The toucan is a bird that is known to people all over the world due to its unique huge beak. Despite the peculiarities of their structure, ornithologists currently classify these creatures as woodpeckers. This is seriously discouraging for some people. However, despite the fact that toucans and ordinary woodpeckers are completely different both in appearance and in their lifestyle, these birds are still representatives of the same order. These unique creatures got their name due to the fact that the sounds they make are somewhat reminiscent of “tokano”. In addition, this bird is known as the percieater or toko bird.

The toucan is a bird that is known to people all over the world thanks to its unique huge beak.

It is now known that toucans are capable of imitating sounds that come from frogs, lizards and even other birds. Thus, the range of calls they make is extremely wide. Long-term observation of these birds made it possible to establish that toucans are very smart and can even compete with parrots in this regard. They lend themselves well to domestication. Despite the fact that a parrot and a toucan are different birds, their maintenance is very similar. Even in northern latitudes many people have such exotic pets.

These large-beaked birds have several features that are the result of their adaptation to natural environment. Currently, 37 species of toucans have been described. The most characteristic differences between them are plumage color and size. For example, the most famous great toucan has a bright orange or yellow-red bill with a black stripe at the base and spots at the ends. The plumage around the bright blue eyes is usually yellow. The bird looks very colorful, since its entire body is covered with blue-black feathers and only on the chest and neck there is a characteristic white collar. However, in other varieties the beak may be yellow, green, bright red, blue, burgundy, and sometimes include combinations of these colors. The tail usually has a tuft of brightly colored feathers. At the same time, the color of the plumage of the bib is also very diverse. Thus, the bird always looks even too bright.

The toucan is quite large in size. The length of its body, depending on the species, can vary from 25 to 50 cm. The weight of an adult bird ranges from 200 to 500 g. The beak, which is the most remarkable part of the toucan’s body, can reach the same length as its body. This unique device for obtaining food does not cause much discomfort to the bird. The toucan's relatively small head, to which it is attached, is connected to the rest of the body by a muscular, flexible neck, which allows the bird to turn its head in any direction. It may seem that such a beak is too heavy, but this is not at all true. This bird's tool is hollow inside. This makes the beak very light yet strong. There are special serrations on the edge of the beak that prevent food from slipping out. The toucan's tongue is very long and has characteristic roughness. The tail is also long and serves as a counterweight, giving the bird the necessary balance.

Where does the toucan live (video)

Gallery: toucan bird (25 photos)

How do toucans live in nature?

The distribution area of ​​these birds is not very extensive. They are found only in warm tropical forests located in South America. A large population of them is found in the territory from southern Mexico to northern Argentina. They can inhabit both flat and mountainous areas. As a rule, these birds are not found above 3000 m above sea level. Toucans usually lead sedentary image life, since their large beaks, combined with fairly short wings, easily allow them to move between branches in a dense tropical forest, but long flights are difficult for them.

Only in rare cases do individual toucans migrate within their range. As a rule, this is due to the need to find places with a large number food. Typically, these birds lead a collective lifestyle and only keep in pairs during the mating season. This is due to the increased sociability of these creatures. Birds have developed social connections. If one of their team members falls into dangerous situation, everyone else rushes to his aid. Toucans are active only during the day, since their night vision is extremely poorly developed.

They are practically omnivores. Their diet includes:

• nuts;
• fruits;
• berries;
• insects;
• larvae and caterpillars;
• snakes;
• frogs;
• lizards.

Among other things, some toucans, during the breeding season of other birds, do everything possible to feast on their eggs and chicks. Their huge beak even allows them to steal young from the cleverly constructed hanging nests of weavers. Having found food, the bird throws it into the air and then swallows it whole. In addition, with their large beak, toucans can clear the nut pulp from inedible shells.

While eating, these unique creatures make extremely specific sounds. Since flying takes too much energy from the bird, they prefer to move by deftly jumping from one branch to another. They usually descend to the ground only to quench their thirst. The food that these birds find in the rainforest is nutritious, so they do not need to constantly scour for it.

Bird behavior during the breeding season

Toucans seek privacy only when they need to breed chicks. Typically, the breeding season for these birds falls in mid-spring. Toucans are monogamous creatures and mate for life. To renew their relationship, these birds can make characteristic guttural sounds, rub their beaks and preen each other with their feathers.

