Animals of the steppes (prairies) of North America. What animals live in the steppes? Pictured is an American partridge

The fauna of the prairies is very diverse. Of the invertebrates, the soil layer is home to various insect larvae (beetles, dipterans, some butterflies), certain species of ants, etc. The herbaceous layer is home to representatives of almost all orders and families characteristic of temperate latitudes. Particularly large groups of consumers of green parts of plants are: locusts, lepidoptera, various leaf-eating beetles, as well as orders and families of insects sucking juices from leaves and stems (aphids, leafhoppers, pennies, bugs, thrips).

Among vertebrates, consumers of green food also predominate, for example, prairie dogs that settle in colonies. The black-tailed prairie dog is typical of shortgrass prairies. These rodents appearance kind of intermediate between marmots and gophers. There are also ground squirrels of the same genus as in Eurasia on the prairies. Once upon a time there were huge herds of bison, close relatives of our bison. Nowadays bison are preserved in national parks. Pronghorns, which we have already mentioned, are still common in places on the shortgrass prairie. Of the birds, the common turkey from the order Gallinae is largely herbivorous and at least herbivorous. This large bird is the wild ancestor of domestic turkeys. In some places it is numerous, as it is preserved as an object of sport hunting. Turkeys stick to tallgrass prairies combined with wooded groves. A number of vertebrates (especially beasts of prey) live in the prairies, in deciduous forests and even in deserts. This interpenetration is facilitated mountainous terrain western zone with a very variegated mosaic of natural complexes.

The phytomass of the prairies varies from west to east from 150 to 1500 c/ha. In terms of productivity, tall grass prairie forests are almost as rich a biocenosis as broadleaf forests, - 100-200 c/ha per year. Shortgrass prairies have an annual productivity of 80-100 c/ha of dry organic matter.

when how species composition, and for some environmental features animal world The steppe has much in common with the animal world of the desert. Just like in the desert, the steppe is characterized by high aridity, only slightly less than in the desert. In winter, the steppe often experiences severe cold, and the living animals and plants have to adapt, in addition to high temperatures, also to low temperatures. Animals are active mainly at night in summer. Plants also adapt to unfavorable conditions. Many of them are drought-resistant or active in the spring, when there is still moisture left after winter. Of the ungulates, typical species are distinguished by acute vision and the ability to run quickly and for a long time, for example, antelopes; among rodents - gophers, marmots, mole rats and jumping species that build complex burrows: jerboas, kangaroo rats. Most birds fly away for the winter. Common: steppe eagle, bustard, steppe harrier, steppe kestrel, larks. Reptiles and insects are numerous.

The material contains information about unique types animal world. Reveals Interesting Facts about its individual representatives. Allows you to form a complete picture natural features continent.

Animals of Australia

The continent is home to almost 10% of diversity biological species Earth. Thanks to this, Australia is on the list of 17 countries in the world that can boast of their unique and rich flora and fauna.

Both the kangaroo and the emu are found in the wild only on this continent, which is why these animals are depicted on the coat of arms of Australia.

Rice. 1. Coat of arms of Australia.

The most famous animals of Australia around the world are:

• kangaroo;
• ostrich Emu;
• koala;
• dingo dog;
• camel;
• rabbit.

About 80% of the animal species found in Australia are endemic and are found nowhere else in the world.

Rice. 2. Koala.

The marine life of the green continent is as diverse as the land life.

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Near the northeastern coast lies the largest coral reef(with an area of ​​more than 344 thousand sq. km). There are also many types of mangroves and seaweed, which serve as a refuge for countless fish and the most amazing species of marine fauna.

However, there is a danger of losing the pristine state of Australia's wildlife due to human interference in natural processes. In Australia and the surrounding islands, the fauna is extremely diverse and unique. Here live unusual animals that cannot be seen anywhere else on the planet. In Australia, the originality of the landscape has been preserved, which has not been subject to change.

