Flora and fauna of South America. Flora of South America (photo)

South America is the fourth largest continent and lies in the southern hemisphere. Five climatic zones determine the characteristics of the flora and fauna: equatorial, subequatorial, tropical, subtropical and temperate; most of the continent has a warm climate.

The plant and animal worlds are very rich, many species are found exclusively here. South America is a record holder in many ways; the longest and longest river flows here. deep river in the world, the Amazon, the longest Andes mountain range, the largest mountain lake Titicaca, is the rainiest continent on earth. All this significantly influenced the development of wildlife.

Nature different countries South America:

Flora of South America

The flora of South America is rightfully considered the main wealth of the continent. Such well-known plants as tomatoes, potatoes, corn, chocolate trees, and rubber trees were discovered here.

Wet tropical forests The northern part of the continent still amazes with its richness of species, and today scientists continue to discover new plant species here. In these forests there are different types palm, melon tree. There are 750 species of trees and 1,500 species of flowers per 10 square kilometers of this forest.

The forest is so dense that it is extremely difficult to move through it; vines also make movement difficult. A characteristic plant for the tropical forest is the ceiba. The forest in this part of the mainland can reach a height of more than 100 meters and is distributed into 12 levels!

To the south of the jungle there are variable-humid forests and savannas, where the quebracho tree grows, which is famous for its very hard and very heavy wood, valuable and expensive raw materials. In savannas, small forests give way to thickets of cereals, shrubs and tough grasses.

Even further south are the pampas - the South American steppes. Here you can find many types of grasses, common to Eurasia: feather grass, bearded grass, fescue. The soil here is quite fertile, since there is less rainfall and it is not washed away. Shrubs and small trees grow among the grasses.

The south of the mainland is a desert, the climate there is more severe, and therefore the vegetation is much poorer. Shrubs, some types of grasses and cereals grow on the rocky soil of the Patagonian desert. All plants are resistant to drought and constant weathering of the soil, among them are resinous chañar, chukuraga, and Patagonian fabiana.

Fauna of South America

Animal world, like the vegetation, is distinguished by its enormous richness; many species have not yet been described or qualified. The richest region is the Amazonian jungle. It is here that you can find such amazing animals as sloths, the smallest birds in the world, hummingbirds, a huge number of amphibians, including poisonous frogs, reptiles, including huge anacondas, the world's largest rodent, the capybara, tapirs, jaguars, river dolphins. At night, the ocelot, a wild cat that resembles a leopard but is found only in America, hunts in the forest.

According to scientists, the jungle is home to 125 species of mammals, 400 species of birds and an unknown number of species of insects and invertebrates. Rich and water world Amazon, its most famous representative is predatory fish piranha. Other famous predators are crocodiles and caimans.

The savannas of South America are also rich in fauna. Here you can find armadillos, amazing animals covered with plates - “armor”. Other animals that can only be found here are anteaters, rhea ostriches, spectacled bears, pumas, and kinkajou.

In the pampas of this continent there are deer and llamas that live on open spaces, and which can find here the herbs that they feed on. The Andes have their own special inhabitants - llamas and alpacas, whose thick wool saves them from the high mountain cold.

In the deserts of Patagonia, where only tough grasses and small shrubs grow on rocky soil, mainly small animals, insects, and various types of rodents live.

South America includes the Pacific Galapagos Islands, which are home to amazing turtles, the largest representatives of the family on earth.

Deserts in South America occupy small areas and are located in the coastal strip of Chile and Peru, as well as along the southeastern coast of the Patagonian Plateau in Argentina. The Peruvian-Chilean deserts (Atacama, Sechura), located approximately between 4 and 29 south latitudes, stretch for more than 3 thousand km and occupy 1.3 of the Pacific coast. The formation of the Peruvian-Chilean deserts is due to the following factories. The South Pacific High causes a constant current of wind towards the coast. In the eastern part of this anticyclone the winds blow very great strength, which causes a noticeable temperature inversion at altitudes from 300 to 1500 m above sea level. The air over this inversion zone is dry, and as a result of this dryness and territorial inversion, the amount of precipitation is very small. Cold Peruvian Current of the Pacific Ocean. This current explains the temperature inversion in the atmosphere. Air in contact with water cools faster than at high altitudes. An anomaly is created: a thick layer of cold air is located below the warm layers. At an altitude of 3000 to 9000 m, a thick layer of clouds, up to 400 m thick, is formed, preventing the warming of the surface layers of the atmosphere. Moisture in the air condenses over northern Chile and over the central 500 km long Peruvian coastline, where thick fogs form. Fogs, in turn, reduce solar radiation and water evaporation decreases, especially during the winter months. The Andes are a powerful barrier to movement air masses, forms over the Pacific and Atlantic oceans.