The courtship period can take several days. During this period, toucans also try to find a suitable hollow. They usually prefer those that have been hollowed out by their close relatives, woodpeckers. If necessary, they can drive out other birds that have taken the place that the pair liked. Despite the presence of a huge beak, these creatures are not capable of hollowing out hollows for themselves. If necessary, the bottom of the bird's hollow is covered with soft grass, moss or wood dust. Typically, the day after mating, the female is ready to lay eggs.

It is worth noting that before the start of the breeding season, birds need to be well fed with food of animal origin, rich in protein. Only in this case will the female be able to lay maximum quantity eggs In most cases, there are only 2 eggs in the nest. Usually there are from 1 to 4 of them in a clutch. Both partners do incubation.

The incubation period, depending on the type of toucan, lasts from 14 to 20 days. The chicks are born poorly formed. They don't even have simple down and are completely blind. Their eyes open only at 20 days of age. The mandible of chicks is smaller than the mandible. With the lower part of the beak they pick up pieces of food that their parents throw to them, thus using it as a scoop.

Both parents try to bring the chicks as much as possible more insects, frogs and lizards, so that the young can receive the nutrients necessary for active growth. Toucans feed their chicks for 7-8 weeks. After this, the chicks begin to feed on their own, but at the same time stay close to their parents. Often, in one hollow, even after the end of the breeding season, the whole family toucans. As a rule, young animals reach sexual maturity at the age of 2-3 years. After this, they leave their parents to find a suitable mate.

Toucan in its natural habitat (video)

These birds are very intelligent and easily adapt to life in captivity. They quickly get used to people and love attention. Stroking and scratching the large beak allows a person to quickly win the favor of this creature. When kept at home, birds need a spacious enclosure, a large perch and several wooden sticks. Finding a balanced diet for toucans is not very difficult.

At home they can be given:

• grape;
• pears;
• bananas;
• chopped carrots.
• persimmon;
• apricots;
• strawberries

In addition, to compensate for protein deficiency, it can be added to the toucan’s diet. rice porridge. These creatures love it, but you should not give more than 300 g of rice per day. Can be included in the diet Not large number high quality dog ​​food soaked in water. Among other things, it is necessary to install a large basin of water in the room where the toucan is kept, since these birds drink a lot and love to swim. Around 2-3 summer age toucans become capable of reproduction. In order for a couple to decide to have offspring in captivity, they need very high-quality care. When the time is right, you need to install a large log with a hollow in the cage where the birds can retire. This will allow the young to be bred in captivity.

Attention, TODAY only!

05.12.2018

Animals living in the steppe toucan. Monkeys, mangabeys, macaques and baboons

Materials from old newspapers and magazines were collected by N. NEPOMIASCHY and V. MOLOSTOV.

Everyone is well aware of the main idea of ​​Charles Darwin is that Homo sapiens descended from a monkey. Recent research by anthropologists convincingly proves that humans did not descend from arboreal apes (gorillas, chimpanzees, orangutans), but from their more late ancestor- hominid. What does modern science know about hominids? Very little. All knowledge about hominids can be collected in one article. The last mention of human encounters with giant hominid apes was described in the press in 1987. No one has encountered hominids for almost 20 years. Apparently, this species of animals became extinct, and people of the 20th century were the last witnesses of their existence on Earth.

Fly late or early evening to Kushiro Airport in eastern Hokkaido and head to Tsurui Village. We have full day wildlife viewing in the Tsurui region. Some time could be spent visiting roosting sites sometimes used by the Ural Owl. It may be necessary to visit several sites to find owls in residence, but a fairly close photograph is usually possible.

Kushiro Marsh and Tsurui Village We have a second day to photograph reddish cranes and other wildlife in the vicinity of Tsurui and Akan villages. Tsurui to Kawayu After breakfast, drive north to Kawayu. Visit Mashu Lake for breathtaking scenic photography of the beautiful lake crater in Japan, and then to Iwo Zan to photograph the steaming sulphires and hot springs. Finally, visit Lake Koussaro to photograph cygnets up close.

However, let's start from the very beginning. How does modern anthropology present the sequence of changes in animal species, the evolution of which ultimately led to the formation of Reasonable Man?

