80% of the world’s land animals live in the forest, but sadly, the world is losing the equivalent of 27 soccer fields of forests every single minute. That’s an alarming 18.7 million acres lost every year.
Planting trees benefits the world in many different ways and animals are one of the primary beneficiaries. Animals rely on trees for habitats, shelter, and food. That’s one of the many reasons why tentree plants 10 trees for each item purchased.
Inspired by all our forest-dwelling friends, we made a list of some of the cutest ones you can find hanging in the treetops.
Greater Glider
Like the more well-known Sugar Glider, the Greater Glider moves from tree to tree by “flying” through the air. They have a membrane attached to their front and back legs that allows them to glide from one branch to another. And, just look at those bushy tails and big ears! Like Koala Bears, they are marsupials that dine on eucalyptus leaves and live in Australia. While not yet on the endangered list, they are threatened due to loss of habitat.
Image sourced from Bored Panda
Tarsier
The Tarsier falls into the “so ugly it’s cute” category. It has big eyes because it’s a nocturnal animal and bat-like ears that help them move through the night and capture their favourite meal — insects. They are the only extant primate that is totally carnivorous and will also eat lizards, bats and small birds. They live in Southeast Asia.
Image sourced from Wikipedia
Koala Bear
Probably the most well-known and beloved animal on the list, the Koala Bear is just plain adorable! Their cute faces and chubby, fuzzy body makes them look so snuggly! Like the Tarsier, the Koala is from Australia and is not yet on the endangered list. They are considered a threatened species, however, due to loss of habitat.
Gibbon
Most people consider Gibbons to be monkeys, but they’re actually apes. They live in small family groups and mate for life. Gibbons can be found in the tropical and subtropical rainforests of Asia.
Tree Frog
Like their earth-dwelling cousins, tree frogs have smooth skin, long back legs and bugeyes. But, they are much, much smaller and sometimes very colorful, which just adds to the cuteness. Sadly, tree frogs, like all amphibians, are rapidly declining due to a deadly fungus called chytridiomycosis.
Brushtail possum
Just look at that fluffy body, big ears and pink nose. A marsupial hailing from Australia (again), these are the largest of all possums. Brushtail possums have adapted very well to city life and can often be found in suburban areas. Some may find them pesky for this reason, but they keep other, more troublesome, possums away.
Sourced from CNN
Sloth
These cuties always seem to have a smile on their faces! The way they slowly move through the trees in their leisurely manner makes them seem like the most zen animal in the world. Sloths live in the Amazon basin and move so slowly due to their low-calorie diet of leaves.
Silky Anteater
While it may look like an earthbound anteater, it’s actually much different. Also known as pygmy anteaters, the silky anteater has a prehensile tail that helps them keep a good grasp on trees. Their claws may look fierce, but they’re actually very harmless unless threatened. They use their claws for protection and tree climbing. These fluffy cuties make their home in Central and South America.
Image sourced from Flavia Miranda
