Marsupial jerboas.

California ground cuckoo is a North American bird from the cuckoo family (Cuculidae). It lives in deserts and semi-deserts in the south and southwest of the United States and northern Mexico.

Adult ground cuckoos reach a length of 51 to 61 cm, including the tail. They have a long, slightly downward curved beak. The head, crest, back and long tail are dark brown with light splashes. The neck and belly are also light. Very long legs and a long tail are adaptations to the desert running lifestyle.

The California ground cuckoo can reach speeds of up to 42 km/h. The special arrangement of her toes also helps her in this, since both outer toes are located back, and both inner toes are located forward. However, due to its short wings, it flies very poorly and can stay in the air for only a few seconds.

This bird spends most of its time on the ground and hunts snakes, lizards, insects, rodents and small birds. She is fast enough to kill even small vipers, which she grabs by the tail with her beak and hits her head on the ground like a whip. She swallows her prey whole. Yours English name This bird received the Road Runner because it used to run after postal carriages and grab small animals disturbed by their wheels.

Death Valley

Death Valley got its name from settlers who crossed it in 1849, seeking the shortest route to the California gold mines. The guidebook briefly reports that “some stayed there forever.” The dead were ill-prepared for crossing the desert, did not stock up on water and lost their orientation. Before dying, one of them cursed this place, calling it Death Valley. The few survivors withered mule meat on the wreckage of dismantled carts and reached their goal. They left behind “cheerful” geographical names: Death Valley, Funeral Ridge, Last Chance Ridge, Coffin Canyon, Dead Man's Passage, Hell's Gate, Gorge Rattlesnake and etc.

The Badwater Basin is the lowest part of Death Valley, located at 85.5 m below sea level. Sometime after Ice Age Death Valley was a huge lake with fresh water. The local hot and dry climate contributed to the inevitable evaporation of water. Annual short-term, but very intense rains wash away tons of minerals from the surface of the mountains into the lowlands. The salts remaining after the evaporation of water settle at the bottom, reaching their highest concentration in the lowest place, in a reservoir with poor water. Here, rainwater lingers longer, forming small temporary lakes. Once upon a time, the first settlers were surprised that their dehydrated mules refused to drink water from these lakes, and marked “bad water” on the map. This is how this area got its name. In fact, the water in the pool (when it is available) is not poisonous, but it tastes very salty. It also has its own unique inhabitants that are not found in other places: algae, aquatic insects, larvae, and even a mollusk named after its place of residence, Badwater Snail.

Nearby is the lowest area in the Valley Badwater Basin. Salt behaves differently here. A uniform salt grid 4-6 cm high is formed on an absolutely flat white surface. The grid consists of figures gravitating towards a hexagon in shape, and covers the bottom of the Valley with a huge web, creating an absolutely unearthly landscape.

Sailing stones, also called sliding or crawling stones, are a geological phenomenon. The stones move slowly along the clayey bottom of the lake, as evidenced by the long tracks left behind them. The stones move independently without the help of living creatures, but no one has ever seen or recorded the movement on camera. Similar movements of stones have been noted in several other places, but in terms of the number and length of tracks, Racetrack Playa stands out from the rest.

The park includes the Salina Valley, most of the Panamint Valley, and several mountain systems. In the west rises Mount Telescope Peak, in the east – Mount Dante’s View, from the height of which a beautiful view of the entire valley opens.

coati- a mammal from the genus Noshu of the raccoon family. This mammal received its name for its elongated and very funny movable snout-nose.
Their head is narrow, their hair is short, their ears are round and small. There is a white rim on the edge of the inside of the ears. Nosukha is the owner of a very long tail, which is almost always in a vertical position. The animal uses its tail to balance itself when moving. The characteristic color of the tail is alternating light yellow, brown and black rings.

