How animals adapted in the tropical forest. Animals of the tropical zone

There's nothing sweeter than good old stories about animals. But today I will not talk about pets, but about those that live in tropical forests. The rainforest ecosystem is home to a greater variety of animals than any other ecosystem. One of the reasons for such great diversity is the constantly warm climate. Rainforests also provide an almost constant supply of water and a wide variety of food for animals. So here are 10 amazing rainforest animals and some facts about their lives.

Toucans

Toucans can be found in South and Central America under the canopies of tropical forests. While sleeping, toucans turn their heads inside out and tuck their beaks under their wings and tail. Toucans are very important to rainforests because they help disperse seeds from the fruits and berries they eat. There are about 40 different species of toucans, but unfortunately, some species are endangered. The two main threats to the existence of toucans are extinction familiar environment habitat and increasing demand in the commercial pet market. They vary in size from approximately 15 centimeters to just over two meters. Large, colorful, light beaks - here distinctive features toucans. These are noisy birds with their loud and creaky voices.

Flying dragons

Tree lizards, called flying dragons, actually glide from tree to tree on their flaps of skin that look like wings. On each side of the body, between the fore and hind limbs, there is a large flap of skin supported by expanded movable ribs. Usually these “wings” are folded along the body, but they can open so that the lizard can glide for many meters in an almost horizontal state. The flying dragon feeds on insects, particularly ants. To reproduce, a flying dragon descends to the ground and lays 1 to 4 eggs in the soil.

Bengal tigers

The Bengal tiger lives in the Sundarbans regions of India, Bangladesh, China, Siberia and Indonesia, and is seriously endangered. Today, about 4,000 individuals remain in the wild, down from more than 50,000 at the turn of the century in 1900. Poaching and habitat loss are the two main reasons for the decline in Bengal tigers. They were never able to adapt to harsh conditions, despite being a dominant species. Tigers, also known as Royal Bengal tiger, which is a subspecies of the tiger, can be found in the Indian subcontinent. The Bengal tiger is the national animal of Bangladesh and is considered the second largest tiger in the world.

South American harpies

One of the largest and most powerful of the world's fifty eagle species, the South American harpy eagle lives in the tropical lowland forests of Central and South America, from southern Mexico south to eastern Bolivia, and southern Brazil to northern regions Argentina. This is an endangered species. The main threat to its existence is the loss of habitat due to constant deforestation, destruction of nesting sites and hunting.

Tree frogs

These are frogs found in Central and South America. They are known for their bright colors, which warn other animals that they are poisonous. The poison of frogs is one of the most powerful known poisons and can lead to paralysis or death. It is so powerful that one millionth of 30 grams of poison can kill a dog, and less than a crystal of salt can kill a person. One frog has a supply of poison sufficient to send up to 100 people to the next world. Local hunters used poison for their arrows, which is where the frog got its name in English language Poison-Arrow Frog (poisoned arrow frog).

Sloths

Sloths are extremely slow-moving mammals that can be found in the tropical forests of Central and South America. There are two types of sloths: two-toed and three-toed. Most sloths are the size of a small dog. They have short, flat heads. Their fur is grey-brown, but sometimes they appear grey-green because they move so slowly that tiny camouflage plants have time to grow all over their fur. Sloths are nocturnal and sleep curled up with their heads between their arms and legs turned close together.

Spider monkeys

Spider monkeys are large. An adult monkey can grow almost 60 centimeters tall, not counting its tail. The tail is very powerful. Monkeys use it as an extra limb. Spider monkeys like to hang upside down, clinging to branches with their tail and legs, making them look like spiders, which is where they get their name. These monkeys also know how to jump from branch to branch. high speed. Their coat color can be black, brown, gold, red or bronze. Spider monkeys are the object of close attention among hunters, which is why they are on the verge of extinction. This photo is probably your only chance to ever see this monkey. Not to mention our species...

Wine snakes

Just about a centimeter in diameter, vine snakes are a surprisingly “slender”, elongated species. If a snake lies among the branches forest trees, its proportions and green-brown color make it almost indistinguishable from dense vines and vines. The head of a snake is just as thin and oblong. A slow-moving predator, active during the day and at night, the wine snake feeds mainly on young birds, which it steals from nests, and on lizards. If the snake is threatened, it inflates the front of its body, revealing the bright coloring that would normally be hidden, and opens its mouth wide.

