The African forest elephant is found in the tropical forests of central and western Africa. Commonly known as the pygmy elephant, the African forest elephant is much smaller and more stocky than its savanna brothers, standing at 8 feet tall to the savanna elephant's 13 feet. In addition to the difference in size, forest elephants are also darker, have rounded ears and long, narrow faces, and travel in smaller family groups. African elephants are an endangered species due to poaching and logging. There are thought to be as few as 165,000 forest elephants in existence, according to BluePlanetBiomes.org.
Bengal tigers are found in the rainforests of Asia, as well as throughout India. The Bengal tiger is one of the five species that remains of the eight tiger species. The other three are now extinct. Bengal tigers are characterized by their orange fur, black stripe patterns and their white paws, snout and undersides. Like other tigers, the Bengal is a nocturnal carnivore that hunts monkeys, wild boar and other mammals. Bengal tigers are not pack animals, and prefer to live alone. Tiger cubs remain with their mothers for about two years. Bengals tigers, as well as the other four remaining species, are endangered animals that are at serious risk of going extinct. According to National Geographic, as few as 2,500 remain in the world.
The golden lion tamarin is a small primate found in the Amazon rainforest of South America. The golden lion tamarin is only about 8 inches tall, not including the tail, which can be up to another 13 inches in length. This small monkey is characterized by its golden-red mane, resembling that of a lion. Golden lions live primarily in trees in family groups and eat fruit, lizards and insects. According to National Geographic, golden tamarin lions are poached for their furs, which has placed them on the endangered species list.
