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Animals That Live in the Tropical Rain Forest Biome

High amounts of rain, humidity and only small fluctuations in temperatures are features of the world's rain forests. The Blue Planet Biomes site reports that even though rain forests cover as little as 6 percent of the earth, as many as half of all animal species occur in this type of ecosystem.

Margay
- The extensive range of the margay (Leopardus wiedii) includes large patches of tropical rain forest in nations such as Brazil. This small feline is the sole cat that can rotate its hind legs as much as 180 degrees, enabling it to run down trees headfirst, notes the Big Cat Rescue website. The margay grows to lengths from 34 to 52 inches and can weigh up to 20 pounds. The margay's coat is a tawny color, featuring rosettes and blotches. The margay's diet consists of smaller mammals, birds and sometimes fruit.
Harpy Eagle
- The harpy eagle (Harpia harpyja) can weigh 20 pounds and have a wingspan that stretches 7 feet, notes the San Diego Zoo website. This raptor is a fearsome predator of the rain forest, building nests 5 feet in diameter in trees as tall as 140 feet. The harpy eagle uses its sharp talons and beak, flying ability and strength to prey upon a wide assortment of rain forest denizens, including deer, sloths, monkeys, iguanas and porcupines. The harpy eagle frequents the canopy and understory of the forest, waiting patiently for prey to reveal itself before launching its attack. The national bird of Panama, the harpy eagle mates for life.
Silvery Gibbon
- The silvery gibbon (Hylobates moloch) is a primate of the rain forests of Indonesia, living in the trees. Active during the day, the silvery gibbon subsists on a diet composed mostly of various fruits and vegetation. The silvery gibbon, which can attain weights of approximately 13 pounds, prefers the taller trees within its range. The animal lives in small family groups. Loss of its habitat due to the ever-expanding human population within its distribution has precipitated this creature's decline; as little as 4 percent of its original forest habitat exists, according to the Animal Info site.
Slender Loris
- The slender loris (Loris tardigradus malabaricus) is another tree-dweller, living in the rain forest regions of Sri Lanka and India. This primate devours insects for the most part, hunting at night in the branches, typically all by itself or in pairs. The slender loris has thin arms and legs and large eyes, attaining a size comparable to a chipmunk. The slender loris weighs from 10 to 12 ounces. The animal is quite social, sleeping with others of its kind in the hollow of a tree and often playing with its companions.

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