Capybaras

The capybara spends a lot of time in the water and is an excellent swimmer and diver. She has webbed toes on her front and back paws. When she swims, only her eyes, ears and nostrils are visible above the water. Capybaras eat plant matter, including aquatic plants, and their molars grow throughout their lives to counteract wear and tear from chewing. Capybaras live in families and are active at dawn and dusk. In areas where they are frequently disturbed, capybaras can be nocturnal. Males and females look the same, but males have a gland on their nose that is larger than females. They mate in the spring, and after 15-18 weeks of pregnancy there may be 2 babies in the litter. Babies are well developed at birth.

Brazilian tapirs

Brazilian tapirs can almost always be found near bodies of water. These animals are good swimmers and divers, but they also move quickly on land, even over rough and mountainous terrain. Tapirs are dark brown in color. Their fur is short, and a mane grows from the back of the neck down. Thanks to its movable snout, the tapir feeds on leaves, buds, shoots and small branches that the tapir plucks from trees, as well as fruits, herbs and aquatic plants. The female gives birth to a single spotted-striped baby after a pregnancy that lasts from 390 to 400 days.

1. Toucans
Toucans can be found in South and Central America under the canopies of tropical forests. While sleeping, toucans turn their heads inside out and tuck their beaks under their wings and tail. Toucans are very important to rainforests because they help disperse seeds from the fruits and berries they eat. There are about 40 different species of toucans, but unfortunately, some species are endangered. The two main threats to the existence of toucans are the disappearance of their habitat and increasing demand in the commercial pet market.
They vary in size from approximately 15 centimeters to just over two meters. Large, colorful, light beaks are the hallmarks of toucans. These are noisy birds with their loud and creaky voices.

2. Flying dragons.
Tree lizards, called flying dragons, actually glide from tree to tree on their flaps of skin that look like wings. On each side of the body, between the fore and hind limbs, there is a large flap of skin supported by expanded movable ribs. Usually these “wings” are folded along the body, but they can open so that the lizard can glide for many meters in an almost horizontal state. The flying dragon feeds on insects, particularly ants. To reproduce, a flying dragon descends to the ground and lays 1 to 4 eggs in the soil.

3. Bengal tigers
The Bengal tiger lives in the Sundarbans regions of India, Bangladesh, China, Siberia and Indonesia, and is seriously endangered. Today, about 4,000 individuals remain in the wild, down from more than 50,000 at the turn of the century in 1900. Poaching and habitat loss are the two main reasons for the decline in Bengal tigers. They were never able to adapt to harsh conditions, despite being a dominant species. Tigers, also known as the Royal Bengal tiger, which is a subspecies of tiger, can be found in the Indian subcontinent. The Bengal tiger is the national animal of Bangladesh and is considered the second largest tiger in the world.

4. South American harpies.
One of the largest and most powerful of the fifty eagle species in the world, the South American harpy eagle lives in the tropical lowland forests of Central and South America, from southern Mexico south to eastern Bolivia, and southern Brazil to northern Argentina. This is an endangered species. The main threat to its existence is the loss of habitat due to constant deforestation, destruction of nesting sites and hunting.

5. Tree frogs.
These are frogs found in Central and South America. They are known for their bright colors, which warn other animals that they are poisonous. The frogs' venom is one of the most powerful poisons known and can cause paralysis or death. It is so powerful that one millionth of 30 grams of poison can kill a dog, and less than a crystal of salt can kill a person. One frog has a supply of poison sufficient to send up to 100 people to the next world. Local hunters used poison for their arrows, which is where the frog got its name in English, Poison-Arrow Frog.

6. Sloths
Sloths are extremely slow-moving mammals that can be found in the tropical forests of Central and South America. There are two types of sloths: two-toed and three-toed. Most sloths are the size of a small dog. They have short, flat heads. Their fur is grey-brown, but sometimes they appear grey-green because they move so slowly that tiny camouflage plants have time to grow all over their fur. Sloths are nocturnal and sleep curled up with their heads between their arms and legs turned close together.

7. Spider monkeys
Spider monkeys are large. An adult monkey can grow almost 60 centimeters tall, not counting its tail. The tail is very powerful. Monkeys use it as an extra limb. Spider monkeys like to hang upside down, clinging to branches with their tail and legs, making them look like spiders, which is where they get their name. These monkeys can also jump from branch to branch at high speed. Their coat color can be black, brown, gold, red or bronze. Spider monkeys are the object of close attention among hunters, which is why they are on the verge of extinction. This photo is probably your only chance to ever see this monkey. Not to mention our species...

