5 Animals That Live In Trees
Both in the jungle and in the forests there are many animals that live in the trees … Some never come down from them! Others combine life between the branches and the ground. We inform you about several species that use logs and canopies as their homes.
What animals that live in trees are there?
For example, monkeys have a prehensile tail that allows them to hang from branches, flying squirrels have folds in the skin to glide between canopies, and certain reptiles have very sharp claws to cling to trunks.
Also the birds have learned to create their nests taking the shape of the trees, while insects have the ability to climb without falling thanks to its well prepared legs. Some of the animals that live in trees are:
1. Iguana
The iguana – the image that leads this article – is a scaly reptile native to the tropical habitats of Latin America that includes two species: green and the Caribbean. It lives in trees more than a meter above the ground and can easily move between branches thanks to its sharp claws.
It is a herbivorous animal up to 150 centimeters in length with a tail almost as long as its body. The neck and back have ridges of thorns, and their eyes are prepared to glimpse shadows, bodies and movements.
2. Owl
This bird with feathers raised as if they were ‘ears’ is one of the most frequent inhabitants of the forests. Owls can live in a variety of habitats, although they prefer sites full of trees.
It feeds on almost everything it finds that is smaller than it (insects, mice, lizards, fish, etc.) and has nocturnal habits: it can hunt in the dark thanks to its developed eyesight and its ability to be very silent.
3. Orangutan
It is a primate – whose scientific name is Pongo – native to Indonesia and Malaysia; the term ‘orangutan’ means ‘man of the jungle’ in Malay language. This is because they walk almost upright like humans.
The front extremities –arms– are longer than the rear –legs– and also stronger; long, narrow hands with five fingers allow them to hang from branches. Another of the inherent characteristics of orangutans is their reddish fur that does not appear on the hands, feet, belly and chest.
An adult male can measure more than 150 centimeters and weigh about 120 kilos. However, it is quite peaceful, except when fighting among its kind, as they are very territorial. He gets plenty of sleep – always in the tree branches – and makes a ‘bed’ of new leaves every day.
4. Koala
It is one of the animals that live in the most characteristic trees and one of the first that comes to mind. It lives in the coastal areas of Australia and is very easy to recognize: robust body with grayish fur, large head with black nose and round, hairy ears, and thick claws that allow it to cling to the trunk without problems.
It prefers the open areas of eucalyptus forests, since the leaves of this species are its main source of food. The koala leads a very sedentary life and sleeps up to 20 hours a day. It only joins with others of its species to reproduce and during the time in which the young is kept close to the mother (they are marsupials, not ursids as is believed); the rest of the time they are alone.
5. Termites
These insects feed on the cellulose in wood, so they live inside or very close to trees. They form nests – known as termite mounds – of millions of specimens divided into castes: workers, soldiers and primary and secondary reproducers, as happens with ants or bees, but in this case, in addition to a queen, there is also a king.
