What animals live in tropical forests. Strange and rare animals (61 photos). Pictured is a fire salamander

AT tropical zone live large representatives of the cat family. The most common of them are leopards and tigers. The tiger is considered the most dangerous predator in the tropics. He is fast and ruthless. Monkeys, gazelles, and even zebras become its prey. However, despite this, tigers are afraid of people and attack them only in the rarest cases.

Leopards of the tropics are divided into several species, but all of them have characteristic spots on the skin. By the way, the famous black, a symbol of grace and beauty, is also a leopard, but with black spots on the background. Also interesting is the smoky leopard. He climbs trees no worse domestic cat, jumping from branch to branch and terrifying the monkeys.

Tigers are found not only in the tropics, but also in the mountains and in the northern regions.

Such different rainforest monkeys

The funny ones that children like so much are not only mischievous and macaques. In the tropics, there are dozens of species of these animals, very tiny and huge. The smallest one is . Its dimensions are 11-15 cm. The animal looks like a cute fluffy toy and easily fits in the palm of your hand. Marmosets live in trees and feed on tree sap and insects.

The largest is the gorilla. Males reach the height of an average person - 1.75 m, and their weight often exceeds 200 kg. Gorillas live on the ground and feed on insects and shoots of green plants.

According to scientists, gorillas are the closest relatives of humans.

Pachyderms of the tropics

The hippopotamus is least of all similar to a slender horse, but meanwhile its name is translated as "river horse". Hippos spend most of the day in a tropical swamp, and even their births take place right in the water. Despite their heaviness and seeming melancholy, hippos are very ferocious if they or their cubs are in danger.

Another typical tropical animal is. These animals are among the most dangerous - an angry rhinoceros runs at a speed of 40 km / h, and its sharp horn is able to pierce the thickest skin. The only thing that saves the victim from the fury of the rhinoceros is the pachyderm's poor eyesight. Rhinos usually navigate by smell.

The only animals that do not care about rhino rage are. One of the most large mammals live, which are usually headed by the oldest female. Elephants are one of the most intelligent animals - they are able to distinguish notes, have their own language and recognize themselves in the mirror.

Tip 2: What are wet animals equatorial forests

Moist equatorial forests of Africa, South America India is extremely rich and diverse in its flora and fauna. The animal world includes the inhabitants of several tiers - high-rise floors of the forest.

Gilea - humid equatorial forest

Evergreen forests are located along the equator in narrow bands. Here, multi-tiered trees stand as solid walls, under the crowns of which eternal twilight and stupefying humidity reign. The temperature in such forests is constantly extremely high, while the seasons do not change at all. At any moment, a solid wall of heavy rain can collapse. That is why such jungles are also called permanent rain. Alexander Humboldt gave them the name "Gilea" - from the Greek "forest".

Some travelers of the past, having visited such a forest, called it "green hell".

Each of the species of plants and animals found in the hylaea has its own "floor", a place of permanent residence. There can be up to five "floors" in the forest.

Animal world

lower tier- the least densely populated floor of the equatorial forest. There are insects, various rodents, predators (including, for example, panthers, jaguars, leopards and other wild cats), as well as wild and small ungulates. In India, they live here - they are smaller than African ones and are quite capable of moving under the low cover of trees.

By the way, just such a forest was described by Rudyard Kipling in the book "Mowgli". A boy raised by wolves grew up in a hylaea.

Water snakes, crocodiles and hippos live in various and numerous reservoirs - lakes and rivers.

By the way, some rodents also live on higher tiers - they have special membranes between their limbs that allow them to plan between trees.

A variety of birds live on all tiers of the equatorial forest, ranging from tiny bright sunbirds to hornbills and huge turacos. Another feathered inhabitant of the equatorial forest is also very beautiful - a toucan with its bright yellow neck and a red stripe on its beak. Do not lag behind in exoticism and birds of paradise with long colored tails and crests.

Most of all in rainforests of all kinds. True, some (usually unusual!) of them are on the verge of extinction - mainly due to the activities of poachers.

In the crowns of trees live and: chimpanzees, gorillas, macaques, gibbons. They usually nest in flocks.

AT equatorial forests also live a variety of snakes. Among them are huge, boas that can weigh up to 100 kilograms. Among them there are both viviparous and oviparous species.

Along the equator are countries with the warmest climates on Earth. These are Equatorial Guinea, Gabon, Congo, Democratic Republic of the Congo, Uganda, Kenya, Somalia, Maldives, Indonesia, Kiribati, Ecuador, Colombia and Brazil.

Ecuador - the pearl of the equator

In Spanish, "Ecuador" means the equator. This South American state is located on a small segment of the prime meridian. Despite its not too impressive size, the state is multinational, cultures and customs of many nationalities are closely intertwined in it.

The main treasure of Ecuador is its flora and fauna. 4.5 thousand different species of butterflies, about 1600 species of birds, 350 species of reptiles, at least 260 species, 350 species of amphibians were found permanently here. Ecuador has a well-developed tourism, oil and gas industry, export of coffee, cocoa, wood, bananas, shrimps, tuna, flowers.

natural conditions

The climate in Ecuador is largely determined by the Andes. southern part Cold waters wash the coast Pacific Current Humboldt. Almost all types of climate are present in the country - from hot and humid to harsh and cold. In the middle part of the mountains annual temperature keeps within 20-23 degrees. Plus 25-30 degrees is the average temperature of the coast.

