Biomes

Temperate Rainforest

Mild, very high rainfall
534 Animals
1/23 Page
Overview

Understanding This Category

A temperate rainforest is a forest biome of the mid-latitudes characterized by persistently high precipitation (rain and/or wet snowfall), frequent fog and cloud immersion, and cool-to-mild temperatures that support exceptionally high forest biomass. It typically occurs in coastal or maritime climates where oceanic moisture and topography maintain year-round humidity and long growing seasons.

Temperate rainforests are wet, green forests on cool coasts where ocean moisture, fog, and steady rain keep the land damp year-round. Mild temperatures let trees live for centuries, making some of the largest, oldest trees—many conifers and broadleaf species. Mosses, liverworts, ferns and epiphytes cover trunks and logs. Fallen trees become nurse logs that feed seedlings and invertebrates. Maritime climate and mountains bring constant moisture, making these biomes carbon-rich and full of life.

Key Characteristics

High annual precipitation with minimal seasonal drought; frequent fog/cloud immersion that boosts effective moisture
Cool-to-mild, ocean-moderated temperatures with relatively small annual temperature range
High standing biomass and carbon storage; presence of very large, long-lived trees (often conifers and/or broadleaf evergreen/deciduous species)
Lush, moisture-loving understory dominated by ferns, mosses, liverworts, and abundant epiphytes
Complex forest structure (multiple canopy layers, large snags, coarse woody debris) and strong fungal/decomposer networks; common nurse logs
Predominantly coastal or maritime distribution, often enhanced by orographic rainfall near mountains and fjords
Climate

Climate Conditions

Temperate rainforests grow in cool to mild ocean climates, often on coastal windward slopes where moist sea air rises and causes frequent rain, drizzle, and cloud or fog. The ocean keeps summers cool and winters mild, with small temperature swings. High rain and humidity keep soils wet, supporting dense mosses, ferns, epiphytes, and very large, long-lived trees.

Temperature

Typically ~10-20°C (18-36°F) difference between average coldest-month and warmest-month temperatures; smaller near the immediate coast, larger inland or at higher elevations.

Average High
Warm season: ~16-24°C (61-75°F); Cool season: ~6-12°C (43-54°F).
Average Low
Warm season: ~8-14°C (46-57°F); Cool season: ~0-6°C (32-43°F).
Extremes
Coastal lowlands commonly range from ~-10 to 35°C (14-95°F) on rare cold snaps/heat events; higher-elevation or more continental-edge temperate rainforests can see ~-20°C (-4°F) lows with heavy snow, while extreme heat above ~38°C (100°F) is uncommon but possible during unusual heatwaves.

Precipitation

Typically ~1,500-3,500 mm/year (60-140 in), with some windward coastal ranges reaching ~4,000-6,000+ mm/year (160-240+ in).

Pattern
Often strongly seasonal in many regions (wet autumn-winter, comparatively drier summer), but with frequent drizzle, fog drip, and light rain that can maintain canopy and understory moisture even during the drier period; in some locales precipitation is fairly year-round.
Humidity
High: commonly ~75-95% relative humidity, with frequent fog/low cloud; canopy interception and fog drip are important moisture inputs.
Seasonality

Season changes are driven more by storm paths and clouds than heat. Winters are long, cool, very wet with frequent storms; summers are cooler, often cloudy with morning fog and warm spells. This favors shade-tolerant, moisture-loving understory (mosses, liverworts, ferns), slow decay, thick organic layers, and high carbon storage. Windstorms and heavy snow open canopy gaps and cause patchy regrowth.

Growing Season

Growing season is long but cool: about 180–300+ days at low elevations, shortened to about 120–180 days at higher elevations or continental margins. Growth is limited by summer dry spells and by low light/temperature in dark, wet winters; many evergreen conifers can photosynthesize during mild winter periods.

Seasons

Seasonal Changes

Wet, Cool Winter

Late autumn through early spring (approx. Nov-Mar in many Northern Hemisphere temperate rainforests; shifted 6 months in the Southern Hemisphere)

Frequent frontal storms; very high rainfall; persistent cloud cover and fog; cool to mild temperatures with occasional low-elevation snow/ice and heavier snow at higher elevations; saturated soils and swollen streams.

Peak hydrologic input drives nutrient transport and woody debris movement in streams; high decomposition continues due to moisture (often slowed by cool temperatures); mosses, lichens, and epiphytes remain active and hydrated; increased landslide risk on steep slopes; salmonid spawning and egg incubation supported by high flows (but extreme floods can scour redds).

Many resident birds shift foraging to lower canopy/edge habitats during storms; mixed-species flocks exploit brief weather breaks. Amphibians (e.g., salamanders, frogs) are most surface-active during wet nights; breeding migrations to ponds/seeps increase where present. Large mammals concentrate in lower elevations/valleys to avoid deep snow; browse pressure on understory shrubs can rise locally. Stream and riparian food webs intensify: increased drift of invertebrates and detritus feeds fish; predators track river corridors. Some insects overwinter as larvae/pupae in moist litter/rotting wood; activity pulses during warmer rain events.

