9 Fun Facts About Forest Animals

The forest is full of small, busy creatures, and once you know what they get up to, an ordinary walk under the trees turns into a real adventure. Here are nine fun facts about forest animals that children love. Every one of them is completely true and perfect for sparking curious questions on your next trip into the woods.

In our own family, forest walks have become a favorite weekend ritual. Our son can spend ages crouching next to a snail or waiting for a squirrel to dash up a tree trunk, and the questions never stop: where does it sleep, what does it eat, why is its tail so big? We soon noticed that a handful of good facts can turn an ordinary stroll into a treasure hunt, so we started collecting the ones that really make children's eyes light up. The nine animals below are the ones our son asks about again and again, and they work just as well in the garden or your local park as they do deep in the woods.

1. Squirrels help the forest grow

Squirrels bury nuts and seeds all over the forest to save them for the cold winter months, and they forget where they hid a lot of them. Those forgotten seeds quietly sprout into new plants and trees. So without even trying, a squirrel helps grow the very forest it lives in.

2. A hedgehog rolls into a prickly ball

When a hedgehog feels frightened, it curls up into a tight ball so that only its sharp spines show and its soft tummy stays hidden. In autumn it eats as much as it can, and then it sleeps right through the cold season in a long winter rest called hibernation.

3. A fox wears its tail like a scarf

A fox's fluffy tail is more than just beautiful. When the fox curls up to sleep, it wraps the thick tail around its body and over its nose like a cozy scarf to keep warm. That very same tail also helps the fox keep its balance when it runs and leaps.

4. Owls fly in total silence

Owls are the silent hunters of the night. The soft, comb-like edges of their feathers muffle the sound of their wings, so an owl can swoop down on a mouse without being heard at all. Their large eyes help them see even when there is very little light.

5. A frog catches food with a sticky tongue

A frog catches its dinner in the blink of an eye. It flicks out its long, sticky tongue, traps an insect, and pulls it straight back into its mouth. That happens quicker than you can clap your hands.

6. Bats "see" with sound

Bats are the only mammals that can truly fly. Many of them hunt in complete darkness using echolocation: they make high squeaks and listen to the echoes bouncing back, which tells them exactly where a tiny insect is buzzing.

7. Wild boars dig with their powerful snouts

A wild boar has an amazing sense of smell and uses its strong, flat snout to root around in the soil for tasty snacks like roots, nuts, and worms. Its babies, called piglets, are born with soft stripes along their backs that help them stay hidden among the leaves.

8. Woodpeckers build homes for other animals

A woodpecker drums its beak into tree trunks to search for insects and to carve out a snug nest hole. When the woodpecker moves on, that hole does not go to waste. Squirrels, owls, and other animals move straight in and make it their own home.

9. A snail carries its house everywhere

A snail takes its home with it wherever it goes. When the weather turns too hot and dry, or a hungry bird comes too close, it simply pulls its soft body inside its shell to stay safe and moist until the danger has passed.

Meet all 24 forest animals

These little creatures all come from our picture book We Are the Forest Animals, in which 24 woodland animals introduce themselves in their own words. Every page has a gentle watercolor illustration just like the ones above, so it is perfect for reading aloud, quiet time, and answering all those curious "why?" questions.

Inside the book, your child will meet the wild boar, squirrel, hedgehog, badger, fox, dung beetle, raccoon, earthworm, rabbit, ladybug, owl, frog, spider, lynx, woodpecker, ant, forest mouse, snail, deer, bat, weasel, wolf, hare and bear.

Take a closer look at the book

Which forest animal is your favorite, and which one does your child love most? Tell us in the comments!