Flora of Ecuador

In no other country in South America is there such a variety of plant communities as in Ecuador. The Andes, from Pasado Point to the area below the Equator, is covered by a dense rainforest. Further rain forests give way to the territory of xerophytic shrubs, turning into desert areas. Sparse thorny trees are interspersed with xerophytic, crotons and cacti.

The most famous tree is palo de balsa, found both in the valley of the Guayas River and in northern Peru. The tree is valued for being known throughout the world's lightest wood from which ships are built. In these areas, there is a plant similar to a palm tree, palmate karludovika, from the fibers of the leaves of which the "Panama hats" known to almost everyone are made. The high Andes are covered with grassy vegetation, over which the espeletia rise. This plant reaches a height of 1.5 - 6, the leaves are spear-shaped, blooms in clusters. The local flora has largely been replaced by cultivated plants. A zone opens behind the eastern Condillera rainforest.

Fauna of Ecuador

The jungles of Ecuador are home to a huge number of rare animals and birds. Hummingbirds are one of the most interesting species. In paramos, spectacled bears, mountain bears, small reindeer pud. The owners of the jungle can be called wild, who spend most of their existence in dense shrubs and marshy reed beds. Aggressive small leopards, monkeys, toucans, parrots, caimans, kuchuchi live here.

The rarest animals can be seen on Galapagos Islands, similar to a closed little world that has avoided the rapid processes of evolution. Here are preserved rare individuals animals long gone from other parts of the world. These are ground finches, marine and terrestrial iguana. The islands are home to giant terrestrial turtles, which are still found only in the Indian Ocean in the Mascarene Islands.

In the waters surrounding the Galapagos, there are many dolphins and whales, marine pinnipeds, the rarest Galapagos marine. The existence of penguins here is a complete paradox - along with iguanas and birds, they form an amazing sight.

amphibians, rodents and birds. There are also large predators here - (in Africa), jaguars (in South America), as well as hippos and crocodiles. Rivers and lakes are inhabited by about a third of the freshwater fauna of the entire planet.

Four levels in the equatorial forest and their fauna

Tropical forests are divided into four main levels, each of them has its own characteristics, as well as its own characteristic fauna. The uppermost level, which consists of a small number of very tall trees, is home to bats, eagles, and some. There are several hundred species in the Congo and Amazon valleys. bats.

The crown level is located at 30-45 meters from the ground, it is the densest and is known for its biodiversity. Crown level fauna is similar to that found on the topmost level, but more varied. The middle level is called the sub-ceiling, many birds live here, as well as lizards and snakes. The lower tier is a habitat for rodents and insects.

The most interesting animals of the equatorial forests

The jaguar is one of the largest representatives of the cat family, it lives in North and South America. The jaguar goes hunting at dusk, monkeys, ungulates, birds and even turtles become its prey. The powerful jaws of this animal are able to easily bite through their shell. Sometimes it attacks alligators, it is an excellent swimmer and can miss prey only in very rare cases.

Some species of monkeys live in forest crowns at a height of about 50 m above the ground. The equatorial forests are densely populated by marmosets, gorillas, narrow-nosed monkeys and gibbons. Gorillas are the largest representatives of this class, their height reaches 1 m 50 cm, and their weight can exceed 250 kg. Predators are afraid to attack them, because adult gorillas have great strength.

In gibbons, the length of the forelimbs exceeds the length of the hind ones; they are perfectly adapted to move in the crowns of trees by brachiation. Swinging on their hands, gibbons quickly move from one branch to another. They move on two legs, and Long hands lifted up to maintain balance.

- one of the most unique natural areas, which have rich fauna and flora and have not been fully explored by scientists. The fauna of the equatorial forests is incredibly diverse; more than 2/3 of all species of animals, birds and insects of our planet live in its various tiers.

The lower tier has become a habitat for rodents and insects. Here is the richest fauna of butterflies and beetles in the world. Under the cover of the forest, you can meet the goliath beetle - one of the heaviest beetles on earth. Anteaters, armadillos and sloths, chameleons, spider monkeys, tenacious porcupines, bats (the Congo and Amazon valley has several hundred species), llamas, various orders of birds and birds, as well as reptiles and amphibians are widely found in the fauna of tropical rainforests. Among amphibians there are tree frogs living on trees and laying their eggs in rainwater, which accumulates in the leaves. The largest snakes in the world are found in the ground tiers, eating rodents, birds, amphibians. Large predators also live in humid equatorial forests: jaguars (in South America), leopards (in Africa), crocodiles, hippos. Rivers and lakes contain about 2 thousand fish (about 1/3 of the entire freshwater fauna of the planet).

Consider some of the animals of tropical rainforests in more detail:

Birds

Tropical forests are inhabited huge variety birds, both small and large.
Nectar birds are small birds (from 8 cm in length) with bright and colorful plumage, feeding on the nectar of flowers and contributing to their pollination.

Toucan is a representative of the bird family with a huge, brightly colored yellow beak, almost equal to the length his torso. Is the object of hunting local residents due to tasty meat and an orange skin used as a decoration.

Parrots and birds of paradise are among the most densely inhabited rainforest birds with long tail feathers and multicolored crests.