Most of the mainland is occupied by deserts that cannot boast of abundant vegetation. In the endless central part of the continent, people and animals are forced to spend a lot of time searching for a source of water. There is enough moisture only in areas located along the coast. This is where forests grow and where they live interesting representatives animal world.

There are several natural areas on the Australian mainland. Nature has endowed the animals and birds that live in them unique abilities. This is explained by the fact that humid, evergreen forests, savannas and deserts differ in specific climatic features.

All mammals on the continent are marsupials: mothers carry their offspring everywhere and always in a special bag, which is somewhat reminiscent of a pocket.

Rice. 3. Kangaroo.

Due to its remoteness in the old days, the tropical continent is not only unusual, but also fantastic. The whole variety of flora species and what animals live in Australia is fascinating and unique.

A continent of unique animals

The fauna of Australia is interesting and attractive for many reasons. The continent is characterized by generous sunshine and a suitable mild climate. There are practically no sharp temperature changes in this part of the planet.

The continent's shores from water element separated by mountains.

It is impossible to briefly describe the fauna of this fertile landmass. The reason is that the fifth continent is widely declared a reserve continent.

The emu is considered an exclusively Australian inhabitant. The bird is inferior in strength to its African counterpart - the rhea ostrich, but this does not cease to be less strong. The bird's legs are so developed that just one blow can cause dangerous fractures. Smaller animals that get in the path of an angry bird risk being killed.

About 2/3 of the presented species of highly developed life are endemics - inhabitants of a limited range, animals that live only and exclusively on this part of the land.

Australia is the habitat of the most dangerous and poisonous snakes on the planet. To classify snakes according to their degree of danger to humans, the venom content is compared with the venom Indian cobra. According to this parameter, Australian snakes occupy the first positions in the list of dangerous reptiles.

With the approach of civilization to the once wild lands of the mainland, its territories became a haven for a large number of animals brought by colonists and travelers. Introduced animals include rabbits, dingoes and camels.

Rabbits were brought to the continent by colonists to provide meat for the settlers. But due to the fact that their population began to grow uncontrollably, rabbits overran the entire continent.

Dingoes have evolved to become wild predators. The rash actions of the colonists and first settlers of Australia led to the fact that they disappeared forever from the ecosystem of the continent rare species ancient biological species.

What have we learned?

We found out which representatives of the local fauna are called endemic. What caused the spread of rabbits across the mainland. What caused the disappearance of some ancient species of animals that previously lived on the continent.

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In the circumpolar part North America The climate is cold, arctic, to the south it is temperate, turning into subtropical and even tropical. Natural areas are in many ways reminiscent natural areas Eurasian continent.

In the very north there are tundras, to the south - coniferous, then broad-leaved forests, but the steppes and deserts extend not from west to east, but from north to south,

Many representatives of the flora and fauna of the Old and New Worlds are similar. This is explained by the fact that relatively recently (on a geological time scale) Asia and America were connected by a giant “bridge” - Beringia, located on the site of the modern Bering Sea. Animals, birds, insects and plant germs freely migrated along this “bridge”. Later, this area of ​​land sank under water, communication was interrupted, and life on each continent began to develop independently.

In North America you can find many of “our” animals. There are brown bears, wolves, moose, red deer and reindeer. On the other hand, American forests are home to marsupial opossums, armadillos, and hummingbirds - species unique to American nature. This is the only place on Earth where you can find redwood forests - amazing coniferous tree, capable of living for more than 3,000 years and growing up to 100 meters in height. Only in American deserts do cacti grow, represented by many species, from the small ones familiar to us indoor plants to huge ones, several meters high.

In the mountains of North America live snow goats. Their favorite places- steep slopes where they feel completely safe. Not every predator is able to move here without the risk of falling into the abyss. Goats, on the other hand, move very freely, deftly jumping from rock to rock. In winter, when there is a lot of snow, they descend from high mountains lower.

Snow goats have thick, warm, pure white fur. Both males and females have horns. Kids are born in the spring. Within a few minutes after birth, they get to their feet and are able to quickly run after their mother. In the first days, the kids are not yet able to make dizzying jumps over the abyss, but it will not take much time for them to get stronger and begin to move fearlessly in the mountains.