1. Paleontology of human ancestors of the “pre-ape” period. Since life on Earth arose in the ocean, then, without a doubt, the most ancient “ancestors” of man were some kind of sea animals. First, large microbes appeared on Earth that consumed mineral salts (iron and copper). Microbiologists called them mineralotrophs. Then small animals without a bone skeleton, such as jellyfish and octopuses, formed. Paleontologists believe that in the Proterozoic era (1000 million years ago), the “sea ancestor of man” was represented by some kind of trilobite about one and a half meters long. Long-term species evolution turned it into a large fish, which was widespread in the oceans of the Paleozoic era 400 million years ago. Until now, a human embryo at the age of several months has gills, the presence of which confirms the opinion about the underwater existence of our “ancestors”. Inside the mother, the human fetus is surrounded by amniotic fluid. Human “ancestors” were marine animals for about 3,300 million years, and land animals for 270 million years. The evolution of the terrestrial “ancestors” of man has the following stages: one and a half meter lizard - dinosaur (300 million years ago), dog-like creature (250 million years ago), monkey (150 million years ago), hominid (20 million years ago), man (5 million years ago ). Currently, a wealth of information has been accumulated about the period of the evolutionary transition of the arboreal ape to Homo sapiens. However, there is a complete lack of reliable paleontological information about the species diversity of human ancestors before the appearance of monkeys on the planet, that is, in the period 50–1500 million years ago.

Visit Mashu Lake if the weather was bad the previous day. The rest of the day will be spent exploring landscape opportunities around Lake Kussaro and Lake Mashu and revisiting the lakeside swan hunter site. Kavayu in Rausu. Head out after breakfast this morning to Rausu on the Shiretoko Peninsula. Weather conditions allow for a private charter boat trip into the Nemuro Channel for sea ice photography and spectacular regional East Asian endemic Steller's sea eagle and the more widespread white-tailed eagle.

2. Hominids - steppe monkeys. The first evolutionary step taken by nature in the direction of "creation" Reasonable Man(Homo Sapiens) on the planet is the gradual “transformation” of a monkey that climbs trees into a monkey that constantly walks with its feet on the surface of the earth - a hominid. The process of transformation of an ape (primate) into a hominid (Hominid) took place over 10 million years (from 30 to 20 million years ago). Scientists who collect evidence of human encounters with hominids (hominoids) are called cryptozoologists. There is an international society of cryptozoologists with its center in Paris. A large number of books and articles have been published describing the circumstances of human contact with relict hominids. Based on this information, we will describe the anatomy of the hominid and its lifestyle.

If the sea ice won't cooperate, it's likely possible to photograph eagles along the snow and ice-covered harbor wall, which is great for flying. Take two boat rides in the morning for eagles and ice. The first one is for sunrise and the second one follows immediately after the picnic breakfast. Eat lunch at Rausa or go for a picnic.

If sea ​​ice no, walk along the Shiretoko Peninsula and up to the Notsuke Peninsula to look for eagles, red fox and Japanese deer in the photo. Rausu to Tokyo departs from Rausu to Nemuro Nakashibetsu Airport for an early lunch flight to Tokyo.

3. Appearance and hominid intelligence. Hominids are large apes (more than 2 meters tall) that have adapted to walking on the surface of the Earth and have completely lost the ability to move through trees. The weight of an adult male hominid can reach up to 200 kilograms, it is covered with thick and long hair, is well developed physically, and can run fast. Hair is absent only on the palms and soles. The legs are straight, like a human's, and also thickly covered with hair. The foot is 0.5 meters long with the big toe strongly set to the side. He ate plant foods (mushrooms, berries, edible herbs, wild fruits and vegetables) and very rarely the meat of small animals (frogs, fish, birds), did not use or make stone and wooden tools, did not use fire, his intellectual level of development was insignificant higher than that of monkeys. Hominids lived in forests and mountainous areas in herds of 5–15 individuals. Hominids did not wear clothes or shoes. When hunting for animals, they do not use any tools. Hominids probably used simple tools in the form of sticks and stones. They didn't build housing. Their homes were caves, dug holes, and dens. In winter, in areas covered with snow for seven months (Siberia), hominids hibernate (like bears). The lifespan of a hominid does not exceed 30 - 40 years. It has been established that they have a family relationship.

Mongolian horses were intercontinental ballistic missiles of the thirteenth century. They carried the all-conquering Mongol warriors in half the world. Diminutive, strong, fearless, wild and incredibly tough. They are revered in Mongolian culture and have changed little over the centuries, remaining essentially free from human intervention.

Of the three million horses that inhabit the vast Mongolian steppe, the vast majority live in huge, quasi-feral herds. They live, eat and die here to survive extreme temperatures ranging from minus 40 degrees Celsius in winter to plus 30 degrees Celsius. They eat grass and little else, drink water when they find it, and are rarely given any nutritional supplements by their human compatriots.

