasses, bushes, and trees where they live. The rare, all-black (melanistic) jaguar is what we commonly refer to as a black panther. Jaguars are known to eat more than 85 species of prey, including armadillos, peccaries, capybara, tapir, deer, squirrels, and birds and can even snatch fish, turtles and young caiman from the water. 
Scarlet Macaw
One of the most iconic rainforest animals, the scarlet macaw is a striking, large parrot with bright red plumage and brilliant blue and yellow wing feathers. Its powerful beak can open hard nuts and seeds. Scarlet macaws are one of the few species that mate for life. 
Black Howler Monkey
The black howler monkey earns its moniker with the loud howl it uses to mark territory. These vocalizations, which sound like a strong wind blowing through a tunnel, can be heard up to two miles away. These monkeys live high up in tall rainforest trees in groups of 4 to 19. 
Green anaconda
The storied green anaconda is one of the largest snakes in the world, reaching over 30 feet in length, 12 inches in diameter, and weighing over 550 pounds. Due to its size, it is quite cumbersome on land, but it is stealthy in the water. |