Cool, Moist Spring (Green-up)

Early to late spring (approx. Mar-May)

Rain remains frequent but storms weaken; temperatures rise gradually; fog common; soils stay wet; snowmelt at higher elevations increases streamflow.

Rapid understory growth (ferns, herbs, berry shrubs) as light increases and temperatures moderate; peak reproductive activity for many plants (bud burst, flowering in broadleaf components); strong pulse of litter-to-soil nutrient cycling; streams receive combined rain + snowmelt inputs, supporting migration windows for fish.

Breeding season begins for many songbirds; increased dawn chorus and nest-building as insect availability rises. Amphibian breeding peaks in wetlands/seeps; egg masses and larvae develop in cool, stable waters. Black bears and similar omnivores increase foraging on emerging vegetation and carrion; movement expands from winter refugia. Insect emergence increases (flies, moths, beetles), boosting food for bats and birds; predators time reproduction to this pulse. Ungulates (e.g., deer/elk where present) track new growth in openings and riparian zones; calving often occurs late spring when forage quality is highest.

Mild Summer (Relative Dry Season)

Early summer through early autumn (approx. Jun-Sep)

Compared to winter, precipitation declines markedly (though fog/drizzle can still be frequent); longer, brighter days; mild temperatures with occasional warm spells; coastal fog maintains high humidity; shallow soils can dry on ridges/south-facing slopes.

Net primary productivity remains high; fog drip can be a crucial water source sustaining epiphytes and understory during rainless stretches; streamflows drop and water temperatures rise slightly, concentrating aquatic organisms; wildfire risk can increase during prolonged dry spells (typically lower than in interior forests but not negligible).

Many animals shift activity to crepuscular/night periods during warmer spells; use of riparian areas increases as refuges. Juvenile birds fledge; family groups forage widely; some species begin post-breeding molt and become more secretive. Bats and insectivorous birds exploit peak insect biomass; canopy gaps and forest edges become feeding hotspots. Salmonids and other fish seek cold-water refugia (spring-fed tributaries, deep pools); predators (otters, bears, eagles) concentrate near productive reaches when runs occur (timing varies by region/species). Terrestrial mammals increase use of berry patches and mast resources as they ripen later in summer; fat accumulation begins ahead of winter.

Autumn Storm Onset (Wind-and-Rain Season)

Mid to late autumn (approx. Sep-Nov)

Rapid increase in storm frequency; strong winds; heavy rains return; temperatures cool; day length shortens quickly; first high-elevation snows.

Large input of leaf litter and needle fall fuels detrital food webs; windthrow creates canopy gaps that regenerate understory and promote coarse woody debris (key habitat for fungi, invertebrates, amphibians); streams re-connect floodplains, redistributing nutrients and sediments; timing often coincides with major salmon runs in many regions, importing marine-derived nutrients to forests via carcasses and predator scat.

Bears and other scavengers/predators intensify feeding on salmon (where present) and carrion; nutrient transfer to riparian zones increases. Many birds migrate or shift locally to milder coastal/lowland areas; raptors track migrating prey. Rodents cache seeds (where broadleaf/mast-producing species occur) and increase use of downed wood as cover. Amphibians increase surface activity with the return of rains, dispersing into forest floor habitats. Invertebrate and fungal activity surges with wet litter; mycophagy (fungus-eating) by small mammals can increase, aiding spore dispersal.

Day Length: Moderate to high day-length variation depending on latitude: roughly ~8-9 hours in midwinter to ~15-16+ hours in midsummer at many temperate-rainforest latitudes (higher at more poleward coasts). Longer summer photoperiod supports extended photosynthetic periods and growth when temperatures are mild, while shortening days in autumn cue migration, breeding cessation, molting, and fat storage. In winter, short days plus cloud cover reduce light in the understory; evergreen canopies and low sun angle make canopy gaps and riparian openings especially important for light-demanding understory growth and early-spring phenology.

Where Found

Global Distribution

Temperate rainforests occur in cool-to-mild, very wet maritime climates-most often on west coasts in the mid-latitudes where moist ocean air, frequent fog, and orographic uplift create high precipitation and long growing seasons. They are globally rare and highly fragmented, concentrated in a few coastal belts and some humid montane/insular refugia.