8. Wine snakes.
Just about a centimeter in diameter, vine snakes are a surprisingly “slender”, elongated species. If the snake lies among the branches of forest trees, its proportions and green-brown color make it almost indistinguishable from dense vines and vines. The head of a snake is just as thin and oblong. A slow-moving predator, active during the day and at night, the wine snake feeds mainly on young birds, which it steals from nests, and on lizards. If the snake is threatened, it inflates the front of its body, revealing the bright coloring that would normally be hidden, and opens its mouth wide.

9. Capybaras
The capybara spends a lot of time in the water and is an excellent swimmer and diver. She has webbed toes on her front and back paws. When she swims, only her eyes, ears and nostrils are visible above the water. Capybaras eat plant matter, including aquatic plants, and their molars grow throughout their lives to counteract wear and tear from chewing. Capybaras live in families and are active at dawn and dusk. In areas where they are frequently disturbed, capybaras can be nocturnal. Males and females look the same, but males have a gland on their nose that is larger than females. They mate in the spring, and after 15-18 weeks of pregnancy there may be 2 babies in the litter. Babies are well developed at birth.

10. Brazilian tapirs.
Brazilian tapirs can almost always be found near bodies of water. These animals are good swimmers and divers, but they also move quickly on land, even over rough and mountainous terrain. Tapirs are dark brown in color. Their fur is short, and a mane grows from the back of the neck down. Thanks to its movable snout, the tapir feeds on leaves, buds, shoots and small branches that the tapir plucks from trees, as well as fruits, herbs and aquatic plants. The female gives birth to a single spotted-striped baby after a pregnancy that lasts from 390 to 400 days.

About half of all forests on our planet are tropical forests (hylaea), found in Africa, Southeast Asia, and South and Central America. Tropical rainforests are located between 25° north latitude and 30° south latitude, where heavy rainfall occurs frequently. The rainforest ecosystem covers less than two percent of the Earth's surface, but is home to 50 to 70 percent of all life on our planet.

The largest tropical forests are found in Brazil (South America), Zaire (Africa) and Indonesia (Southeast Asia). Also tropical forest is found on Hawaii, the islands Pacific Ocean and the Caribbean.

Rainforest climate

Climate in tropical forest very warm, characterized and humid. Every year, from 400 to 1000 cm of precipitation falls here. The tropics are characterized by a uniform annual distribution of precipitation. There is practically no change in seasons, and average temperature air is 28 degrees Celsius. All these conditions significantly influenced the formation of the richest ecosystem on our planet.

Soil in a tropical forest

The soil of the tropics is poor in minerals and nutrients - there is a lack of potassium, nitrogen and other trace elements. It is usually red and red-yellow in color. Due to frequent precipitation, useful material are absorbed by plant roots or go deep into the soil. That is why the natives of the tropical forests used the slash-and-burn agricultural system: all vegetation was cut down in small areas, it was subsequently burned, and then the soil was cultivated. Ash acts as a nutrient. When the soil begins to turn infertile, usually after 3-5 years, the inhabitants of tropical settlements moved to new areas for farming. Agriculture. It is a sustainable farming method that ensures continued regeneration of the forest.

Rainforest Plants

The warm, humid climate of the rainforest provides the ideal environment for a huge abundance of amazing plant life. The tropical forest is divided into several tiers, each characterized by its own flora and fauna. The tallest trees in the tropics get greatest number sunlight, as they reach a height of more than 50 meters. This includes, for example, the cotton tree.

The second tier is the dome. It is the habitat for half of the representatives wildlife tropical forests - birds, snakes and monkeys. This includes trees below 50 m in height with wide leaves, hiding sunlight from the lower floors. These are philodendron, strychnos poisonous and rattan palms. Lianas usually stretch along them towards the sun.

The third tier is inhabited by shrubs, ferns and other shade-tolerant species.

The last tier, the bottom, is usually dark and damp, since almost no sunlight penetrates here. It consists of rotted foliage, mushrooms and lichens, as well as young growth of plants of higher tiers.

In each of the regions where tropical forests grow, there are different types trees.