Third largest in the world predatory mammal and one of the largest representatives of the cat family, living in North and South America. Goes hunting at dusk. Its prey are ungulates, birds, monkeys, and also turtles. Jaguar jaws can easily bite through the shell. It swims excellently and in rare cases is able to miss the victim, sometimes it can attack sleeping alligators.

Monkey

The rainforests are densely populated by gibbons, gorillas, marmosets and narrow-nosed monkeys. They live in forest crowns at a height of 50 m above the ground.

Gorillas are the largest of the representatives of this class. Their growth reaches more than 1.5 m, and weight - up to 260 kg. Predators are afraid to attack them, because adults are very strong.

Gibbons - distinctive feature is the length of their forelimbs, exceeding the rear. They are well adapted to life in the crowns and foliage of trees and move in a unique way in the animal world by brachiation, swinging from branch to branch with their forelimbs.

The leopard is a large feline, excellent at climbing trunks and branches. It attacks monkeys, small ungulates and is able to drag prey much larger than its own body in weight.

Anaconda is one of the largest boas on earth, its body reaches a length of up to 10 m. The large size of the anaconda allows it to hunt even animals and small mammals, sometimes crocodiles and people. Unlike other snakes, it can stay under water for a long time. Attacking the victim, he uses a suffocating technique, then gradually swallows it with a huge mouth. Lives up to 50 years and lives in the Amazon forests in South America.

Movie. BBC: Planet Earth. Jungle. / BBC: Planet Earth. Jungles.

The rainforest is very rich in animals. in the Amazon and Orinoco There are many different kinds of monkeys. In their structure, they differ from the Old World monkeys living in Africa and India. Old world monkeys are called narrow-nosed, American monkeys are called broad-nosed. A long tenacious tail helps the monkeys deftly climb trees. The spider monkey has a particularly long and tenacious tail. Another monkey, the howler monkey, wraps its tail around the bough, holding it like a hand. Howler was named for its powerful, obnoxious voice.

The strongest predator tropical forests - jaguar. This is a large yellow cat with black spots on the skin. She is Good climbs trees.

The other big cat in America is the cougar. It is common in North America to Canada, in South America it is found in the steppes to Patagonia. The cougar is colored yellowish gray and somewhat resembles a lion (without a mane); this is probably why it is called the American lion.

Near the reservoirs in the thicket of the forest you can meet an animal that resembles a little horse and even more - a rhinoceros. The animal reaches 2 m in length. His muzzle is elongated, as if elongated in trunk. This is an American tapir. He, like a pig, loves to wallow in puddles.

On the lakes in the reed beds on the plains of Patagonia and nutria lives on the mountain slopes of the Andes - swamp beaver, or coipu, - large rodent the size of our river beaver. The life of a nutria is connected with water. Nutria feeds on succulent roots aquatic plants, arranges nests from reeds and reeds. The animal gives valuable moss. The nutria was transported to the Soviet Union and released in the swampy thickets of Transcaucasia. They have acclimatized and breed well. However, they suffer greatly during the cold winters that occur in Azerbaijan and Armenia, when the lakes freeze.

Unadapted to life in freezing reservoirs, nutria, diving under the ice, do not find a way out. At the same time, their habitats become accessible to jungle cats and jackals, which pass through the ice to nests of nutrias.

Armadillos, sloths and anteaters live in the forests of South America.

Body armadillo is covered with a shell, a bit reminiscent shield . The shell consists of two layers: inside it is bony, outside - horny - and is divided into belts, movably connected to each other.: Guiana and Brazil lives giant armadillo. The largest of the armadillos reach one and a half meters in length. Armadillos live in deep burrows and come out to prey only at night. They feed on termites, ants and various small animals.

Sloths have a monkey-like face. The long limbs of these animals are armed with large sickle-shaped claws. They got their name for slowness and sluggishness. The dull greenish-gray protective coloration of the sloth reliably hides it from the eyes of the enemy in the branches of trees. The color of the sloth is given by green algae that live in its rough and shaggy wool. This is one of the great examples of the cohabitation of animal and plant organisms.

AT In the forests of South America, several species of anteaters are found - The average anteater, tamandua, with a tenacious tail, is very interesting. He is great at running up sloping trunks and climbing trees, looking for ants and other insects.

Marsupials in the forests of Brazil are eared and water opossums. The water opossum, or swimmer, lives near rivers and lakes. It differs from the eared one in color and swimming membranes on the hind legs.

There are many different types of bats in South America. Among them are blood-sucking leaf-beetles that attack horses and mules, and vampires.

Despite their sinister name, vampires eat exclusively by insects and fruits of plants.

Of the birds of great interest is the hoatzin. This is a motley colored, rather large bird with a large crest on its head. The nest of the hoatzin is placed above the water, in the branches of trees or thickets of shrubs. Chicks are not afraid to fall into the water: they swim and dive well. Hoatzin chicks have long claws on the first and second fingers of the wing,; helping them climb branches and branches. It is curious that the adult hoatzin loses the ability to quickly move through the trees.

Studying the structure and lifestyle of hoatzin chicks, scientists came to the conclusion that the ancestors of birds also climbed trees. After all, the fossil first bird (Archaeopteryx) were long fingers with claws on the wings.

There are over 160 species of parrots in the rainforests of South America. The most famous are green Amazonian parrots. They are learn to speak well.