The narrow coastal deserts of Peru and Chile form an elongated corridor stretching from north to south, sandwiched between the coasts of the Pacific Ocean and the giant wall of the majestic Andean ranges. Relief coastal strip and the western slope of the Andes is extremely complex. In the Peruvian-Chilean deserts, wind activity has become widespread. Aeolian landforms are represented mainly by single dunes (dunes) and their chains. The soil cover of the Peruvian coastal deserts consists of alluvial soils (5%), lithogenic soils (65%), rocky soils (25%), red desert soils and black clay soils (5%). All these soils are usually thin and low in humus. In the deserts of Chile, there are mainly 3 types of soils: skeletal soils of mountains and plains, modern alluvial soils of temporary stream beds and other nitrogen soils.

Atacama Desert- the largest of the deserts located in the zone of the closest deserts of the South American continent [Fig. 15.] It is a vast highland, gradually rising from 300 m on the Pacific coast to 9500 m at the foot of the Andes.

Fig. 15.

On the coast average temperature January up to 20, July - up to 15, in Atacama, respectively, slightly higher - plus 22 and lower - plus 11. Precipitation does not fall annually, and its total quantity ranges from 10 to 50 mm per year. A narrow strip of coastal desert receives some moisture from thick fog. There are areas in the desert where precipitation has never been recorded. On the slopes of the coastal ridges, people collect water from the fog. The soils are poorly developed (salt crusts, etc.). The distribution of plant associations by height and distance from the coast is determined by humidity conditions, which depend not on precipitation in the form of rain, but on the intensity and frequency of fogs. From the coast to altitudes of 200 m above sea level, fog forms only at night and early in the morning, and in this coastal zone the conditions for plant growth are especially extreme in terms of moisture deficiency. As you ascend into the mountains, the frequency and intensity of fogs gradually increases, and at altitudes of 100 m or more, first blue and blue-green algae appear, and then bushy shrubs, and crustose lichens on the rocks. The belt of ephemerals and ephemeroids begins at an altitude of 200 m. Finally, at altitudes of 500-700 m, fogs reach a maximum: at winter period a damp blanket of fog lies on the slope almost around the clock. Representatives of the nightshade, clove, iris, and mallow families grow here. The tree-shrub layer is very sparse (acacia, whitish carica). Babaev A.G.

Patagonian desert. The vast and bleak desert extends along the Atlantic Ocean to 1600 km, from 39 to 53 northern latitudes, occupied by the Patagonian Plateau at an altitude of 600-800 m over an area of ​​400,000 square meters. km. [Fig. 16.] This is the only coastal desert in high latitudes.

Fig. 16.

Average monthly temperature warm month Patagonian desert - January - about 20 with an absolute maximum of up to 40. Winters in general, despite the mildness and positive temperatures, are very harsh. In severe frosts, the temperature can drop to -21. Water resources limited, stocks groundwater significant.

The soil cover is represented mainly by poorly developed desert rocky soils. Saline soils, even salt marshes, occupy drainage depressions. The Patagonian deserts lie in temperate zone, and in relatively more humid areas, a sparse grass cover is formed, with the dominance of feather grass, fescue, bluegrass, and bromegrass. However, in most places the cover is very sparse, with bare gravelly soil lying between individual specimens. Azorella, mulinum, etc. are found here. Animals found here are: long-haired armadillo, mara, (pig family) or Patagonian hare, rodents, wild llama (the only ungulate of Patagonia), Patagonian fox, birds (nandus ostriches), lizards (mostly iguanas) and others. Zaletaev V.S.

South America is a continent whose fauna is incredibly rich and diverse. What animals live in South America and what plants grow there... want to know?