Snow goats, like other mountain ungulates, feed on various grasses, twigs of bushes and trees, and moss.

The striped raccoon is one of the most common animals in North America. Raccoons are found in forest areas from tropical zone to Canada. In the north, raccoons are active only in summer months, in winter they fall into winter sleep. In forests, these animals stay in bodies of water: forest streams, small dams or large lakes - and rarely stray far from them. Raccoons are excellent tree climbers and excellent swimmers. They eat almost everything, but most of all they love insects, frogs and various parts of plants: seeds, fruits, nuts and berries. Sometimes I don’t mind snacking on bird eggs and chicks. Before eating, raccoons almost always rinse their food in water to soften it. This innate habit sometimes fails raccoons. If you give a captive animal a piece of sugar, it will also rinse it in water and then look at its empty paws in bewilderment.

Raccoons are crepuscular animals and come out to hunt in the evening or morning. The day is spent in hollows or rock crevices.

Raccoon raccoons, as valuable fur-bearing animals, have been acclimatized in many places in Europe, the Caucasus and the Far East.

Buffalo

The closest relative of the European bison, the bison, lives in North America. Outwardly, these animals are quite similar, but the bison has a more massive and wider front part of the body, a larger forehead, and shorter legs.

A little over a century ago, about 100 million bison lived on the American continent. Their habitats were both forests and prairies. The Indians hunted buffalo, but killed only enough for food. When the herds left, the Indians followed them.

The white colonists, trying to inflict maximum damage on the Indians, began the merciless destruction of these powerful animals. Animals were killed at every opportunity: they were shot from the windows of passing trains, they were chased on horseback. Most of the bison were killed for fun; Europeans practically did not use their carcasses. The Indians, having lost their “breadwinners,” died out or went to other places. Having destroyed the bison, the colonists populated the prairies with cows and sheep.

By the beginning of the 20th century. bison were on the verge of extinction. Only a few hundred individuals remained, miraculously surviving in the dense forests. And then people finally took up the task of saving these beautiful animals: hunting them was banned, nature reserves were created, and scientists began breeding them. Now the number of bison is stable and does not cause alarm.

A subspecies of our brown bear, the grizzly, lives in the north of the American continent. It got its name because of the color of its fur (in English, “grizzly” means “gray”). These are powerful bears, they are larger than the European subspecies and are almost identical in size to the Far Eastern brown bears. Standing on its paws, a large grizzly bear reaches a height of 3 m. The size of grizzlies is often exaggerated, but among them there are indeed giants weighing up to 600 kg. Such giants, as a rule, live in nature reserves where food can be easily found.

In national parks, grizzlies are not afraid of visitors. They are often seen calmly walking along roads and tourist sites. People are forbidden to feed bears because, once they get used to it, they become dangerous and may attack when demanding food. In conditions wildlife grizzly bears, like all brown bears, feed mainly on plant foods and invertebrates.

Noble deer

Red deer are common in Northern Eurasia and North America. There are more than a dozen of their subspecies. For example, in Siberia they are represented by deer, in Transbaikalia by wapiti, and in America by wapiti.

Wapiti are large and slender deer; the weight of males can reach 300 kg. Only males have horns, which act as tournament weapons. In autumn, males gather around themselves a harem of 2-5 females. At this time they are very aggressive, breaking small trees, ripping up the ground with their hooves and emitting a terrible roar. Fierce fights break out between males. The rivals fight with their horns, trying to knock each other down, but deaths almost never happens. The deer stand nearby, obediently awaiting the winner. With the end of the rut, the rival males, forgetting past grievances, gather in bachelor groups or live alone, and females and young animals gather in herds. At the beginning of spring, males shed their antlers, and within a few days new growth begins. Summer - fragile, skin-covered deer antlers are called antlers. They are filled with blood and rich in a variety of chemically active substances from which medicines are prepared.