Only in one country - in America - live the smallest birds - hummingbirds. These are unusually bright and beautifully colored fast-flying pawns, some of them the size of a bumblebee. There are over 450 species of hummingbirds. They, like insects, hover around flowers, sucking flower juice with a thin beak and tongue. In addition, hummingbirds also feed on small insects.

Many tropical forests various snakes! and lizards. Among them are boas, or boa, anaconda, reaching I m in length, bushmaster - 4 l I in length. Due to the protective coloration of the skin, many snakes are hardly noticeable among the forest greenery.

There are especially many lizards in the tropical rainforest. Big broad-toed geckos are sitting on the trees. Among other species of lizards, the most interesting is the iguana, living and | in trees and on the ground. This lizard has a very beautiful emerald green color. She eats plant foods.

Lives in the forests of Brazil and Guiana big frog- Surinamese pipa. It is interesting in a special way of reproduction. delayed female the eggs are distributed by the male on the back of the female. Each egg falls into a separate cell. In the future, the skin grows, and the cells close. The frogs develop on the back of the female; when they grow up they come out from cells. Nutrients, necessary for frogs during development, are transferred from the mother's body by blood vessels branching in the walls of skin cells.

In the rivers of tropical America there is a large fish - an electric eel, which has special electrical organs. With electric shocks, the eel stuns its prey and scares away its enemies.

In many rivers of South America lives an unusually predatory fish - piranha, 30 cm long. In her strong jaws sit sharp, knives, teeth. If you lower a piece of meat into the river, piranhas immediately appear from the depths and instantly tear it apart. Piranhas feed on fish, attack ducks and domestic animals that inadvertently entered the river. Even such large animals as tapirs suffer from piranha. Fish damage lips drinking water animals. Piranhas are also dangerous to humans.

AT tropical the forests are diverse world of insects. Very large diurnal butterflies are numerous. They are very beautiful and richly colored, varied in shape and size. In Brazil, there are over 700 species of diurnal butterflies, while in Europe there are no more than 150 species.

Ants are very numerous. Penetrating into human dwellings, they eat his reserves and thereby cause significant harm. Umbelliferae ants live in underground galleries. They feed their larvae with mushroom mold, which is grown on finely chopped foliage. Ants bring pieces of leaves to the anthill, moving along strictly constant paths.

There are many spiders in the tropical belt of South America. Among them, the largest is the tarantula. Its size is more than 5 cm. Lizards, frogs, insects serve as food for it; apparently, it also attacks small birds. The same large earthen spiders are found in New Guinea and Java.

In the tropical forests of Africa live elephants, various monkeys, okapi - an animal related to the giraffe; in the rivers - hippos and crocodiles. The great apes are of the greatest interest. gorillas and chimpanzees. The gorilla is a very large monkey, the growth of males reaches 2 m, weight - 200 kg. They live in the most deaf, inaccessible parts of the tropical the woods and in the mountains. Gorillas make their lair in trees or on the land in dense thickets. Gorillas have been heavily exterminated by humans and are now preserved only in two areas of the tropical forests of Africa - south of Cameroon before R. Congo and in the country of lakes Victoria and Tanganyika.

Chimpanzees are smaller than gorillas. An adult male is not higher than 1.5 m. They live in families, but sometimes they gather in small herds. Coming down from the trees, chimpanzees walk on the ground, leaning on the hands clenched into fists.

There are many species of monkeys in the tropical forests of Africa. The fur of these long-tailed little monkeys is greenish in color. Of interest are fingerless monkeys (colobus), which lack thumb on hands. The most beautiful of these monkeys is the Gverets. She lives in Ethiopia and in the forests west of this countries. Macaques, related to African monkeys, live in tropical Asia.

Dog-headed monkeys - baboons - are very characteristic of the African continent. They live in the mountains of Africa.

The fauna of Madagascar has some peculiarities. So, for example, lemurs live on this island. Their body is covered with thick fur. Some have fluffy tails. Lemurs' faces quicker bestial than simian; hence they are called semi-monkeys.

There are many different species in the African rainforests. parrots. The most famous gray parrot is a gray parrot, which imitates the human voice very well.

Places in large quantities preserved crocodiles. They are especially fond of rivers, the banks of which are overgrown with dense tropical forest. The Nile crocodile reaches 7 m in length.

In the forests of Africa live large, up to 6 liters in length, boas - pythons.

Among the fish attracts attention lungfish protopterus inhabiting muddy lakes and swamps. These fish, in addition to gills, have lungs that they breathe during a drought. AT South America lives lungfish lepidosiren, and in Australia - ceratodes.

In the humid dense forests of the islands of Sumatra and Borneo (Kalimantan), the orangutan ape lives. This is a large monkey, covered with coarse red hair. Adult males grow large beards.

close to great apes the gibbon is smaller than the orangutan, its body length is 1 m. The gibbon is distinguished by long limbs; with their help, swinging on the branches, he very easily jumps from tree to tree. Gibbons live on the island of Sumatra, on Malacca Peninsula and in the mountain forests of Burma.

In the forests of the Greater Sunda Islands - Sumatra and Borneo - and in Eastern India, a variety of macaques live. Lives on the island of Borneo

nosed a monkey. Her nose is long, almost proboscis-shaped. In older animals, especially in males, the nose is much longer than in young monkeys.

In the forests of India and the nearest big islands often found Indian elephant. Since ancient times, it has been tamed by man and used in various jobs.

