In their habitat, animals are distributed in different areas, having a particular ecological niche according to the functions and relationships they establish. Within this spatial distribution we find arboreal animals, which are those that live or develop mainly in trees and, depending on the species, are almost exclusively limited to this type of habit or have a more constant interaction with the ground, but their customs are associated to a greater extent with the vegetation of the ecosystem.
If these animals are as curious to you as we are and you want to know specific species with these habits, in this article on our site we show you a list of animals that live in the trees, read on!
Amazon Ant (Allomerus decemarticulatus)
Did you know that there are also insects that live in tree trunks? Generally, we associate ants with animals that live on the ground, however, not all of them have this behavior. This insect, which lives in South America, lives especially on a type of flowering plant, which belongs to the species Hirtella physophora, with which it has developed a close relationship of mutualism, since the plant provides space for the creation of nests and food for the ants, while they fiercely defend the small tree from any animal or even another plant that can cause some damage.
Binturong (Arctictis binturong)
The binturong is a type of viverrid that lives in various Asian countries, mainly in various types of forests. This mammal is the largest of its group, since it has a mass of between 9 and 20 kg, and has arboreal-type habits, for which it relies on its prehensile tailHowever, due to the weight, to get from one tree to another you must go down to the ground and climb back up
Tree Kangaroos
In this case, we find several species belonging to the genus Dendrolagus, which are marsupials native to Oceania. Within the macropods, the family to which they belong, tree kangaroos are the only ones with arboreal habits. Depending on the species, they vary in weight between 5 and 15 kg and have adaptations such as wide hind legs, front limbs with curved claws and long tails that facilitate their life in the trees. As an example, we can mention the Huon tree-kangaroo species (Dendrolagus matschiei), which is the one we see in the image.
Flying frogs
These curious beings are also part of the list of animals that live in tree trunks. There are various species of amphibians distributed throughout various parts of the world known as flying frogs due to their arboreal habits and their ability to glide from one tree to another This is possible thanks to some adaptations, such as its small size and the development of extended membranes on the legs that facilitate planning.
Some of the families in which they are located are
- Hylidae
- Phyllomedusidae
- Rhacophoridae
In the image we can see the harlequin tree frog (Rhacophorus pardalis).
Flying Squirrels
Other animals that live in trees are various species of rodents grouped in the tribe called Pteromyini. These are characterized by having a membrane called "patagium" or "patagium", which extends from the area of the wrist in the forelimbs to the ankle in the hindlimbs. These membranes allow them to glide between trees, where they usually live. In the image we see the red giant flying squirrel (Petaurista petaurista).
But not only flying squirrels have arboreal habits, in general the different types of squirrels spend much of their time climbing trees. Some squirrels, like the aforementioned flying squirrels, are animals that live inside trees, because they take advantage of the cavities to create their burrow.
Common Sloth (Choloepus hoffmanni)
The common sloth, also known as the two-toed sloth, is an animal native to Central and South America, which lives in various forest formations. It has a maximum weight of around 8 kg and has almost entirely arboreal habits. This animal feeds, mates and sleeps in the branches of trees and only eventually comes down approximately every five days to defecate on the ground. It moves very slowly between the branches of the trees, but it does not usually move more than 30 meters per day.
Although we have mentioned the two-toed sloth, the three-toed sloth is also an arboreal animal. Do not miss this other article and discover more Curiosities of the sloth that will surprise you.
Gibbons
Gibbons belong to a group of primates that contains four genera and 20 species, as well as several subspecies. These small apes inhabit both tropical and subtropical jungles in Asia, in countries such as China, India, Bangladesh and Sumatra, among others. They have the peculiarity of moving through the movement known as "brachiation", which consists of swinging between the branches of the trees, where they usually are. They are very agile and quick to pass through the vegetation, so they are another typically arboreal species.
If you want to know more Typical Animals of Asia, don't miss this other article.
Amazon Tree Boa (Corallus hortulanu)
This species of arboreal snake, although it can live in savannahs and dry forests, is preferably found in the Amazon rainforest, specifically in humid areas of countries such as Colombia and Venezuela, but also on islands such as Trinidad and Tobago, among other. It can be at ground level or in rivers, but its main location is 1 or 2 meters high in trees or any other type of vegetation.
Another example of an arboreal snake, with the same habits as the aforementioned species, is the emerald boa (Collarus caninus).
Orangutans
Currently three species of orangutans grouped in the genus Pongo are recognized. In general, females weigh about 35 kg, while males can reach 75 kg. Among the great apes, orangutans have the greatest habits in trees, where they feed mainly on fruits, but also include insects, eggs, honey and plants.
Macaws
Of course, you couldn't leave birds out of the list of examples of animals that live in trees, which are precisely the ones that usually spend the most time in this type of vegetation. Since there are many species, as an example we can mention the macaws.
The genus Ara corresponds to a group of nine species of birds that inhabit neotropical zones and are commonly known as macaws or macaws, depending on the region. They are very beautiful, colorful birds with social customs, some even have constant interaction with humans. Their habits are arboreal, so it is very common to see them flying and perched even in the vegetation of urban areas associated with abundant vegetation. In the image we can see the hyacinth macaw, characterized by its intense blue color.
Other arboreal animals
The aforementioned are not the only arboreal animals, since there are even more insects that live in tree trunks, such as the red spider. So, here is a list of other examples of animals that live in trees, either in their branches or inside them:
- Amazon Squirrel (Microsciurus flaviventer)
- Cape snake or boomslang (Dispholidus typus)
- Silky Anteater (Cyclopes didactylus)
- Northern Tree Lizard (Urosaurus ornatus)
- Mexican Porcupine (Sphiggurus mexicanus)
- Giant Woodpecker (Campephilus magellanicus)
- Common Iguana (Iguana iguana)
- Tree Swift (Hemiprocne comata)
- Howler Monkey (Alouatta palliata)
- Common chameleon (Chamaeleo chamaeleon)
- Lemurs (Lemuroidea)
- Koala (Pascolarctos cinereus)
- African tree spiders (subfamily Stromatopelminae)
- Mushroomtongue salamander (Bolitoglossa engelhardti)
- American Owl (Bubo virginianus)
- Flying lemurs (Cynocephalidae)
- Red Squirrel (Sciurus vulgaris)
- Blue-fronted Parrot (Amazona aestiva)
- Tree Snails (Achantinella)
- Mexican alligator lizard (Abronia graminea)