4. The reason for the emergence of the hominid is the massive death of forests. Modern anthropology explains the emergence of a hominid from a monkey due to the frequent “training” of some monkeys in walking. Over time, walking became the predominant mode of movement for these species of monkeys, and they left the trees as their habitat forever. However, this is a misconception. Home « driving force", which caused many species of monkeys to "get out of the tree and start walking on the ground", is the death of forests over vast areas of the continents. In the period 20 - 30 million years ago, due to the cooling of the planet, drought and a decrease in concentration carbon dioxide in the atmosphere, the "forest cover" of the entire landmass of the Earth has decreased by 60%. Huge open spaces appeared in the form of steppes and savannas. The steppes 25 million years ago were overgrown with very tall grasses - up to 2 meters in height. In addition to herbs, a huge number of all kinds of flowers, berries, root vegetables (onions, garlic, beets, rutabaga) and melons (watermelon, melon, pumpkin) grew. The fauna was also extremely diverse and had specific representatives depending on the continent. The European and Asian continents were “inhabited” by elephants, rhinoceroses, wild boars, deer, elk, horses, hares, lions, tigers, wolves and other animals. At that time there was a lot of rainfall, so there were enough swamps, rivers and lakes in the steppes, where there was a lot of fish. It must be emphasized that modern steppes and savannas have a biomass hundreds of times less than 25 million years ago: modern steppe grass is stunted, dry, there are no edible roots and berries, the animal world is thousands of times poorer. All modern steppes are more like semi-deserts. Within a few hundred years, modern steppes and savannas will turn into sandy deserts, as rainfall decreases every year across the globe due to the cooling of the planet's surface. So, for the reason that in the period 20 - 30 million years ago, 60% of the forests of the continents turned into steppes, many species of the tallest and most powerful monkeys were forced to change their habitat from forest to steppe. Monkeys are arboreal animals whose habitat is forest, and their legs are completely unsuited for moving on the ground. Hominids are steppe apes, and their legs are well adapted for long walks across steppes and swamps. Previously (for example, 70 million years ago), hominids could not have arisen, since all the land was covered with forests, and the steppes simply did not exist. It is considered an established fact that the formation of the first hominids was 20 million years ago. Anthropologists are gradually coming to the conclusion that the hominid is the missing and intermediate link in the evolutionary transformation of the ape into the Intelligent Man. A hominid was first formed from a monkey 20 million years ago, and after that Homo Sapiens (genus Homo Sapiens) was formed from a hominid 5 million years ago.

Male horses are used for transportation, racing, and sometimes meat. The mares are rarely ridden, but are used for milk and breeding. Most horses are "owned" by a shepherd or family and are properly branded several times a day, much like cattle were branded.

Horses tend to seek out the same pastures throughout the seasons, so the Mongols know where to find them. They usually stay within 10 km; The drop takes several hours to complete and is sometimes simply performed with a team of two riders. Shepherds typically have four or five favorite riding horses in a herd of 25 or 30 horses, with the rest remaining a symbol of wealth and status. About four or five horses will work almost daily, sometimes all day. They also give them "gifts" to each other.

5. Books and articles about hominids. One of the books entirely devoted to the study of relict hominids is “The Riddle Bigfoot" - published in Danish in 1988. Most of it is occupied by the work of Doctor of Historical Sciences, Doctor of Philosophy B.F. Porshnev, “The Fight for the Troglodytes,” which is practically unknown to the Russian reader. Materials by Porshnev (1905-1972) were published in the magazine “Around the World” in 1988. In the period 1985 to 1995, magazines and newspapers published articles by a writer from Chita, Gennady DONETS, dealing with the problem of a relict hominid in Siberia; Lyudmila BOGOSLOVSKAYA, Doctor of Biological Sciences; Maya BYKOVA, comrade-in-arms of B.F. Porshnev, member of the council of the Association of Cryptozoologists. Many articles about the relict hominid were published by Bernard EVELMANS, a Belgian zoologist (living in Paris), chairman of the International Society of Cryptozoologists. He wrote a lot, where he provided little-known materials on the relict hominid (Kikomba) in Africa. See Figure 12. Relict hominids are called differently by different nationalities. Yeti - in the Himalayas, Almasty - in the Caucasus and Pamirs. Sasquatch is the name given to relict hominids in North America. In California, Patterson shot a short film in 1967 in which a huge hominid covered with thick hair was quickly running away. The Pamirs, Himalayas and Caucasus are far from the only regions of the planet where encounters with a relict hominid have been recorded. Hominids were driven into the mountains from the steppes in a losing competition with humans for better habitats. There are many legends and myths about the hominid. Cryptozoologists cite many stories about encounters between people living in the 20th century and hominids. These are stories about the goblin, about the ancient lord, satyr, silene, faun, Estonian forest spirit, Caucasian deva, South Slavic wolf shepherd, Scandinavian skugsman and julbok, Mordovian boy or viryava, German “moss old ladies”. There are also “wandering stories”, respecting, of course, national identity. See Figure 1, 2, 3, 4.