The common Indian rhinoceros is well known - the most large single rhinoceros.

A relative of American tapirs lives in Asia - black-backed tapir. It reaches 2 m in height. Back he is light, and other parts of the body are covered with short black hair.

Among the predators of southern Asia, the most famous Bengal tiger. Most tigers survived in India, Indochina, on the islands of Sumatra and Java.

The tiger is a twilight animal; he hunts for large ungulates. A tiger, in case of injury by an unsuccessful shot of a hunter, illness or old age, or in general, for any reason, has lost the ability to hunt ungulates that make up its main food, attacks people, becomes a "cannibal" Raquo;.

We have tigers in Transcaucasia, Central Asia, Primorye and in the south of the Ussuri Territory.

The leopard is distributed in southern Asia, in the forests of the Greater Sunda Islands and in Japan. It is found in the Caucasus, in the mountains of Central Asia and in Primorye. We call him a bar. Leopard attacks domestic animals; he is cunning, bold, and dangerous to humans. On the Greater Sunda Islands, black leopards are often found; they are called black panthers.

South Asia is home to the sloth bear and the Malay bear, the biruang. Gubach- a large, heavy beast, armed with long claws, allowing it to climb trees well. The color of his fur is black, on the chest there is a large White spot. Its large lips are mobile, they can be pulled out with a tube, and with a long tongue from the cracks of insect trees. Gubach lives in tropical forests on the peninsula of Hindustan and on the island of Ceylon. It feeds on plants, fruits, berries, insects, bird eggs and small animals.

The Malayan bear has short, black fur. It spends most of its life in trees, feeding on fruits and insects.

There are many birds in tropical Asia. One of the most beautiful is considered a peacock living in the wild in Java, Ceylon and Indochina.

In the forests of the Sunda Islands, in Ceylon and in India, Bapkiv or bush chickens live & mdash; wild ancestors of domestic chickens, many species of pheasants and other chickens.

The waters of South Asia are inhabited by long-snouted gharial crocodiles. They live in r. Ganges.

On the peninsula Malacca there is a snake reticulated python, reaching 10 m length.

In the forests of India there are many poisonous snakes, from the bites of which a large number of people suffer every year. The most dangerous cobra, or spectacled snake. She got her name from the spots on the back of her head that look like glasses.

The tropics are inhabited by many amphibians, or amphibians. Among them is the Javan flying frog. Strongly developed webs between the toes of the front and hind paws allow it to jump from one tree to another when planning.

Having become acquainted with the distribution of animals on the globe, it is easy to see that similar animals live on different continents under similar living conditions. Some species have adapted to life in the tundra, others in the steppes and deserts, and others in the mountains and forests. Each continent has its own animal world- species of animals that live only on a given continent. Especially in this regard, the animal world of Australia is peculiar, which we will consider below.

Studying the past of the Earth from the fossil remains of animals that once inhabited the continents and islands, scientists came to the conclusion that the composition of the fauna, that is, the animal world, has continuously changed in all geological epochs. Connections arose between the continents; so, for example, between Asia and North America there was a connection. Animals that inhabited Asia may have entered the Americas; therefore, in the fauna of America and Asia, we still see a lot of similarities at the present time. Geological history helps to clarify some features in the distribution of animals. on continents. So, leftovers marsupials are found in the ancient layers of the land of Europe and America. Nowadays, these marsupials live only in Australia and only a few species live in America. Consequently, earlier marsupials on the globe were much more widespread. This confirms the opinion of geologists about the connection that existed between these continents.

Having studied the composition of the animal world of individual continents and islands, scientists divided the globe into areas characterized by animal species that are found only in this area.

The main areas are as follows: Australian, Neotropical (South and Central America), Ethiopian (Africa), Eastern or Indo-Malayan, Holarctic (Northern Asia, Europe and North America).

In this post there will be scary, nasty, cute, kind, beautiful, incomprehensible animals.
Plus a short comment about each. They all really exist.
Watch and be amazed

SCHELEZUB- a mammal from the order of insectivores, divided into two main species: the Cuban flint tooth and the Haitian. Relatively large, relative to other types of insectivores, the beast: its length is 32 centimeters, and the tail, on average, 25 cm, the weight of the animal is about 1 kilogram, the physique is dense.


MANED WOLF. Lives in South America. The long legs of the wolf are the result of evolution in matters of adaptation to the habitat, they help the animal overcome obstacles in the form tall grass growing on the plains.


AFRICAN CIVETA- the only representative of the same genus. These animals live in Africa in open spaces with high grass from Senegal to Somalia, southern Namibia and eastern regions. South Africa. The dimensions of the animal can visually increase quite strongly when the civet raises its hair when excited. And her fur is thick and long, especially on the back closer to the tail. The paws, muzzle and end of the tail are absolutely black, most of the body is spotty-striped.


MUSKRAT. The animal is quite famous, thanks to its sonorous name. It's just a good photo.


PROEKHIDNA. This miracle of nature usually weighs up to 10 kg, although larger specimens have also been noted. By the way, the length of the body of the prochidna reaches 77 cm, and this is not counting their cute five to seven centimeter tail. Any description of this animal is based on comparison with the echidna: the paws of the echidna are higher, the claws are more powerful. Another feature of the appearance of the prochidna is the spurs on the hind legs of males and the five-fingered hind limbs and the three-fingered forelimbs.