In May, the female gives birth to one or two spotted fawns. For several days the babies lie in the grass, and the female grazes nearby, approaching them only to feed. The fawns remember the large white spot around the mother's tail and then always and everywhere follow it relentlessly.

Caribou

In the north of North America live wild deer, relatives of domesticated reindeer Eurasia. They are called caribou (from the Indian "xalibu", which means "snow shoveler"). Caribou are somewhat larger than their Eurasian relatives, and their horns are slightly smaller. Most of these reindeer spend the summer in the tundra, far to the north, and in the fall they gather in large herds and move south to spend the winter in the forest. They are excellent swimmers and easily cross rivers and other bodies of water. Caribou feed on grass and lichen, and in the forest they also feed on branches and leaves. The so-called forest caribou live their entire lives in the forest and almost never wander. Eskimos and other Arctic inhabitants could not live without reindeer, which provide them with meat, hides and furs.

red lynx

This agile cat with a short tail is a close relative of the common lynx, found in the forests of Canada, Europe and Asia. Unlike their feline relatives, although their habits and lifestyle are very similar, the red lynx lives in the warmer regions of North America. This solitary nocturnal predator feeds on small mammals and birds, but sometimes does not disdain carrion. During the daytime, she hides in rock crevices, tree hollows, and sometimes behind waterfalls.

The mating season begins in the spring. Lynx carry their cubs for about 9 weeks. Males do not help the female raise the cubs, and young animals become independent quite early, sometimes leaving their mother in the fall.

A couple of years ago, this animal, pursued by hunters and suffering from favorable conditions environment, was almost completely forced out of its natural places a habitat.

At one time, the ferret's main food was prairie dogs. Little predator could easily penetrate the narrow burrows of these rodents. IN last years farmers have killed so many prairie dogs that it seems black-footed ferret will now be able to find enough food to survive only in areas where the environment is protected.

Bighorn sheep

The bighorn sheep lives in the mountains and Great Plain in North America. Its skin is colored Brown color with a large white spot at the back. Males have large, heavy, spiral-twisted horns; females have smaller and lighter ones. In summer, males and females live separately from each other. In the fall they come together to mate, and the males engage in fierce battles with each other, clashing their large horns.

Bighorn sheep eat a variety of plants.

Coyote

Coyotes are one of the most common mammals in the United States. They live in deserts, snowy tundra, shady forests and vast open expanses of prairie. Just like his relative the wolf, he eats meat, but does not refuse fruits, berries, eggs and even carrion.

Coyotes live in groups that vary in size. If there is large prey in their habitat, they, like wolves, unite in large packs. If their main food consists of small rodents, coyotes live in families. The parents hunt together, using different hunting tactics. It is said that coyotes can even catch magpies and crows by pretending to be dead.

The steppes that cover the entire central part of North America are called prairies. For a long time The prairies were considered vast, lifeless territories, and only at the end of the last century did American colonists discover that this land was fertile and the fauna was rich and diverse. Thus began the development of the prairie, most of which has now turned into farms and cattle ranches.

The most numerous inhabitants of the prairies are prairie dogs - relatives of squirrels. Warning each other about danger, these rodents make barking sounds, which is why they got their name. They live in large colonies, digging complex burrows up to 5 m deep underground. Several colonies form an underground city, the population of which could previously reach tens of millions of individuals. A total prairie dogs on the prairies exceeded the entire population of our planet. So many small rodents ate a lot of grass, and farmers began to destroy prairie dogs, believing that they were harming crops. Behind a short time There are only a few million of these animals left throughout North America. In fact, prairie dogs provide great benefits - by loosening the soil, they promote better grass growth and diversity. These rodents play an important role in the ecosystem as a whole: the existence of many other animal species depends on them.

In steppe conditions, where there is nowhere to hide from predators or bad weather, prairie dog burrows serve as shelter, and sometimes permanent homes, for many species of animals. And these rodents themselves are the main food for a number of predators: badgers, black-footed ferrets, coyotes, Mexican falcons, hawks, rabbit owls, rattlesnakes. The destruction of prairie dogs led to a decline in the numbers of other animals.