Children also participate in the race and as young as two years old short distances. Mongols often also put children on foals and weanlings when they begin to "break" them to work. During the day in the summer, when their mothers are milking, the foals are tied to a line where the babies play with them and interact with them. Kept from birth, they are used to being handled, so when it comes to travel, the process is very quick.

Two or three working and riding horses are hobbling, some of their legs, and the horse is walking into the distance. If the rider falls, they return again and after a few minutes, as soon as the horse accepts the rider, he rejoins his herd. Mongols ride with absolutely no fear and amazing balance.

Sketch by V. A. Khakhlov based on an eyewitness account, 1914. Eastern Tien Shan.

Mongolian horses have very stiff legs and are rarely shod. Veterinary care is also basic. They can clean the wound themselves and cut off the rotten flesh, but they cannot put the horse to rest or the equivalent, as he will starve. If it is their favorite animal, they will try and be inclined to do so, and maybe get medication from a vet if they can, but for lame horses, they leave the pain to limit the horse's movement, but should allow the horse to go out with the herd.

Mongolian riding style is very different from Western riding in the sense that they leave the horse a lot of freedom in a given situation while they perform other tasks. They don't expect to have full control of the horse, but to trust it to do its job and find the best way. So if a Western rider gets on a Mongolian horse and expects absolute control, then the Mongolian horses are essentially rebelling!

Sculpture of Silenus. Ancient Rome.

Detail of a Carthaginian dish from the 7th century BC found in Palestrina (Italy). e. Hunting scenes using chariots for wild hairy people and various animals are depicted.

Fragment of an icon from 1545 from the Solovetsky Islands. The absence of horns and hooves in hairy humanoids excludes the interpretation of their images as ordinary devils.

Between 12 and 15 hands they have short necks, short legs and are built like bricks. Their gun diameter is about eight inches. Many have conformation faults that European breeds frown on, such as hoof hocks, neck necks, or plunger profiles. Although they are classified as "horses", they are the size and shape of ponies and come in all the colors of the rainbow of horses.

Often working under 18 years of age, these extremely tough beasts are a complete contrast to the high-endurance horses that are so popular in the news today. In a landlocked country of just three million people, three million horses remain an integral part of daily life in Mongolia.

Family wild people. Africa. Drawing by traveler A. Durer.

Hominid Marked. Buryatia. Drawing by N. Potapov.

Meeting with Marked. Drawing by S. Svarchevsky.

Sasquatch killing a dog (drawing based on testimony from R. Patterson's Sasquatch brochure).

A footprint compared to a human foot. Photo by M. Donets.

In the northern part of Algeria there is a lowland coastal strip. Most of the population lives in this northern coastal region. The land rises and gives way to two mountain ranges - the Saharan Atlas Mountains to the west and the Tell Mountains to the east. These two ranges are connected by high steppe plains and hills.

South of Mount Tell lie the grasslands of the Chotta Plateau. However, higher rainfall over the Atlas Mountains means the western region is even better for grazing animals. Beneath the mountains, water carried by streams and rivers creates a series of "oases" of cities known to locals as the "Gates of the Desert."

Another hominid footprint. Photo by V. Rachinsky.

A hominid footprint compared to a matchbox.

All drawings were made by people who saw the hominid at very close range.

There are also photographs of hominid footprints, plaster casts, most often brought from abroad, which, naturally, arouse the desire to go deeper into the mountains tomorrow and... catch a creature unknown to science. See Figure 9, 10, 11. Moreover, it has already been announced in the press: the “Relic Hominid” competition invites everyone to catch the legendary animal, but if you can’t go on the expedition yourself, help with money. They also want to raise guns at border posts - after all, hominids do not know state borders... And yet we are talking about a creature that supposedly stands much closer to humans than apes, which are considered the most “intelligent” animals on the planet (within the limits of those rudiments of intelligent activity in animals that current science allows). About a creature that leads such a secret life that it is practically impossible to plan a meeting with it. A hominid is its ecological niche, which makes it impossible to plan for a human encounter with it, although such cases do occur. But what will meeting him give us?

