The Challenges of Finding Wildlife in
Rain Forests
A rain forest— unlike, say, the open and sweeping
African savanna— typically does not provide easy
views of its abundant animal life. The very structural
complexity of the ecosystem itself (described in chapter
3), forces the naturalist to work harder to see its animal
inhabitants (plate 4- 1). Trails are often narrow, and
traversing them in a group often means that some
members, particularly those in the front of the line, get
a quick but satisfactory look at the agouti scampering
across the trail, while others miss it entirely. Of course,
group participation also has many advantages. There
are more eyes looking for animals, and often an expert
guide to help find them. But the reality remains that
the forest is usually sufficiently dense that getting
a clear view of a bird or mammal in a tree is often a
challenge, as so many branches are in between you and
the animal you seek to observe.
Many tour leaders are highly skilled not only at
finding wildlife but also at showing it to their group.
Wildlife spotting is a learned skill. While it is very
rewarding to be in the company of a competent guide,
you will also want to develop your own degree of
expertise in seeking and seeing animals in the forest.
Being alone or with only one or two others makes it
more likely that you will come upon an animal and not
immediately frighten it away. Groups typically make
quite a bit of noise as they move along a forest trail.
In searching for rain forest animals you should try to
adhere to the following guidelines:- First, move slowly and move quietly. Keep your body
motions minimal. - Take a few steps along a trail and then stop and look
around, beginning with the understory and working
your eyes up to the canopy. Be patient. - Look for movement and listen for sounds. Leaf
movement among the foliage suggests a bird or other
animal in motion. Listen for the soft crackle of leaves
on the forest floor. Secretive birds such as tinamous
and wood- quail as well as mammals such as agoutis
and coatis are often best located by the sounds they
make as they walk.
Chapter 4. Finding Animals in Rain Forest
Plate 4- 1. This Hoffmann’s Two- toed Sloth (Choloepus hoffmanni) is obscured by the very branches and leaves that are its arboreal
home, food, and habitat. It is a challenge to get unobstructed views of animals inside a rain forest. Photo by John Kricher.
58 finding animals in rain forest