The color of the nose is varied: from orange to dark brown. The muzzle is usually uniform black or brown colors. There are light spots on the face, below and above the eyes. The neck is yellowish, the paws are black or dark brown.

the catch is elongated, the paws are strong with five fingers and non-retractable claws. The nose digs the ground with its claws, obtaining food. The hind legs are longer than the front legs. The length of the body from the nose to the tip of the tail is 80-130 cm, the length of the tail itself is 32-69 cm. The height at the withers is about 20-29 cm. They weigh about 3-5 kg. Males are almost twice as large as females.

Nosukhi live on average 7-8 years, but in captivity they can live up to 14 years. They live in tropical and subtropical forests South America and southern USA. Their favorite place These are dense bushes, low-lying forests, rocky terrain. Due to human intervention, Lately noses prefer forest edges and clearings.

They say that nosuhs used to be called simply badgers, but since real badgers moved to Mexico, the true homeland of nosuhs, this species received its own individual name.

All noses, including coatis, are predators! Coatis get food for themselves with their noses, diligently sniffling and groaning, they inflate the foliage in this way and look for termites, ants, scorpions, beetles, and larvae under it. Sometimes it can eat land crabs, frogs, lizards, rodents. During the hunt, the coati clamps its prey with its paws and bites its head. In difficult times of hunger, the Nosukhi allow themselves vegetarian cuisine; they eat ripe fruits, which, as a rule, are always in abundance in the forest. Moreover, they do not make reserves, but return to the tree from time to time.

Males usually lead a solitary lifestyle and only during the mating season do they join family groups of females with young ones. During the mating season, which is usually from October to March, one male is accepted into the group of females and young ones. All mature females living in the group mate with this male, and soon after mating he leaves the group.

Nosukha gives birth to cubs once a year. Usually there are 2-6 cubs in a litter. Newborns weigh 100-180 grams and are completely dependent on the mother, who leaves the nest for a while to find food. The eyes open at approximately 11 days. The babies remain in the nest for several weeks, and then leave it with their mother and join the family group.
Lactation lasts up to four months. Young noses stay with their mother until she begins to prepare for the birth of the next offspring.

Red Lynx is the most common wild cat on the North American continent. In general appearance, this is a typical lynx, but it is almost twice as small as an ordinary lynx and is not so long-legged and wide-legged. Its body length is 60-80 cm, height at the withers is 30-35 cm, weight is 6-11 kg. You can recognize a red lynx by its white

You can meet the red lynx in dense subtropical forests or in desert areas among prickly cacti, on high mountain slopes or in swampy lowlands. The presence of humans does not prevent it from appearing on the outskirts of villages or small towns. This predator chooses areas where it can feast on small rodents, nimble squirrels or shy rabbits and even spiny porcupines.

Vision and hearing are well developed. Hunts on the ground, sneaking up on prey. The lynx holds its prey with its sharp claws and kills it with a bite to the base of the skull. In one sitting, an adult animal eats up to 1.4 kg of meat. He hides the remaining surplus and returns to it the next day.For rest, the red lynx chooses a new place every day, without lingering in the old one. This could be a crack in the rocks, a cave, a hollow log, a space under a fallen tree, etc. On the ground or snow, the red lynx takes a step approximately 25 - 35 cm long; The size of an individual footprint is approximately 4.5 x 4.5 cm. When walking, they place their hind paws exactly in the tracks left by their front paws. Thanks to this, they never make very loud noise from the crackling of dry twigs under their feet. Soft cushions on their legs help them to calmly sneak up on the animal. close quarters. Bobcats are good tree climbers and can also swim across a small body of water, but they only do this on rare occasions.

The red lynx is a territorial animal. The lynx marks the boundaries of the site and its paths with urine and feces. In addition, she leaves marks of her claws on trees. The male learns that the female is ready to mate by the smell of her urine. A mother with cubs is very aggressive towards any animal or person that threatens her kittens.

In the wild, males and females like to be alone, meeting only during the breeding season. The only time when individuals of different sexes look for meetings is during the mating season, which occurs at the end of winter - the beginning of spring. The male mates with all the females that are in the same area with him. The female's pregnancy lasts only 52 days. Cubs are born in the spring, blind and helpless. At this time, the female tolerates the male only not far from the den. After about a week, the babies' eyes open slightly, but for another eight weeks they remain with their mother and are fed with her milk. The mother licks their fur and warms them with her body. The female red lynx is a very caring mother. In case of danger, she moves the kittens to another shelter.