Tropical trees of Central and South America:

Mahogany (Sweitinia spp.)
Spanish cedar (Cedrella spp.)
Rosewood and Cocobolo (Dalbergia retusa)
Purple tree (Peltogyne purpurea)
Kingwood
Cedro Espina (Pochote spinosa)
Tulipwood
Gaiakan (Tabebuia chrysantha)
Tabebuia rosea
Bocote
Jatoba (Hymenaea courbaril)
Guapinol (Prioria copaifera)

Tropical trees of Africa:

Bubinga
Ebony
Zebrano
Pink tree

Tropical trees of Asia:

Malaysian maple

They are widespread in the tropical rain forest and feed on captured insects and small animals. Among them, Nepenthes (Pitcher Plants), sundew, butterwort, and bladderwort should be noted. By the way, the plants of the lower level with their bright flowering attract insects for pollination, since in these layers there is practically no wind.

Valuable crops are grown in places where tropical forests are cleared:

mango;
bananas;
papaya;
coffee;
cocoa;
vanilla;
sesame;
sugar cane;
avocado;
cardamom;
cinnamon;
turmeric;
nutmeg.

These cultures play an important role in cooking and cosmetology. Some tropical plants serve as raw materials for medicines, in particular, anticancer.

Tropical Plant Adaptations for Survival

Any flora needs moisture. There is never a shortage of water in the rainforest, but there is often too much of it. Rainforest plants must survive in areas where there is constant rainfall and flooding. The leaves of tropical plants help deflect raindrops, and some species are armed with a drip tip designed to quickly drain precipitation.

Plants in the tropics need light to live. The dense vegetation of the upper layers of the forest allows little sunlight to reach the lower layers. Therefore, tropical forest plants must either adapt to life in constant twilight, or quickly grow upward in order to “see” the sun.

It is worth noting that in the tropics trees grow with thin and smooth bark, which is capable of accumulating moisture. Some plant species have leaves wider at the bottom of the crown than at the top. It helps you skip more sun rays to the soil.

As for the epiphytes themselves, or air plants that grow in the rainforest, they obtain nutrients from plant debris and bird droppings that land on the roots and do not depend on the poor soil of the forest. In tropical forests there are such aerial plants as orchids, bromeliads, ferns, selenicereus grandiflora and others.

As mentioned, the soil in most tropical forests is very poor and lacks nutrients. To capture nutrients at the top of the soil, most rainforest trees have shallow roots. Others are wide and powerful, as they must support a massive tree.

Rainforest Animals

The animals of the tropical forests amaze the eye with their diversity. It is in this natural area that you can meet the largest number of representatives of the fauna of our planet. Most of them are in the Amazon rainforest. For example, there are 1,800 species of butterflies alone.

In general, the tropical forest is the habitat of most amphibians (lizards, snakes, crocodiles, salamanders), predators (jaguars, tigers, leopards, pumas). All animals of the tropics have bright colors, since spots and stripes are the best camouflage in the dense jungle. The sounds of the rainforest are provided by the polyphony of songbirds. The tropical forests have the world's largest population of parrots, among others interesting birds There are South American harpies, which belong to one of the fifty species of eagles and are on the verge of extinction. No less colorful birds are peacocks, whose beauty has long been the subject of legends.

The tropics are also home to a larger number of monkeys: arachnids, orangutans, chimpanzees, monkeys, baboons, gibbons, red-bearded jumpers, and gorillas. In addition, there are sloths, lemurs, Malayan and sun bears, rhinoceroses, hippopotamuses, tarantulas, ants, piranhas and other animals.

Disappearance of tropical forests

Tropical timber has long been synonymous with exploitation and plunder. The giant trees are the target of entrepreneurs who use them for commercial purposes. How are forests exploited? The most obvious use of rainforest trees is in the furniture industry.

According to the European Commission, around one-fifth of EU timber imports are from illegal sources. Every day, thousands of products from the international wood mafia pass through store shelves. Tropical wood products are often labeled as "luxury wood", "hardwood", "natural wood" and "solid wood". Usually these terms are used to disguise tropical wood from Asia, Africa and Latin America.

The main exporting countries of tropical trees are Cameroon, Brazil, Indonesia and Cambodia. The most popular and expensive types of tropical wood that are sold are mahogany, teak and rosewood.

To inexpensive breeds tropical tree include meranti, ramin, gabun.

Consequences of tropical deforestation

In most tropical forest countries, illegal logging is common and a serious problem. Economic losses reach billions of dollars, and environmental and social damage is incalculable.

The consequences of tropical deforestation are deforestation and profound environmental changes. Tropical forests contain the world's largest . As a result of poaching, millions of species of animals and plants lose their habitat and, as a result, disappear.