CAPIBARA. Semi-aquatic mammal, the largest of modern rodents. It is the only representative of the capybara family (Hydrochoeridae). There is a dwarf variety of Hydrochoerus isthmius, sometimes considered as a separate species (capybara).


SEA CUCUMBER. Holothuria. sea ​​pods, sea ​​cucumbers(Holothuroidea), a class of invertebrates of the echinoderm type. Species eaten are common name"trepang".


PANGOLIN. This post just couldn't do without it.


HELL VAMPIRE. Mollusk. Despite its obvious similarity with the octopus and squid, scientists have identified this mollusk in a separate order Vampyromorphida (Latin), because as soon as it has retractable sensitive bee-shaped filaments.


AARDVARK. In Africa, these mammals are called aardvark, which means "earth pig" in Russian. In fact, the aardvark in appearance very much resembles a pig, only with an elongated muzzle. The ears of this amazing animal are very similar in structure to those of a hare. There is also a muscular tail, which is very similar to the tail of such an animal as a kangaroo.

JAPANESE GIANT SALAMANDRA. To date, this is the largest amphibian that can reach 160 cm in length, weigh up to 180 kg and can live up to 150 years, although the officially registered maximum age of a giant salamander is 55 years.


BEARDED PIG. In different sources, the bearded pig species is divided into two or three subspecies. These are the curly-haired bearded pig (Sus barbatus oi), which lives on the Malay Peninsula and the island of Sumatra, the Bornean bearded pig (Sus barbatus barbatus) and the Palawan bearded pig, which, judging by the name, live on the islands of Borneo and Palawan, as well as in Java , Kalimantan and the small islands of the Indonesian archipelago in South-East Asia.




SUMATRAN RHINO. They belong to the equine-hoofed animals of the rhinoceros family. This type The rhinoceros is the smallest of the entire family. The body length of an adult Sumatran rhinoceros can reach 200 - 280 cm, and the height at the withers can vary from 100 to 150 cm. Such rhinos can weigh up to 1000 kg.


SULAWESI BEAR CUSCOUS. An arboreal marsupial living in the upper tier of lowland tropical forests. The coat of the bear couscous consists of a soft undercoat and coarse guard hairs. Color ranges from gray to brown, with a lighter belly and limbs, and varies by geographic subspecies and age of the animal. The prehensile, hairless tail is about half the length of the animal and acts as a fifth limb, making it easier to move through the dense rainforest. Bear couscous is the most primitive of all couscous, retaining primitive tooth growth and skull features.


GALAGO. Its large fluffy tail is clearly comparable to that of a squirrel. And the charming muzzle and graceful movements, flexibility and insinuation, clearly reflect his feline trait. The amazing jumping ability, mobility, strength and incredible agility of this animal clearly show its nature as a funny cat and elusive squirrel. Of course, it would be where to use their talents, because a cramped cage is very poorly suited for this. But, if you give this little animal a little freedom and sometimes allow him to walk around the apartment, then all his quirks and talents will come true. Many even compare it to a kangaroo.


WOMBAT. Without a photograph of a wombat, it is generally impossible to talk about strange and rare animals.


AMAZONIAN DOLPHIN. Is the largest river dolphin. Inia geoffrensis, as scientists call it, reaches 2.5 meters in length and weighs 2 centners. Light gray juveniles lighten with age. The body of the Amazonian dolphin is full, with a thin tail and narrow muzzle. A round forehead, a slightly curved beak and small eyes are the features of this species of dolphins. Meets Amazonian dolphin in rivers and lakes Latin America.


FISH-MOON or MOLA-MOLA. This fish can be over three meters long and weigh about one and a half tons. The largest specimen of the moonfish was caught in New Hampshire, USA. Its length was five and a half meters, data on weight are not available. In shape, the body of the fish resembles a disk, it was this feature that gave rise to the Latin name. The moonfish has thicker skin. It is elastic, and its surface is covered with small bony protrusions. Fish larvae of this species and juveniles swim in the usual way. adults big fish swim on their side, quietly moving their fins. They seem to lie on the surface of the water, where they are very easy to notice and catch. However, many experts believe that only sick fish swim in this way. As an argument, they cite the fact that the stomach of fish caught on the surface is usually empty.


TASMANIAN DEVIL. Being the largest of modern predatory marsupials, this animal is black in color with white spots on the chest and rump, with a huge mouth and sharp teeth, has a dense physique and severe disposition, for which, in fact, it was called the devil. Emitting ominous cries at night, massive and clumsy Tasmanian devil superficially resembles little bear: front legs slightly longer than the hind legs, large head, muzzle blunted.


LORI. Feature lori - big size eyes, which may be bordered by dark circles, between the eyes there is a white dividing strip. The muzzle of a lory can be compared to a clown mask. This most likely explains the name of the animal: Loeris means "clown" in translation.


GAVIAL. Of course, one of the representatives of the detachment of crocodiles. With age, the muzzle of the gharial becomes even narrower and longer. Due to the fact that the gharial feeds on fish, its teeth are long and sharp, located with a slight inclination for the convenience of eating.