Black-footed ferrets, agile predators that prey primarily on these rodents, suffered the most from the destruction of prairie dogs. For a long time, ferrets were considered completely extinct, but recently a small colony of these predators was discovered. Thanks to the efforts of scientists, they were preserved and reproduced in captivity. Now black-footed ferrets are returning to the prairies.

Coyotes - meadow wolves- live and hunt in packs. Coyotes feed not only on prairie dogs, but also on hares, badgers, birds such as prairie grouse, and carrion. Unlike wolves, they are easily tamed and can serve a person instead of a dog.

In the burrows of prairie dogs, uninvited neighbors may appear - rattlesnakes. They are called rattlers because at the end of their tail they have a rattle, or rattle, consisting of horny plates. The snake scares away enemies by shaking a rattle that makes a loud sound. These Poisonous snakes They feed on rabbits, birds and bird eggs, rodents, including prairie dogs. Therefore, if prairie dogs smell a snake in one of their passages, they will try to fence off this tunnel from the rest of the property.

Small rabbit owls breed in abandoned prairie dog burrows. Unlike other owls, rabbit owls can hunt not only at night, but also during the daytime. They are the longest-legged of all owls and move by hopping. These birds stand in columns at the entrance to their burrow and look out for prey.

Just like prairie dogs, armadillos also live in burrows. The nine-banded armadillo is the only type of armadillo found in North America. It hunts insects, amphibians, and reptiles at night, and feasts on fruits and seeds of plants. V armadillo's body and tail are covered with a shell consisting of separate stripes and scutes, which allows it to curl up into a ball in case of danger.

Once huge herds wild bulls bison and pronghorn inhabited the prairies of North America. The indigenous people - the Indians - hunted them. Animal meat was used for food, clothing was made from skins, sinews were used instead of threads and as a bowstring for farts, tools were made from bones, skins were pulled over the bones of the spine and sleds were made from them - nothing was wasted. But everything changed with the advent of Europeans, who competed among themselves to see who could kill the most bison. Hundreds of these animals were shot not for food, but for fun, leaving unnecessary carcasses to rot in the steppe. Bison and pronghorn are on the brink of extinction. Now these animals are under protection, their numbers are gradually increasing, but they are found mainly in nature reserves. Since wolves were eliminated from the prairies, bison and pronghorn have no natural enemies in nature.

This separate family artiodactyls. They got their name because of their forked horns. Pronghorns gather in large herds, and during the breeding season, the herds break up into separate groups: a male and several females. Pronghorns are excellent runners, capable of reaching speeds of up to 95 km/h.

Large herbivores are not the only ones affected by human activity. Meadow and steppe grouse, as well as wild turkeys, became easy prey. Wild turkeys are significantly larger than grouse. These large birds rarely fly, preferring to move on the ground.

Huge herds of bison left traces of their presence on the Great Plains - “buffalo pits”. In the summer heat, bison rolled in the mud to cool down and protect their bodies from insects. Small pits were formed, which were deepened and expanded by several generations of bulls. When it rains, these pits fill with water, providing shelter a large number waterfowl that visit the Great Plains annually, migrating from south to north. “Buffalo pits”, ditches and swamps in the prairies - the temporary habitat of brown pelicans and Canada geese wild ducks and geese.

Among the grasses of the savannah. In the savannah there are periods of drought when there is a shortage of food. Then numerous herds of animals go in search of more favorable conditions. These migrations can last for weeks, and only the hardiest animals manage to reach their goal. The weaker ones are doomed to die.

The savannah climate favors the growth of tall and lush grass. Trees, on the contrary, are rare here.

Baobab not so much tall tree, however, the diameter of its trunk can reach 8 meters.

The African buffalo, along with the hippopotamus, is considered one of the most dangerous animals in Africa. Indeed, if a buffalo is wounded or feels danger to itself or its cubs, it does not hesitate to attack the aggressor and kill him with its powerful horns. Even the lion tries to avoid meeting him, as he is not sure of the outcome of the battle. Therefore, only buffaloes that have strayed from the herd, or old and sick animals that are unable to defend themselves, are attacked by predators.