A male bobcat often occupies an area of ​​100 km2, and border areas may be shared by several males. The female's area is half the size. Within the territory of one male, 2-3 females usually live. A male red lynx, whose territory is often home to three females and cubs, must provide food for 12 kittens.

Among almost two and a half thousand species higher plants, found in the flora of the Sonoran Desert, the most widely represented are species from the family Asteraceae, legumes, cereals, buckwheat, euphorbia, cactus and borage. A number of communities characteristic of the main habitats make up the vegetation of the Sonoran Desert.

The extensive, slightly sloping alluvial fans support vegetation, the main components of which are clumps of creosote bush and ragweed. They also include several types of prickly pear, quinoa, acacia, fuqueria, or ocotillo.

On alluvial plains Below the fans, the vegetation cover mainly consists of a sparse forest of mesquite trees. Their roots, penetrating into the depths, reach groundwater, and roots located in the surface layer of soil, within a radius of up to twenty meters from the trunk, can intercept precipitation. A mature mesquite tree reaches a height of eighteen meters and can be more than a meter wide. In our time, only the pitiful remnants of the once majestic mesquite forests remain, long cut down for fuel. The mesquite forest is very similar to the black saxaul thickets in the Karakum Desert. The forest composition, in addition to mesquite, includes clematis and acacia.

Near the water, along the banks of rivers, near the water, there are poplars, with ash and Mexican elder mixed in with them. Plants such as acacia, creosote bush and celtis grow in the beds of arroyos, drying up temporary streams, as well as in the adjacent plains. In the Gran Desierto Desert, near the Gulf of California coast, ragweed and creosote bush dominate the sandy plains, while ephedra and tobosa, ragweed, grow on the sand dunes.

In the Arizona Highlands, northwest of the Sonoran Desert, the vegetation is especially colorful and varied. The denser vegetation cover and diversity of vegetation is due to more rainfall here than in other areas of Sonora, as well as the ruggedness of the terrain, a combination of steep slopes of different exposures and hills. A peculiar cactus forest, in which the main place is occupied by the giant columnar saguaro cactus, with a low-growing encelia shrub located between the cacti, is formed on gravelly soils with big amount fine earth. Also among the vegetation there are large barrel-shaped ferocactus, ocotillo, paloverde, several types of prickly pear, acacia, celtis, creosote bush, as well as mesquite tree, in the floodplains.

The trees and bushes of the Sonoran Desert that attract attention with their unique appearance include ivory tree, ironwood and idria, or buium, growing only in two areas of the Sonoran Desert, located in Mexico, which is part of the region of Latin America.

The Vizcaino region is located in the central third of the California Peninsula. There is little precipitation, but the air is cool, as humid sea breezes often bring fogs, weakening the aridity of the climate. Rain falls mainly in winter and averages less than 125 mm. Here in the flora there are some very unusual plants, characterized by bizarre landscapes: fields of white granite boulders, cliffs of black lava, etc. Interesting plants– bujams, ivory tree, 30 m high cordon, throttle ficus growing on the rocks and blue palm. In contrast to the main Vizcaino Desert, the Vizcaino Coastal Plain is a flat, cool, foggy desert with 0.3 m tall shrubs and fields of annuals.

Riverine communities are usually isolated ribbons or islands of deciduous forest along temporary streams. There are very few permanent or dry watercourses (the largest is the Colorado River), but there are many where water appears only a couple of days or even a few hours a year. Dry beds, or "washes", of arroyos - "arroyos" - are places where many trees and shrubs are concentrated. Xerophilic open forests along dry riverbeds are highly variable. Along some ephemeral streams, almost pure mesquite forest occurs, others may be dominated by blue paloverde or ironwood, or develop a mixed forest. Characteristic is the so-called "desert willow", which is actually a catalpa.