The image of the Sahara Desert is usually one of camel trains meandering across adjacent sand dunes. However, the desert has different landscapes, such as areas of wide rocky plains, gorges, ancient river valleys and mountains. The regions north of the Ahaggar massif are less dry than the Sahara to the south. In the very south of Algeria, the land is completely barren and arid.

Endangered flora and fauna are protected in Algeria's 11 national parks and a number of nature reserves. Although animals such as elephants and giraffes would have inhabited some areas of Algeria in ancient times, today the largest mammals found here are gazelles and antelopes, as well as the rare Barbary red deer.

6. M. BYKOVA.“The relict hominid still survived to this day. This means that he accompanied man throughout his entire history. Let’s not engage in the useless task of guessing which branch of the primate tree this group of apes belongs to, and where this branch diverged from our human ancestry. Until several objects appear that can be approached - and more than once - until then the conversation will remain pointless. Meanwhile, from the time of cave fears to the present day, the image of a humanoid creature passes through the thickness of a wide variety of cultures. But it is not always perceived directly, or rather, almost never.”

Another two minutes later, another passage from paleozoology flowed smoothly from the lips of the medical scientist.

You see, dear comrades... Twentieth-century rhinoceroses, found exclusively in the East Indies, the Greater Sunda Islands and Africa, are almost completely hairless.

It is all the more amazing that their cubs are born covered with wavy hair... I told you - in the case of the monkeys that attacked us - about the symptomatic nature of this phenomenon. And the hairiness of baby rhinos is an indication that their ancestors were once covered with hair. This is what we see in our Pliocene rhinoceros.

Monkey (anthropoid, great ape) is a mammal, the closest in structure to humans, belongs to the order Primates, suborder dry-nosed primates, infraorder Simiiformes.

The origin of the Russian word “monkey” is quite interesting. Until the 16th century, the monkey in Rus' was called “opitsa” - the same as the Czechs now call it. At the same time, the Persians called the monkey “elderberry”. According to one version, Afanasy Nikitin brought this name with him from his travels and used it in his work “Walking across Three Seas.” According to another version, the monkey got its name from the word “abu zina”. At the same time, Ushakov’s dictionary clarifies that “abuzina” is translated from Arabic as “father of fornication.”

• Common chimpanzee ( Pan troglodytes)

a species of monkey whose habitat covers the forested areas of the tropics and humid savannas of the African continent, especially its western and central parts. Mature male chimpanzees reach a height of 140-160 cm, and monkeys weigh between 65-80 kg. Females weigh 40-50 kg with a height of 120-130 cm. The body of the animals is covered with very coarse, hard fur of a dark brown hue. Near the mouth and on the tailbone the fur is partially white, but the feet, palms and muzzle of the monkey are completely devoid of it. Common chimpanzees are practically omnivorous, although the main part of their diet is plant food. These monkeys happily eat nuts and fruits, sweet potato leaves and tubers, feed on mushrooms and termites, and feast on sweet honey, bird eggs and small vertebrates. It is not uncommon for a school of chimpanzees to successfully hunt red colobus monkeys (primates from the monkey family) and even young ungulates, replenishing the lack of nutrients with meat. Chimpanzee monkeys are the only primates capable of creating the semblance of tools that facilitate the process of obtaining food: they skillfully sharpen the ends of sticks and twigs, turning them into imitation spears, use palm leaves as traps for insects, and use stones in the form of projectiles.

• Pygmy marmoset ( Cebuella pygmaea)

this is the smallest monkey in the world. Adults grow up to 10-15 cm in length and weigh from 100 to 150 g. They inhabit forests South America and feed mainly on tree sap.

Reproduction of monkeys in nature

Monkeys are social animals and prefer to stay in packs, led by a dominant male and consisting of several females with offspring. Monkeys reproduce all year round and each type has individual characteristics.

Monkeys reach sexual maturity at 7-8 years of age. Some species form strong monogamous families for life. Other female species, such as capuchins, mate with multiple males and vice versa.

In such groups, there are frequent cases of infanticide, when male monkeys kill cubs born by a female from another male, because a nursing mother is not able to become pregnant.

