This is the 3955th most frequent Russian word.
житель
Inhabitant; resident.
Here 'жители' refers to the inhabitants of a particular place—'город' (city)—indicating people who live there collectively.
Жители города собрались на центральной площади.
The residents of the city gathered at the central square.
In this sentence, 'жителями' refers to those who inhabit a forest naturally, emphasizing wildlife rather than human beings.
Эти леса богаты различными видами животных и птиц, которые являются его естественными жителями.
These forests are rich in various species of animals and birds, which are its natural inhabitants.
Here, 'житель деревни' specifically denotes a person who lives in a village, highlighting the connection to the locality.