Zebra.

The zebra skin is original and easily recognizable. At first glance, all zebras seem the same, but in fact, each animal has its own stripe pattern, like human fingerprints. Countless attempts have been made to domesticate zebras (domesticate them like horses), but they always end in failure. The zebra does not tolerate riders or other loads on its rump. She is very shy and difficult to approach even in nature reserves.

Zebras lack horns and other means of defense and flee from predators. Once surrounded, they defend themselves with their teeth and hooves.

How to spot predators? Zebras' vision is not very sharp, so they often graze next to other animals, such as giraffes or ostriches, which are able to notice the approach of predators earlier.

A pursued zebra can travel at speeds of 80 kilometers per hour, but not for long.

You can spill the stripes on a zebra's skin different kinds zebra The stripes on the croup are especially significant in this sense.

A lion.

Leo prefers open spaces, where he finds coolness in the shade of rare trees. For hunting, it is better to have a wide view in order to notice herds of grazing herbivores from afar and develop a strategy on how best to approach them unnoticed. Outwardly, it is a lazy beast that dozes and sits around for a long time. Only when the lion is hungry and forced to pursue herds of herbivores or when he must defend his territory does he emerge from his stupor.

Lions do not hunt alone, unlike cheetahs and tigers. As a result, all members of the lion family live together for a long time and the grown lion cubs are not expelled from it, unless the conditions in the hunting territory become critical.

Usually a group of females goes hunting, but males rarely join them. The hunters surround the prey, hiding in the tall grass. When the animal notices the danger, it panics and tries to escape at a gallop, but more often than not it falls into the clutches of other hidden lionesses that it has not noticed.

A characteristic feature of a lion is a thick mane in males, which is not found in other representatives of the cat family.

A lioness usually gives birth to two cubs. To become adults, they need about two years - all this time they adopt the experience of their parents.

A lion's claws can reach 7 cm.

Giraffe.

In an effort to survive, all animals have evolved to provide their species with sufficient food. The giraffe can feed on tree leaves that other herbivores cannot reach: thanks to its six-meter height, it is taller than all other animals. A giraffe can take food from the ground, as well as drink water, but to do this, it must spread its front legs wide apart in order to bend over. In this position, he is very vulnerable to predators, because he cannot immediately rush to flight.

The giraffe has a very long, thin and soft tongue, adapted for plucking acacia leaves. The lips, especially the upper ones, also serve this purpose. The giraffe picks off leaves growing at a height of two to six meters.

The most favorite food of giraffes is tree leaves, especially acacia; its thorns apparently do not bother the animal.

Giraffes live in herds, divided into two groups: one with females and their young, and the other with males. To win the right to become leaders of the herd, males fight by striking their heads with their necks.

When running, the giraffe is not very fast or agile. When running away from an enemy, he can only count on a speed of 50 kilometers per hour.

The cheetah's "secret weapon" is its flexible body with a strong spine, curved like the arch of a bridge, and powerful clawed paws that allow it to rest firmly on the ground. This is the fastest animal African savannah. No one can imagine an animal running faster than a cheetah. In short moments, he reaches speeds of over 100 kilometers per hour, and if he didn’t get tired quickly, he would be the most a terrible predator Africa.

The cheetah prefers to live in small groups of two to eight to nine individuals. Typically such a group consists of one family.

Unlike other members of the cat family, the cheetah's claws never retract, just like dogs. This feature allows the animal not to slip on the ground when running; Only the claw of the thumb does not touch the ground.

The cheetah climbs trees and surveys the savanna from above to discover herds of grazing herbivores that could become its prey.

The skin of a cheetah is not always covered with spots; sometimes they merge, forming stripes, like the king cheetah.

The long tail serves as a rudder - it can quickly change the direction of running, which is necessary when chasing a victim.

Elephant.

