Because rainforest foliage is concentrated in the treetops, the animal life of the rainforests is also concentrated in the trees. There, you can find apes, snakes, and hundreds of bird species. The best-known African ape species are chimpanzee and gorilla.

Only a few large animals roam the lower areas of the rainforest. One of these is the leopard (pictured). Rainforests also contain a large number of insects. The larvae of these insects feed on tree leaves, and the insects themselves are the food of other insects and birds. If a leaf or a dead animal falls down on the ground, it is decomposed quickly by the small organisms living in the rainforest floor. As a result, it is rare to find dead leaves in the rainforest.

Rainforest rivers are also full of life. They are inhabited by species such as giant snakes and crocodiles.