Infraclass - Marsupials / Order - Carnivorous marsupials / Family - Carnivorous marsupials

History of the study

The marsupial jerboa (Antechinomys laniger) is the only species of the marsupial jerboa genus.

The marsupial jerboa was first described in 1856 by the English ornithologist John Gould, who included it in the genus of mousebirds. The species was subsequently classified within the genus Sminthopsis until molecular studies confirmed that the species belonged to a distinct genus of marsupial jerboas, or Antechinomys, which was described in 1867 by Australian zoologist Gerard Krefft.

In the past, two species were often distinguished in the genus of marsupial jerboas: Antechinomys laniger (or East Australian marsupial jerboa) and Antechinomys spenceri (or Central Australian marsupial jerboa). The latter of these has recently been reclassified to subspecies status. The Latin word laniger means "woolly".

Spreading

Pretty marsupial jerboas rare view, found in the arid regions of Australia. IN last years The animal's range has sharply declined. Small populations in the Cedar Bay area of ​​Queensland and southern New South Wales are now extinct.

Marsupial jerboas are found on desert plains covered with clayey sediments or desert crust; limited populations live in the salt marshes.

Appearance

The body length of the marsupial jerboa is 7-10 cm, and the length of the tail reaches 10-15 cm. Weight - 20-30 g; males have big sizes and weight than females. Distinctive features marsupial jerboas have elongated four-toed hind legs and protruding ears. The color of the upperparts ranges from yellowish-gray to sandy brown; bottom is white. The hairline is long and thick.

Reproduction

The breeding season of jerboas lasts from winter to spring. The brood pouch in females develops during the breeding season; it opens backwards and has 6-8 nipples. The brood consists of 3 to 6 cubs, born in the fall. The cubs are fed milk for three months. Sexual maturity in the species occurs after a year.

Lifestyle

The animals are active mainly at night. They are solitary animals, and only in the autumn and winter periods they gather in common nests, which helps to save energy. They spend daylight hours in deep burrows. Females with young do not tolerate the presence of males. They are a terrestrial species. Nests are built near tree stumps or near rocks. When there is not enough food, it can fall into torpor.

Nutrition

Jerboas are usually insectivorous (eg locusts, beetles), but on occasion they can attack rodents and small lizards; in captivity they feed on meat. The accepted food fully covers the need for water.

Number

Marsupial jerboas are a rare species that are found in arid areas in Australia. Recently, the animal's range has been greatly reduced. And small populations that lived in Queensland and southern New South Wales are now extinct.

Our planet is amazing and rich in diversity of incredible representatives of living things! Carnivorous, herbivorous, poisonous and harmless - they are our brothers. The task of man is to treat the animal world with care, to know and respect its laws. After all, some species are so unique that they have inhabited the Earth since ancient times! Today we will talk about just such an animal. His name is jerboa. It has been known since the Oligocene period (33.9 - 23.03 million years ago). Scientists suggest that the ancestors of modern jerboas emerged in Asia about eight million years ago. From there they spread to North Africa and Europe. But in Europe the jerboa has become completely extinct.

Description of the jerboa

Small, mouse-like mammals. They are representatives of the order of rodents. There are about 50 species in nature. The most famous include: African, five-fingered, big jerboa, marsupial, long-eared, hairy-legged, fat-tailed, as well as the jumping jerboa.

Appearance

Externally, jerboas resemble either a kangaroo or a mouse. The head is large relative to the body, with an almost indistinguishable neck. Round, slightly flattened muzzle with large dark eyes. Big eyes allow you to capture a greater flow of light information. Huge fan-shaped vibrissae. This is the main organ of touch in many animals. As a rule, they have long and rounded ears, which carry the function of heat transfer and reception of auditory information. The hair on the ears is sparse.

• Body length: from 4 to 26 cm.
• Tail length: from 6 to 28 cm.
• Weight: from 10 to 300 grams.