Pregnancy of a monkey, depending on the species, lasts from 6 to 8.5 months, usually 1 baby is born, although marmosets often give birth to twins.

Breastfeeding various types monkeys have different periods, female gorillas feed their cubs with milk for up to 3.5 years and, accordingly, give birth once every 4 years. Although, some species of monkeys give birth every year.

Most female monkeys are caring and loving mothers, tenderly protecting their young. While the babies are growing up, the mother occasionally goes hunting, leaving the cub in the care of other female caregivers.

Young monkeys leave the group when they reach sexual maturity. Individuals of some species wander alone for a long time, others quickly create their own harems.

Despite the fact that monkeys are wild animals, they quickly get used to living in captivity and, with proper care, do well in zoos. These cute animals are favorites of spectators at circus performances: due to the wonderful developed intelligence They are easy to train, despite their not very submissive disposition. Some brave souls keep monkeys at home, although this usually doesn't last long. Funny animals are terrible fidgets and mischief-makers, ready to constantly be on the move and cause chaos in the owner’s home.

If you do decide to get such a pet, keep in mind: it is advisable to keep a monkey at home in a spacious cage, or it is better to allocate a separate room for its habitat in order to avoid eternal chaos in the apartment. A domestic monkey can be fed fish and chicken or turkey meat, boiled eggs and cereal grains, fresh fruit, nuts, vegetables and insects (bugs, grasshoppers, caterpillars).

Do not forget that almost all monkeys have an aggressive character, which is associated with natural instincts, and sometimes it is impossible to keep track of changes in their mood.

And one more nuance: you are unlikely to be able to train a monkey to “do its business” in a tray, so be prepared to clean up after it often, using products to remove unpleasant odors and disinfection.

• Nobody questions the intelligence of monkeys anymore. During an experiment conducted by one of the American universities, a female gorilla was taught a certain number of words from the language of the deaf and dumb, after which the animal began to communicate quite adequately with people.
• Some species of monkeys are very clean and devote a fifth of the day to caring for their appearance.
• Over the entire history of astronautics, 32 monkeys have flown into space.
• Night monkeys are the only family of primates that lead night image life. During the day they rest in the hollows of trees, and 15 minutes after sunset they actively go about their business until midnight. Then they rest again for about 2 hours and again go in search of food before dawn.
• Capuchins are rightfully considered the smartest monkeys in America. Before eating the nut, they crack the shell with stones or sharp tree branches. And before eating a frog, they wipe the mucus off it on the bark of trees.
• Spider monkeys can hang from a branch using only their tail, without using their limbs.

I have lived in the steppe all my life. In summer we have practically no rain, everything dries out. In winter there are frosts and snowstorms, everything is swept away. And, it would seem, who can live in such conditions, what living creatures can endure it? But a lot of living things are found in the steppe.

Small animals found in the steppe

There is nowhere to hide in the steppe, so they are more often found here small animals. I haven’t seen many of them in my life, but I have seen them. More often it was gophers and marmots. In the spring they crawl out of their burrows, stand like columns, bask in the sun after winter. Gophers are pests of fields; they eat green shoots in the spring and grain in the fall. In winter they go into hibernation and are invisible.

Marmots are larger and more powerful animals; they dig such large passages and multi-room chambers underground. The garbage is pulled out of the burrows, raking up decent mounds. Then they stand on these hills as if at a combat post. They whistle, warning others of danger, and everyone hides in holes. Marmots also sleep all winter and reproduce very well.

There are some other little things:

• jerboas;
• hamsters;
• voles;
• turtles;
• hedgehogs.

Larger steppe animals

Sometimes seen along the roads corsac - steppe fox . It’s not for nothing that they wrote a fairy tale about how a fox took a hut from a hare. This is exactly what the corsac does: it occupies the burrows of marmots or gophers; it is too lazy to dig itself. The corsac is a predator; it feeds on small rodents, catches birds and destroys their nests.

Foxes come (especially in winter) to the roadsides to rummage through discarded garbage, in case they find something edible. Or they eat birds hit by cars.

The corsac dog belongs to the canine family, so it can bark, whine, growl and yelp.

Previously, they were hunted and made into red hats and collars. Now they are also hunting. But less often.

In our steppe you can find hares. In winter, they strip the bark of garden trees, annoying these gardeners.