~0.3% of Earth's surface (approximate) of Earth's Surface
~1.5 million km² (approximate global total) Total Area

Notable Locations

Tongass National Forest (Alaska, USA) Great Bear Rainforest (British Columbia, Canada) Olympic National Park / Hoh Rain Forest (Washington, USA) Redwood National and State Parks (California, USA) Valdivian Rainforest (Chile) Alerce Costero National Park & Fitzroya forests (Chile) Chiloé Island (Chile) Tierra del Fuego & Magellanic forests (Chile/Argentina) Fiordland National Park (New Zealand) Westland National Park (New Zealand) Tarkine temperate rainforest (Tasmania, Australia) Daintree-adjacent higher-elevation wet tropics are not temperate; but Tasmania's and Victoria's cool-wet forests are key Australian temperate rainforest examples Yakushima Island (Japan) Shirakami-Sanchi (Japan) Colchic forests (Georgia/Turkey, Black Sea coast) Hyrcanian forests (Iran, southern Caspian) Killarney National Park oakwoods (Ireland) Western Scotland Atlantic oakwoods (UK) Coastal rainforests of western Norway (Norway) Garajonay National Park laurel forest (Canary Islands, Spain) Madeira laurel forest (Portugal)
Conservation

Conservation Status

Globally threatened and increasingly fragmented; many remaining areas are secondary forest, while old-growth temperate rainforest is scarce and declining despite strong protection in a few regions (e.g., parts of coastal North America, New Zealand, Tasmania, and southern Chile).

Declining Trend
Ongoing net loss and degradation; globally on the order of ~0.2-0.5% per year in remaining native extent in heavily managed/converted regions (with higher regional rates where conversion to plantations/agriculture continues). Loss Rate

Primary Threats

Logging Habitat Loss Climate Change Infrastructure Natural System Modification Agricultural Expansion Pollution Invasive Species Disease Overfishing Human Disturbance Mining

Protection Efforts

  • Expansion of protected areas and Indigenous/community-conserved areas; stronger recognition of Indigenous land rights and co-management in several regions.
  • Old-growth logging moratoria or restrictions in select jurisdictions; improved forest practices (riparian buffers, reduced-impact logging where allowed).
  • Landscape-scale conservation planning emphasizing connectivity, watershed integrity, and large-tree/old-growth retention.
  • Restoration of degraded watersheds: road decommissioning, slope stabilization, riparian reforestation, and invasive species control.
  • Market mechanisms and policy tools: certification schemes, deforestation-free procurement, and carbon/forest-climate incentives (where robustly implemented).
  • Species-focused recovery programs (e.g., threatened forest-dependent birds, amphibians, and salmonid habitat restoration in connected catchments).
Fun Facts

Did You Know?

They can be cool, cloudy, and still incredibly lush: you don't need tropical heat to build a rainforest-steady moisture and mild temperatures can be enough.

Fog can be as important as rain. Many temperate rainforests effectively "harvest" water from low clouds, and that fog moisture can keep ecosystems hydrated through drier seasons.

Big trees can create their own habitats in the air: thick mats of mosses and epiphytes can form "canopy soil" that holds water and nutrients high above the ground.

The forest floor can be greener than the canopy. In many temperate rainforests, shade-tolerant ferns, mosses, and shrubs dominate the understory because the overstory blocks much of the light.

Fallen giants aren't "waste"-they're infrastructure. Rotting logs become nurse logs that germinate seedlings, store water like sponges, and act as slow-release nutrient banks.

Salmon runs (where present) can fertilize the forest: marine nutrients carried inland by fish and wildlife can measurably boost tree growth near streams.

Some dominant trees are built for wet air: species like coast redwood can take up water through foliage, not just through roots.

Despite abundant rain, these forests can still experience drought stress during warmer periods-because what matters is the balance between moisture inputs and evaporative demand.

A single old-growth conifer in a temperate rainforest can rival the height of a 30-35 story building, turning "forest" into something closer to a living skyline.

In very wet temperate rainforests, annual precipitation can reach several meters-think multiple full bathtubs of water falling on every square meter of ground each year.

Moss and decaying wood act like giant natural sponges: some downed logs can hold enough water that squeezing a handful of rotten wood can feel like wringing out a wet towel.

The amount of living material per unit area in old-growth temperate rainforest can be comparable to-or exceed-many tropical forests, even though temperatures are much cooler.

A large nurse log can function like an elevated garden bed stretching for many meters, hosting lines of seedlings along its length like a natural "planter box."

Some temperate rainforests rank among the highest-biomass forests on Earth-cool weather, long growing seasons, and constant moisture let them pack an extraordinary amount of living matter into each hectare.

Old-growth temperate rainforests can be among the most carbon-dense forests on the planet, storing huge carbon stocks both in massive trunks and in deep, wet, slow-decaying soils.

Temperate rainforest trees can be extreme in size: coast redwoods and Sitka spruce are among the largest conifers by height and/or trunk volume in their regions.

Because disturbances can be relatively infrequent in wet coastal climates, individual trees and entire stands can persist for many centuries, creating multi-layered "cathedral" forests with very complex structure.

Some temperate rainforests (e.g., parts of the Pacific Northwest, southern Chile, and New Zealand's West Coast) are among the most productive forest ecosystems at similar latitudes anywhere in the world.

Temperate Rainforest Animals

Showing 1-24 of 534

All Animals A-Z

A

B

C

D

E

F

G

H

I

J

K

L

M

N

O

P

Q

R

S

T

U

V

W

Y