The body is short. The hind limbs are much longer than the front ones, which is necessary for active running. The animal uses short forelimbs with sharp, elongated claws for digging holes and manipulating food. The fur is thick and soft. Color ranges from sandy to brown, mostly monochromatic. There is a light color on the belly.

This is interesting! The jerboa's tail may contain a reserve of fat necessary to maintain the body during hibernation or during periods of lack of food.

The tail has a flat tassel at the end, which acts as a kind of rudder when moving. Individual characteristics of color and limb structure depend on the species and habitat. For example, the color and size of the body as a whole or its individual parts change.

Lifestyle and behavior

Jerboa nocturnal beast. Wary to such an extent that after sunset it leaves its hole only an hour later. Searches for food all night, going up to 5 km away. And in the morning, exactly an hour before sunrise, they return to the shelter. Such reinsurance often saves lives. However, there are species that are active and search for food during the day, and at dusk they rush to their house underground.

One type of housing is summer. With separated rooms covered with grass. Often, practical animals make a “back door” in their underground apartments and, if threatened, escape through it.

In winter, the animal goes into hibernation, which lasts up to six months. A hibernation hole differs from a regular “living” hole. It is located much deeper, reaching 2.5 meters. Some species store food reserves for the winter, while others store them directly within themselves, in the form of fat.

This is interesting! Jerboas are real builders. These hardworking animals build more than one house for themselves. They have summer and winter holes, permanent and temporary, a hole for hibernation and holes for the birth of offspring.

Also these incredible creatures There can be houses for permanent and temporary stay. Permanent houses always have an entrance covered with a clod of earth. This peculiar corridor is quite long deep into the interior.

Next, as a rule, a branch appears leading to the living room, in which the surface is covered with grass and there is a place for a “bed” in the form of a ball of wool, moss, feathers - all suitable materials collected on the surface. Several unfinished passages already lead from it to the surface. They are necessary in case of emergency evacuation.

Among the jerboas there are those who, instead of building their own house, “rent” it from the gophers. The jerboa contacts its relatives only during the mating season. You can call him a loner. This is one of the strategies used for survival different representatives flora.

Some stay in a group and survive, having a developed system of communication and coherence among themselves. And some, on the contrary, prefer to develop individually, passing on the genes of the most adapted, fastest, invulnerable, cautious and intelligent to the next generation. And if the individual turns out to be clumsy, slow or inattentive, then it dies. This ensures the survival of the species.

How long do jerboas live?

However, diseases, the influence of natural conditions and predators shorten this time significantly. In captivity, lifespan increases significantly. The average life expectancy in the wild is no more than 3 years.

Range, habitats

What is worth envying other animals among jerboas is their prevalence in completely different conditions life. They live on almost all continents, where there are steppes, deserts and semi-deserts. These regions include North Africa to sub-Saharan Africa, southern Europe, and Asia north of the Himalayas.

However, jerboas can be found even in forest-steppes and mountainous areas. Some subspecies live even at an altitude of up to 2 thousand meters above sea level. In Russia you can find some representatives of the genus: the large jerboa, the small jerboa, the jumping jerboa, the common emur, the bushy jerboa and the five-fingered jerboa.

Jerboa diet

The daily food intake for a jerboa is 60 grams. Their diet includes seeds and roots of plants, which they obtain by digging holes.

They enjoy eating insect larvae. They love to feast on fruits, cereal grains, and vegetables. Jerboas practically do not drink water! All moisture comes from plants.

Important! The tail of a jerboa says a lot about the state of health and nutrition. If it is round, then the animal eats well and regularly. The tail is thin, with protruding vertebrae, indicating exhaustion.

Diet consists mainly of seeds and plant roots. Their jerboas dig out, leaving holes. Insects and their larvae are also eaten. The animals practically do not drink water. They get moisture from plants. During the night, in search of food, one rodent can travel up to 10 km along its food trails.

One animal requires 60 g of various feeds per day. This population has big influence on the soil and vegetation of deserts, semi-deserts and steppes, and also serves as food for local predators. At the same time, animals can spread dangerous infectious diseases, including the plague.

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