OKAPI. FOREST GIRAFFE. Traveling in Central Africa, journalist and African explorer Henry Morton Stanley (1841-1904) encountered local natives more than once. Having once met an expedition equipped with horses, the natives of the Congo told the famous traveler that they found in the jungle wild animals very similar to his horses. The Englishman, who had seen a lot, was somewhat puzzled by this fact. After some negotiations in 1900, the British were finally able to purchase parts of the skin of a mysterious beast from the local population and send them to the Royal Zoological Society in London, where they gave the unknown animal the name "Johnston's Horse" (Equus johnstoni), that is, they identified it as a member of the horse family. . But what was their surprise when, a year later, they managed to get a whole skin and two skulls of an unknown animal, and discover that It looked more like pygmy giraffe times of the ice age. Only in 1909 was it possible to catch a live specimen of Okapi.

VALABY. WOOD KANGAROO. To the genus Tree kangaroos - wallabies (Dendrolagus) include 6 species. Of these, D. Inustus or bear wallaby, D. Matschiei or Matchish wallaby, which has a subspecies D. Goodfellowi (Goodfellow wallaby), D. Dorianus - Doria wallaby, live in New Guinea. In Australian Queensland, D. Lumholtzi is found - Lumholtz's wallaby (bungari), D. Bennettianus - Bennett's wallaby, or tharibina. Their original habitat was New Guinea, but now wallabies are also found in Australia. Tree kangaroos live in the tropical forests of mountainous regions, at an altitude of 450 to 3000m. above sea level. The body size of the animal is 52-81 cm, the tail is from 42 to 93 cm long. Wallabies weigh, depending on the species, from 7.7 to 10 kg males and from 6.7 to 8.9 kg. females.


WOLVERINE. Moves quickly and dexterously. The animal has an elongated muzzle, a large head, with rounded ears. The jaws are powerful, the teeth are sharp. Wolverine is a “big-legged” beast, the feet are disproportionate to the body, but their size allows you to freely move through the deep snow cover. Each paw has huge and curved claws. Wolverine climbs trees beautifully, has acute vision. The voice is like a fox.


FOSS. On the island of Madagascar, such animals have been preserved that are not found not only in Africa itself, but throughout the rest of the world. One of the rarest animals is Fossa - the only representative of the genus Cryptoprocta and the largest predatory mammal that lives on the island of Madagascar. The appearance of the fossa is a bit unusual: it is a cross between a civet and a small cougar. Sometimes the fossa is also called the Madagascar lion, since the ancestors of this animal were much larger and reached the size of a lion. Fossa has a squat, massive and slightly elongated body, the length of which can reach up to 80 cm (on average it is 65-70 cm). The legs of the fossa are long, but thick enough, with the hind legs higher than the front ones. The tail is often equal to the length of the body and reaches 65 cm.


MANUL approves of this post and is only here because it should be. Everyone knows him.


FENEC. STEPPE FOX. He agrees with the manula and is present here in so far as. After all, everyone saw him.


THE NAKED DIGGER puts the manula and the fennec fox in karma and invites them to organize a club of the most feared animals in Runet.


PALM THIEF. A representative of the decapod crustaceans. whose habitat is Western part Pacific Ocean and tropical islands indian ocean. This animal from the family of land crayfish is quite large for its species. The body of an adult individual reaches a size of up to 32 cm and a weight of up to 3-4 kg. For a long time it was mistakenly believed that with its claws it could even split coconuts, which after eats. To date, scientists have proven that cancer can only eat already split coconuts. They, being its main source of nutrition, gave the name palm thief. Although he is not averse to eating other types of food - the fruits of Pandanus plants, organic matter from the soil, and even their own kind.

On Earth, which supports a huge amount of fauna. One of the reasons for such a wide variety is constant heat. Tropical rainforests also contain vast reserves of water (2000 to 7000 mm of precipitation falls annually) and a variety of animal food. Many small animals, including monkeys, birds, snakes, rodents, frogs, lizards and insects found in the rainforest have never set foot on the ground. They use tall trees and undergrowth to hide from predators and search for food.

Because there is a huge variety of animals (40-75% of the Earth's animal species) competing for food, many species have adapted to eat certain foods that others do not. For example, toucans have a long, large beak. This adaptation allows the bird to reach fruit on branches that are too small to support the weight of the bird. The beak is also used to extract fruit from the tree.

Sloths use behavioral adaptation and camouflage to survive in the rainforest. They move very, very slowly and spend most of their time hanging upside down. Blue-green algae grow on their fur and give sloths their greenish coloration and protect them from predators.

This article examines the structure of the rainforest and some of the animals that live in its layers, from the litter to the top tier.

forest floor

The forest floor is the lowest layer of the rainforest and receives only about 2% of sunlight. Thus, the plants growing here are adapted to low light conditions. Thus, relatively large animals such as okapis, tapirs, Sumatran rhinos, etc. live in the lower level of the rainforest. This layer also contains a large number of reptiles, insects and. Organically, substances (of plant and animal origin) are collected in the forest floor, where they decompose, such as and.

Okapi

Okapi (Okapia johnstoni) - unique look mammal that is native to the rainforest Democratic Republic Congo in Central Africa. Although okapi have distinctive zebra-like stripes on their limbs, they are more closely related to giraffes. Okapi are diurnal and solitary in nature. These rainforest animals feed on tree leaves and buds, fruits, ferns, and fungi.

Tapir

Tapir ( Tapirus sp.) - pig-like herbivorous mammals with a short, tenacious muzzle. These rainforest animals are found in the forests of South and Central America, as well as in Southeast Asia.