The African elephant was threatened with extinction both because of hunting, to which it became a victim at the beginning of the 20th century, since there was a great demand for ivory products (from tusks), and because of important changes made by man in its habitat. Now elephants live mainly in giant national parks, where they are studied by zoologists and protected by guards. Unfortunately, this is not enough to stop elephants from being killed by poachers. The situation is different with Indian elephant, which has never been in danger since man has used it in various jobs for centuries.

The African elephant is different from the Indian elephant. It is larger, its ears are larger, and its tusks are much longer. IN South-East Asia elephants are domesticated and used for various jobs. African elephants They cannot be tamed due to their more independent nature.

Like the giraffe, the elephant prefers to eat tree leaves, which it plucks from the branches with its trunk. It happens that he knocks down an entire tree to the ground to get food.

Tusks and trunks are two of the elephants' miraculous survival tools. The elephant uses its tusks to protect itself from predators and uses them during drought to dig up the ground in search of water. With a very mobile trunk, it picks off leaves and collects water, which it then puts into its mouth. The elephant loves water very much and, at the first opportunity, climbs into a pond to freshen up. He swims great.

The elephant willingly hides in the shade because its huge body has difficulty cooling down. For this purpose they serve huge ears, which he rhythmically fans himself to cool off.

Just as children hold their mother’s hand, so baby elephants walk holding the elephant’s tail with their proboscis.

Ostrich.

The natural environment in which the ostrich lives determined the final adaptability of this bird, the largest of all: the ostrich's mass exceeds 130 kilograms. Long neck increases the ostrich's height to two meters. A flexible neck and excellent vision allow him to notice danger from afar from this height. The long legs give the ostrich the ability to run at speeds of up to 70 kilometers per hour, usually fast enough to escape predators.

The ostrich prefers open spaces where it can see everything from afar and there are no obstacles for running.

Ostriches do not live alone, but in groups of varying numbers. While the birds are looking for food, at least one stands guard and looks around the area to spot enemies, primarily cheetahs and lions.

The ostrich's eyes are surrounded by long eyelashes, which protect them from both the African sun and dust raised by the wind.

Ostriches build a nest in a small depression, digging it into sandy soil and covering it with something soft. The female incubates the eggs during the day because her gray color blends well with environment; the male, with predominantly black feathers, incubates at night.

Females lay from three to eight eggs in a common nest, and each of them takes turns incubating the eggs in turn. One egg weighs more than one and a half kilograms and has a very strong shell. Sometimes it takes a baby ostrich a whole day to break the shell and hatch from the egg.

The ostrich's beak is short, flat and very strong. It is not specialized for any special food, but serves to pluck grass and other vegetation and grab insects, small mammals and snakes.

Rhinoceros.

This huge pachyderm lives in both Africa and South and Southeast Asia. There are two species of rhinoceroses in Africa, distinct from the Asian ones. African rhinoceroses have two horns and are adapted to habitats characterized by large spaces with very few trees. The Asian rhinoceros has only one horn and prefers to live in forest thickets. These animals are on the verge of extinction because they are ruthlessly hunted by poachers for their horns, which are in high demand in some countries.

Despite its mass, the African rhinoceros is very mobile and can make sharp turns while running.

A female rhinoceros usually gives birth to one calf every two to four years. The baby stays with his mother for a long time, even when he grows up and becomes independent. Within an hour, a newborn calf can follow its mother on its own legs; moreover, it usually walks either in front of her or on the side. It feeds on mother's milk for a year, and during this time its weight increases from 50 to 300 kilograms.

Male rhinoceroses, like many other animals, fight for the right to become the leader. At the same time, they use the horn as a stick, that is, they hit with the side, and not with the tip. It may happen that during a single combat the horn breaks, but then it grows back, albeit very slowly.

A rhinoceros's eyesight is poor; it sees only close up, like a nearsighted person. But he has the finest sense of smell and hearing; he can smell food or an enemy from afar.

A rhinoceros horn can reach a length of 1.5 meters.