Tropical Animals in Spanish (Free Spanish Lessons for Kids)

Los animales tropicales (tropical animals) are all the animal species that live in los tropicos (the tropics), which include territories close to the Equator. 

The tropics encompass the Amazon Rainforest and many other tropical rainforests and exists in South America, as well as parts of Asia and Africa. 

Read this fun tropical in Spanish lesson to learn about animals that live in the tropics all around the world!  

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Enjoy over 70 unique lessons + free activity packets to download.

Tropical Environments

Los ambientes tropicales (tropical environments) exist around the world, including: 

• rainforests – las selvas
• jungles – las junglas 
• forests – los bosques 

In the tropics, the weather is hot and humid, with lots of sun and rain throughout the year that allows tropical plants to grow and thrive! 

Most of these plants are colorful and unique with bright flowers. Some tropical plants produce fruits, like the banana tree. And all of them are important for animals and insects to survive.

Tropical environments all around the world are the habitat of more than 50% of the flora y fauna (plantlife and wildlife) on the planet. That means that they are the home to the majority of Earth’s animals, insects, birds, and fish! Some of them are endangered species, so their conservation is essential. 

Tropical Animals in Spanish

Let’s learn more about these diverse tropical rainforest animals and find out their names in Spanish! 

Tropical Mammals

Tropical rainforests and jungles are home to hundreds of mammals from tiny rodents to giant elephants! Tropical mammals tend to be nocturnal due to their hot and humid environment. 

Tropical Birds

Las aves tropicales (tropical birds) are amazingly colorful! They feed on small insects, plants, and fruits. 

Tropical Insects

For insects and bugs, the hot and wet climate that characterize tropical environments are perfect to grow and reproduce! 

Because there are so many plants in tropical forests and jungles, the soil is full of nutrients that the bugs and insects use to survive. They also eat plants and other microorganisms. 

Thousands of insects species live in the tropical forest. Here’s a list of the most common and their names in Spanish:

Explore more FREE SPANISH LESSONS FOR KIDS! ➡️
Enjoy over 70 unique lessons + free activity packets to download.

Tropical Marine Life 

Bodies of water, like rivers, creeks, swamps and lakes are in tropical environments. These bodies of water are full of marine creatures.

Tropical fish are colorful and beautiful. Some thrive in freshwater, while others live in the sea.  

Fish in tropical environments also help as food as other major predators, like large mammals and reptiles. 

Tropical Reptiles and Amphibians

Because of the warm weather, the rains, how humid it is and all the plants that live in a tropical forest, reptiles and amphibians thrive there! 

They tend to live in the tree canopy, on the branches, near the rivers and creeks, or inside caves.

Reptiles and amphibians eat fruits, plants, other small animals, and fish. 

Tropical Animals in Spanish: Games and Activities

There is so much information to learn about tropical rainforest and the names in Spanish of animals that live there! Check out these amazing resources to use in class to teach this amazing content.

Videos

This amazing TVE dubbed documentary is a resource for older kids. This tropical forest production is not too long, or too short, and has awesome shots of the rainforest and its animals. 

Another incredible documentary is this one by Lidefer Educación. It offers beautiful footage of the Amazon rainforest and lists many animals and facts about them in an entertaining and educational way. 

This video is for younger kids. It’s repetitive and teaches the correct pronunciation and spelling of several tropical animals. 

This Blippi video visits the Pacific Science Center to explore a variety of tropical animals and fun facts about them in Spanish.

Lesson Resources

• Download all the illustrations in this lesson to decorate your learning space 
• Download this memory game
• Download this worksheet to use with your kids when finishing your lessons
• This poster of an ABC so the kids can learn the names of tropical animals that start with letters from the A to the Z.
• Check out our free Nature Printables and Activities

See also: Desert Animals and Plants FREE Spanish Lesson 

Help Your Child Grow By Learning Spanish

Teaching kids about the biomes and habitats in Spanish is a wonderful way to show them the diversity of our planet! 

No parent intends for it to happen, but it’s all too easy to get stuck in a rut of choosing books, movies, and television programs that only feature people who look and talk like your family. Learning Spanish opens your child’s eyes to a world beyond their front door. It encourages conversations around diversity, culture, and respecting others. It also opens the door to a rich repository of Spanish music, film, and literature!

Currently, Spanish ranks among the top five most commonly spoken languages in the world and by knowing Spanish, your child will communicate more easily with those around them. Due to its popularity, there’s a strong chance your child will encounter people who speak the language at school, on the playground, and around the community. With even a basic understanding, they can start and carry on conversations that enrich their lives.

Sign your child up for a free trial class with one of our certified, native-speaking teachers at Homeschool Spanish Academy! Check out our programs and take a peek at our affordable prices. Why wait? Get started on your Spanish learning adventure now!

Join one of the 40,000 classes that we teach each month and you can experience results like these

“This is the best way for your kid to learn Spanish. It’s one-on-one, taught by native Spanish speakers, and uses a curriculum.”

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“It’s a great way to learn Spanish, from native Spanish speakers in a 1-on-1 environment. It’s been fairly easy to schedule classes around my daughter’s other classes. The best value for us has been ordering multiple classes at a time. All the instructors have been great!”

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“HSA offers very affordable, quality, one on one classes with a native speaker. My son has greatly benefited from taking classes. We have seen his confidence increase as well as his pronunciation improve, because he learns from a native Spanish speaker. HSA has quick, personal customer service. Our family has been very pleased with our experience so far!”

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Carmen Rizzo

Freelance Writer at Homeschool Spanish Academy

I’m a native Spanish speaker from Guatemala with a B.A. in Psychology. I have a passion for teaching Sunday school in my spare time and for learning and sharing valuable information. I'm a cat lover who gets excited over cartoons, anime, and video games. I dabble in digital illustration and animation. I'm inspired by sharing my culture, traditions, food, and beliefs with others, while learning about theirs in return.

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