Sumatran rhinoceros

One of five surviving rhino species, ( Dicerorhinus sumatrensis) lives in the tropical forests of Borneo and Sumatra. It is the smallest species of rhinoceros in the world and has two horns. The Sumatran rhinoceros is on the verge of extinction as poachers actively hunt for its horns, which are used to make traditional medicines in China and Vietnam.

western gorilla

Western gorilla ( gorilla gorilla) is found in the forests of Central Africa. These animals are extremely intelligent and can use tools to obtain large amounts of food. The western gorilla is critically endangered today. Hunting for gorilla meat and cutting them down natural environment habitats are the two main threats to these amazing primates.

Undergrowth

The rainforest undergrowth is between the forest floor and the canopy, and it only receives about 5% of the sunlight. This level is inhabited by a large number small mammals, birds, reptiles and predators such as the jaguar. Small trees, shrubs and herbs grow in the undergrowth. As a rule, plants at this level rarely reach 3 m in height and usually have broad leaves to provide a large surface area for.

Jaguar

(Panthera onca) is the largest species in the Americas, and the third largest in the world after and. The jaguar prefers to live in tropical forests and is distributed from Central America to Argentina and Paraguay. It is very similar to a leopard, but more muscular and bigger size. The jaguar is a solitary superpredator in which it dwells.

Dart frogs

About three species of frogs from the poison dart frog family are deadly. The terrible leaf climber is considered the most dangerous among the three species and one of the most poisonous animals on Earth. These frogs are painted in bright colors including gold, red, green, blue and yellow to protect them from predators. This feature is known as aposematic coloration.

South American nosoha

Also known as coati ( Nasua nasua), this animal lives in the tropical forests of South America. Most of the range is in the lowlands east of the Andes. It is a diurnal animal that lives both on the ground and in trees. The diet includes fruits, other small animals and bird eggs.

common boa constrictor

common boa constrictor ( Boa constrictor) is a massive snake that is found in forests throughout America, as well as on the islands of the Caribbean. Although boas live in a wide variety of places, they prefer rainforests due to high humidity and suitable temperature. In addition, rainforests provide ample cover and many food sources for these snakes.

forest canopy

The forest canopy (or canopy) is the most distinctive level of the rainforest, forming a roof over the undergrowth and forest floor. The canopy contains most of the largest trees in the rainforest, growing up to 30-45m in height. Broad-leaved evergreen trees dominate the canopy, making it the densest part of the rainforest. It is home to over 20 million species and a large number of birds, as well as mammals, invertebrates and reptiles.

Jaco

Jaco, or African gray parrots ( Psittacus erithacus) are medium, gray-black birds common in equatorial Africa. Birds are currently classified as Near Threatened and number between 120,100 and 259,000.

rainbow toucan

Rainbow Toucan ( Ramphastos sulfatus) is common in the tropical forests of Latin America. In this environment, it settles in tree holes, often with other toucans. Overcrowded roosting sites force toucans to tuck their beaks and tails under their bodies to save space.

coats

Koats are a genus belonging to the family of spider monkeys. They live in the tropical forests of Central and South America, from Mexico to Brazil. All seven coat species are endangered to some extent. These primates live in large groups of about 35 and split into smaller groups to forage during the day.

Three-toed sloths

Three-toed sloths are a family of arboreal mammals found in South and Central America. These rainforest animals are so named because of their slow gait, which is an adaptation to conserve energy. Sloths are about the size of a small dog or a large cat, and have three clawed toes on each limb.

Gold-helmed kalao

Golden Helmet Kalao ( Ceratogymna elata) lives in tropical forests West Africa. It is one of the largest birds in this environment and lives in forest canopies and rarely feeds on the ground. Birds of this species live in small family groups consisting of an adult pair and several chicks.

kinkajou

The kinkajou is one of the rainforest animals that is mistaken for a monkey or a ferret. The kinkajou is native to the tropical forests of Central and South America. These nocturnal animals are arboreal and have an omnivorous diet. Unfortunately, they are hunted for their valuable wool.

Upper tier

This rainforest level has several giant trees reaching a height of about 45-55 m or even higher. Thus, these trees rise above the canopy. They are well adapted to withstand strong winds and high temperatures over the canopy. When such trees die, holes are formed in the canopy, allowing sunlight reach the lower layers of the rainforest.

crowned eagle

crowned eagle ( Stephanoaetus coronatus) is a massive and fierce predatory predator, common in the upper tier of tropical forests. The eagle primarily feeds on mammals, including small ungulates, small primates, birds, and lizards. It is one of the largest eagles in Africa, but is now classified as Near Threatened by the IUCN due to large-scale habitat destruction.

royal colobus

Royal Colobus ( Colobus polykomos) is one of the rainforest animals that is found in the African rainforests in countries such as Senegal, Liberia, Guinea, Sierra Leone, Guinea-Bissau and Ivory Coast. The king colobus lives in the upper tier of the forest, but feeds, usually on the ground 3 to 4 females and 1 to 3 males form together one social group.

Giant flying fox

Giant flying fox ( Pteropus vampyrus) is one of largest species bats in the world. It lives in tropical forests, where it feeds exclusively on nectar, fruits and flowers. Although these bats do not have the ability to echolocate, they use their keen eyesight to locate food sources.

If you find an error, please highlight a piece of text and click Ctrl+Enter.