Living things abound in the forest. From the smallest bacteria to the largest megafauna, many organisms make the temperate forest their home. These animals must be adapted to deal with the changing weather that comes in this habitat. Because the temperate forest is located between the polar and tropical zones, it experiences four distinct seasons. Precipitation is common in the form of both rain and snow depending on the time of year. The temperature changes throughout the year from cold in the winter to downright hot in the summer. These variations can make the temperate forest a challenging place to live.