According to the International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN) Red List, more than 41,000 plant and animal species are threatened, including great monkeys, such as gorillas and orangutans. Scientific estimates of species lost vary widely, ranging from 50 to 500 species per day.

In addition, logging equipment used to remove wood destroys sensitive upper layer soil, damages the roots and bark of other trees.

Production iron ore, bauxite, gold, oil and other minerals are also destroying large areas of tropical forests, for example in the Amazon.

The Meaning of Rainforests

Tropical rainforests play an important role in the ecosystem of our planet. Cutting down this particular one natural area leads to the formation greenhouse effect and, subsequently, to global warming. The largest tropical forest in the world, the Amazon, plays the most important role in this process. 20 percent of global greenhouse gas emissions are attributed to deforestation. The Amazon rainforest alone stores 120 billion tons of carbon.

Tropical forests also contain enormous amounts of water. Therefore, another consequence of deforestation is a disrupted water cycle. This in turn can lead to droughts in regional level and global changes weather conditions- with potentially devastating consequences.

The rainforest is home to unique flora and fauna.

How to protect tropical forests?

To prevent Negative consequences deforestation, it is necessary to expand forest areas, strengthen control over forests at the state and international levels. It is also important to raise people's awareness of the role forests play on this planet. Reducing, recycling and reusing forest products should also be encouraged, environmentalists say. Switching to alternative energy sources, such as fossil gas, could in turn reduce the need to exploit forests for heating.

Deforestation, including tropical forests, can be carried out without harming this ecosystem. In Central and South America and Africa, trees are cut down selectively. Only trees that have reached a certain age and trunk thickness are cut down, while young trees remain untouched. This method causes minimal damage to the forest, because it allows it to quickly recover.

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 monkeys, American monkeys are called broad-nosed monkeys. A long, prehensile tail helps monkeys climb trees deftly. The spider monkey has a particularly long and prehensile tail. Another monkey, a howler monkey, wraps its tail around a branch and holds it like a hand. The howler was named for its powerful, unpleasant voice.

Most strong predator tropical forests - jaguar. This is a large yellow cat with black spots on its skin. She Fine climbs trees.

America's other big cat is the puma. It is distributed in North America to Canada, in South America it is found in the steppes to Patagonia. The puma is yellowish-gray in color and somewhat resembles a lion (without the mane); This is probably why it is called the American lion.

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

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

Unadapted to life in freezing bodies of water, nutria, having dived under the ice, do not find a way back. At the same time, their habitats become accessible to jungle cats and jackals, which walk across the ice to the nutria nests.

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

Body armadillo is covered with a shell that slightly resembles shield . The shell consists of two layers: inside it is bone, outside it is horny - and is divided into belts, movably connected to each other.: B 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 only come out at night to hunt for prey. 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 their slowness and clumsiness. The dull greenish-gray protective coloring of the sloth reliably hides it from the eyes of the enemy in the branches of trees. The coloring of the sloth is given by green algae that live in its rough And shaggy wool. This is one of wonderful examples cohabitation of animal and plant organisms.

IN In the forests of South America, there are several species of anteaters - The average anteater, the tamandua, with a prehensile tail, is very interesting. It runs excellently along inclined trunks and climbs trees, looking for ants and other insects.

Marsupials in the forests of Brazil are represented by long-eared and water possums. The water possum, or swimmer, lives near rivers and lakes. It differs from the long-eared one in its color and membranes on its hind legs.

South America is home to many bats various types. Among them are blood-sucking leaf-nosed insects that attack horses and mules, and vampires.

Despite their ominous name, vampires eat exclusively insects and plant fruits.

Of the birds, the hoatzin is of great interest. This is a variegated, rather large bird with a large crest on its head. The hoatzin's nest is placed above the water, in the branches of trees or thickets of bushes. The chicks are not afraid of falling 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 twigs. It is curious that the adult hoatzin loses the ability to move quickly 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, in the fossil protobird (Archaeopteryx) were long fingers with claws on the wings.

There are more than 160 species of parrots in the tropical forests of South America. The most famous are the green Amazon parrots. They learn to speak well.

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

There are many different snakes in the rainforests! and lizards. Among them are boa constrictors, or boa, anaconda, reaching I m in length, and bushmaster - 4 l in length. Many snakes, due to the protective coloring of their skin, are little noticeable among the greenery of the forest.