Saigas - steppe antelopes

Oh, these animals are very hardy, can cost a long time without food and water. And how did you want it in the arid steppes? They can travel long distances across the dusty and hot steppe without rest. And sometimes you can’t catch up with them; they rush at the speed of a car. Saiga antelopes can even eat wormwood and poisonous plants. They live in herds, it starts for them in the fall mating season, there is a struggle for females. The winner becomes the owner of a harem (up to 50 females), and in the spring they have offspring. Such cute little saigas with long thin legs.

A steppe is a flat area covered with grasses and shrubs. It's hot summer here and cold winter, a feature of the steppes is irregular and scanty precipitation. represented by cereals that tolerate drought and high temperatures well.

Yellow-bellied Snake

These snakes are large in size, some individuals reach 2-2.5 meters. The dorsal scales are colored dark colors, the lower part of the body has a yellow tint. The snake feeds on rodents, birds, lizards and other snakes. From November to March it hibernates. The yellow-bellied snake is not poisonous, however, if threatened, it can inflict painful bites. Natural enemies include copperheads, foxes, eagles and martens.

Kobchik

The Red Book bird is a representative of the falcon family. The body length is 28-34 cm, the wingspan is 65-75 cm. Average weight- 155. Red falcons do not build their own nests, but occupy the homes of rooks, magpies, crows and kites. Sometimes they settle in burrows and hollows. For the winter in Yuzhnaya. The diet consists of locusts, dragonflies, and grasshoppers. If there are few insects, the bird switches to rodents and lizards. The falcon has practically no natural enemies.

Giant mole rat

A mammal from the order of rodents belongs to relict animals. The size of an adult varies from 25 to 35 cm, body weight reaches one kilogram. In the process, the animals' vision atrophied. They spend their entire life in an underground burrow, constantly enlarging it. The mole rat feeds on plants, which it pulls into its burrow from the above-ground part. For the winter, he puts aside supplies in special pantries. Thanks to their secretive lifestyle, mole rats have virtually no enemies or competitors.

Korsak

The animal belongs to the canine family and resembles common fox, although inferior to it in size. Body length is 45-65 cm, weight does not exceed 6 kg. The coat color is gray or with a reddish tint. In winter, the fur is longer and fluffier. The corsac runs well and climbs trees. It does not make its own shelters, but inhabits the abandoned homes of badgers, foxes and gophers. Of all the burrows, only one is residential. The predator feeds on rodents, birds, and insects. Due to lack of food in snowy winters, animals migrate south. When in danger, foxes pretend to be dead. Natural enemies are large birds of prey and wolves.

Black lark

Birds inhabit cereal and wormwood steppes. The body length is 19-21 cm, weight - 40-60 g. Black larks make their nests on the ground, in some kind of depression. The diet consists of ants, ground beetles, locusts, spiders, centipedes and bees. The plant part of the diet consists of wild cereals. With the onset of cold weather, small flocks begin to search for food. Dangers to the black lark include foxes, ferrets, falcons, harriers and crows.

Baybak

The steppe marmot has an impressive size for rodents. The size of an adult is from 50 to 70 cm, the tail length is 15 cm. Weight Limit A fattened male can reach ten kilograms. Baibaks live in colonies in burrows. They feed on soft and juicy grasses. They do not pose a threat to agricultural land. By the end of summer, steppe marmots fatten up, and in September they hibernate. Animals do not make reserves. After waking up, they dig new holes. Natural enemies are corsacs, wolves and birds of prey.

Kulan

Kulan is a relative of donkeys, zebras and wild horses. The body length of an adult animal can reach 2 m, weight varies from 120 to 290 kg. Kulan is capable of running at a speed of 60 km/h. These live in herds; in case of danger, the leader gives a signal. Kulans are unpretentious in food, they can eat as fresh herbs, and dried cereals. In winter, in search of food, they dig through the snow with their hooves. Kulans tolerate thirst well and can drink brackish water from desert lakes. Wolves pose a serious threat.

long eared hedgehog

These smallest representatives of hedgehogs have huge ears, the length of which can be 5 cm. They protect the animal from overheating. Eared hedgehogs reach 13-30 cm in length, the weight of an adult is 250-400 g. They are active at night. Hedgehogs travel several kilometers in search of food. The diet is based on small reptiles, rodents and insects. In summer, eared hedgehogs feed on fruits, berries, vegetables and herbs. At the end of summer, the animals store fat, and by October they hibernate. U long-eared hedgehog a lot natural enemies. Since the animal does not know how to curl up into a ball, it tries to escape from predators.