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

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

Found in rivers of tropical America big fish — electric eel having special electrical organs. With electric shocks, the eel stuns prey and scares away its enemies.

An unusually predatory fish, piranha, 30 cm long, lives in many rivers of South America. Her strong jaws contain sharp knives and teeth. If you drop a piece of meat into the river, piranhas immediately appear from the depths and instantly tear it apart. Piranhas feed on fish and attack ducks and domestic animals that carelessly enter the river. Even such people suffer from piranha large animals like tapirs. Pisces damage lips drinking water animals. Piranhas are also dangerous to people.

IN tropical The forests contain a diverse world of insects. Very large diurnal butterflies are numerous. They are very beautifully and richly colored, varied in shape and size. There are over 700 species in Brazil day butterflies, and in Europe there are no more than 150 species.

Ants are very numerous. Penetrating into a person’s home, they eat his reserves and thereby cause significant harm. Umbrella ants live in underground galleries. They feed their larvae with fungal mold, which they grow on finely chopped leaves. Ants bring pieces of leaves to the anthill, moving along strictly constant paths.

There are many spiders in the tropical zone of South America. Among them, the largest is the tarantula spider. Its size is more than 5 cm. Its food is lizards, frogs, and insects; 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 giraffe; in the rivers there are hippopotamuses and crocodiles. The great apes are of greatest interest - gorillas and chimpanzees. The gorilla is a very large ape, males reach 2 m in height and weigh 200 kg. They live in the most remote parts of the tropical region, inaccessible to humans. forests and in the mountains. Gorillas make their dens in trees or on ground in dense thickets. Gorillas have been severely exterminated by humans and are now preserved only in two areas of tropical forests in Africa - south of Cameroon before R. Congo and the country of lakes Victoria and Tanganyika.

Chimpanzees are smaller than gorilla. An adult male is no higher than 1.5 m. They live in families, but sometimes gather in small herds. Chimpanzees climbing down from the trees walk on the ground, leaning on hands clenched into fists.

There are many species of monkeys in the tropical forests of Africa. These long-tailed small monkeys have greenish fur. Interesting are the toeless monkeys (Colobus), which lack thumb on hands. The most beautiful of these monkeys is Gveretsa. 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. For example, lemurs live on this island. Their body is covered with thick fur. Some have bushy tails. Lemur faces quicker animal than monkey; That's why they are called prosimians.

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

In some places in large quantities crocodiles have been preserved. They especially love rivers, the banks of which are overgrown with dense tropical forest. The Nile crocodile reaches 7 m in length.

The forests of Africa are home to large, up to 6 liters in length, boa constrictors - pythons.

Among the fish, the lungfish Protopterus, which inhabits muddy lakes and swamps, attracts attention. These fish, in addition to gills, have lungs with which they breathe during drought. IN The lungfish Lepidosirene lives in South America, and ceratodes live in Australia.

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

Close to apes, the gibbon is smaller in size 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.

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

big-nosed monkey. Her nose is long, almost trunk-shaped. Old animals, especially males, have significantly longer noses than young monkeys.

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

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

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

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

The tiger is a crepuscular animal; he hunts large ungulates. A tiger, if wounded by an unsuccessful shot from a hunter, ill or old, or for any reason at all, has lost the ability to hunt ungulates that constitute its main food, attacks people and becomes a “man-eater.” raquo;.

Here, tigers are found in Transcaucasia, Central Asia, Primorye and in the south of the Ussuri region.

The leopard is common 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 Primorye. We call him a leopard. Leopard attacks domestic animals; he is cunning, brave, and dangerous to humans. Black leopards are often found on the Greater Sunda Islands; they are called black panthers.

The sloth bear and the Malayan bear, the biruang, live in South Asia. Gubach- a large, heavy animal, armed with long claws, allowing it to climb trees well. Its fur is black and has a large white spot on its chest. Its large lips are mobile, they can extend into a tube, and with a long tongue from the crevices of insect trees. The sloth fish lives in tropical forests on the Indian subcontinent 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 to be the peacock, living in the wild in Java, Ceylon and Indochina.

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

The waters of South Asia are inhabited by long-snouted crocodiles, gharials. They live in the river. Ganges.

On the Malay Peninsula there is a reticulated python snake, reaching 10 m length.

There are many in the forests of India poisonous snakes, from whose bites the big number of people. The most dangerous is the cobra, or spectacled snake. It gets its name from the spots behind its head that look like glasses.

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

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

By studying the Earth's past through the fossil remains of animals that once inhabited continents and islands, scientists came to the conclusion that the composition of the fauna, that is, the animal world, was continuously changing in all geological eras. Connections arose between continents; so, for example, between Asia And North America there was a connection. Animals that inhabited Asia could penetrate into America; Therefore, in the fauna of America and Asia we still see a lot of similarities. Geological history helps to clarify some features in the distribution of animals By continents. So, leftovers marsupials are found in the ancient layers of the earth in Europe and America. Nowadays, these marsupials live only in Australia and only a few species in America. Consequently, marsupials were previously much more widespread on the globe. 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 Earth into areas characterized by animal species found only in that area.

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

On Earth, which supports a huge amount of fauna. One of the reasons for such a wide variety is the constant warmth. Tropical rain forests also contain huge reserves of water (from 2000 to 7000 mm of precipitation falls annually) and a variety of food sources for animals. Many small animals, including monkeys, birds, snakes, rodents, frogs, lizards and insects, found in tropical forests have never set foot on land. They use tall trees and undergrowth for shelter from predators and to find food.

Because there is a huge diversity of animals (40-75% of 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 fruits on branches that are too small to support the bird's weight. The beak is also used to extract fruit from trees.

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 grows on their fur and gives sloths their greenish color and also protects them from predators.

This article examines the structure of the rainforest and some of the animals that live in its layers, from the forest floor to the upper layer.

forest floor

The forest floor is the lowest layer of the rainforest, receiving only about 2% of sunlight. Thus, the plants growing here are adapted to low light conditions. Thus, the lower level of the rainforest is home to relatively large animals such as okapi, tapirs, Sumatran rhinoceroses, etc. This layer also contains a large number of reptiles, insects, etc. Organic substances (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 tropical forests Democratic Republic Congo in Central Africa. Although okapi have characteristic 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 mushrooms.

Tapir

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

Sumatran rhinoceros

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

Western gorilla

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

Undergrowth

The rainforest understory is found between the forest floor and the canopy, and it receives only about 5% of the sunlight. This level is home to a large number of small mammals, birds, reptiles and predators such as the jaguar. The undergrowth contains small trees, shrubs and grasses. As a rule, plants at this level rarely reach 3 m in height and usually have wide leaves to provide large area surfaces for .

Jaguar

(Panthera onca) - most great view 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 lives.

Tree frogs

About three species of frogs from the 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 have bright colors including gold, red, green, blue and yellow to protect them from predators. This feature is known as aposematic coloration.

South American nose

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. This 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 the Americas, as well as on the islands of the Caribbean. Although boas live in a wide range of habitats, they prefer tropical forests due to the high humidity and suitable temperature. Additionally, rainforests provide ample shelter and plenty of 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 understory and forest floor. The canopy contains most of the largest trees in the rainforest, growing up to 30-45 m in height. Broad-leaved evergreen trees dominate the canopy, making it the densest part of the rainforest. It is home to more than 20 million species and a large number of birds, as well as mammals, invertebrates and reptiles.

Jaco

Gray parrots or African gray parrots Psittacus erithacus) are medium-sized, grey-black birds common in equatorial Africa. The 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. Crowded roosting sites force toucans to tuck their beaks and tails under their bodies to save space.

Koats

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 koat species are endangered to some extent. These primates live in large groups about 35 individuals and are divided into smaller groups to search for food 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 have the body size of a small dog or large cat, and have three clawed toes on each limb.

Golden-helmed kalao

Golden-helmed kalao ( Ceratogymna elata) lives in the tropical forests of 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 ferret. The tropical forests of Central and South America are considered the homeland of kinkajou. These nocturnal animals are arboreal and have an omnivorous diet. Unfortunately, they are hunted for their valuable wool.

Upper tier

There are several in this rainforest level 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 tropical forest.

Crowned eagle

Crowned Eagle ( Stephanoaetus coronatus) is a massive and fierce carnivore common in the upper layer 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 tropical forests of Africa in countries such as Senegal, Liberia, Guinea, Sierra Leone, Guinea-Bissau and Ivory Coast. The royal colobus lives in the upper layer of the forest, but feeds Typically on land, 3 to 4 females and 1 to 3 males form one social group together.

Giant flying fox

Giant flying fox ( Pteropus vampyrus) is one of the largest bat species 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 vision to locate food sources.

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