South America – ranks 4th in size among other continents globe. Every continent has something unique and unique, and South America is no exception.

Even a seasoned traveler has something to be surprised by; there are tropical rainforests, savannas and the Andes. This is a place of contradictions: Tierra del Fuego between Chile and Argentina is located in the cold Atlantic Ocean, the dusty steppes of Pampa stretch through Uruguay and Argentina, the majestic Andes with green valleys and coffee plantations rise from the west, in the north of Chile there is the Atacama Desert, which is the driest place on Earth, and in Brazil in In the area of ​​the Amazon River there are thickets of impenetrable jungle.

Andean fauna

The animals of South America are astonishingly diverse, as are its landscapes.

The longest mountains on the planet are the Andes; they are about 9 thousand kilometers long. These mountains are in different belts: in temperate, two subequatorial, equatorial, subtropical and tropical, therefore, in the Andes there are more plants growing and a variety of animals are found.

In the lower tier equatorial forests Deciduous and evergreen trees grow, and at an altitude of 2500 meters there are cinchona trees and coca bushes. Cacti and vines grow in subtropical zones. In the Andes there are many valuable plants such as potatoes, tomatoes, tobacco, coca, and cinchona trees.

The Andes are home to more than 900 species of amphibians, 1,700 species of birds and 600 species of mammals, which are not found in large flocks because they are separated by densely growing trees. Bright colors live in the forests large butterflies and big ants. Nests in dense forests large number birds, the most common are parrots, in addition there are many.

To the fauna of the Andes negative impact had the activity of people. Many condors used to live here, but today they are preserved in only two places: Sierra Nevada de Santa Marta and Nudo de Pasto.

is the largest flying bird on the West Coast. It has shiny black plumage and a collar of white feathers around its neck. A white border runs along the wings.

Female condors are much larger than males. Puberty in these birds it occurs at 5-6 months. They build nests on rocky cliffs at an altitude of 3-5 thousand meters. A clutch most often contains 1-2 eggs. Among birds, condors are long-lived, as they can live for about 50 years.

Became a symbol of several states at the same time Latin America: Bolivia, Argentina, Colombia, Peru, Chile and Ecuador. In the culture of the Andean peoples, these birds play an important role.

But, despite this, in the twentieth century the number of these big birds decreased significantly, so they were included in the International Red Book. Today, condors are classified as a threatened species.

It is believed that the main reason for the degradation of condors was anthropological factors, that is, the landscapes in which these birds lived changed. They are also poisoned by the carcasses of animals that people shoot. Among other things, until recently, condors were deliberately shot, as there was a misconception that they pose a threat to domestic animals.

Today, several countries have organized programs for breeding condors in captivity, with their subsequent release into the wild.

Unusual islands of Lake Titicaca

Unique animals live not only in the Andes, but also in the areas of Lake Titicaca. Only here you can meet the Titicaca whistler and the wingless great grebe.

The Titicaca whistler is a frog endemic to Lake Titicaca.

Lake Titicaca is unusual for its floating Uros islands. According to legend, small tribes of Uros Indians settled on floating islands several thousand years ago in order to separate themselves from other peoples. These Indians themselves learned to build islands out of straw.

Each Uros island is formed from several layers of dry reeds, while the lower layers are washed away over time by the current, but the upper layers are constantly renewed. The islands are springy and soft, and water seeps through the reeds in some places. The Indians build their huts and make balsa de totora boats, also from reeds.

The Great Great Grebe is a bird that visits Lake Titicaca from time to time.

Today there are approximately 40 floating Uros islands on Lake Titicaca. Moreover, on some islands there are observation towers and even solar panels to generate energy. Excursions to these islands are very popular among tourists.

Animals endemic to South America

Pudu deer are found exclusively in South America. These deer are small in height - only 30-40 centimeters, body length reaches 95 centimeters, and weight does not exceed 10 kg. These deer have little in common with their relatives: they have short straight horns, small oval-shaped ears with fur, and a gray-brown body color with fuzzy white spots.

The main area of ​​the vast territory of the South American mainland extends in equatorial-tropical latitudes, so it does not feel a lack of sunlight, although the climate of this part of the world is not at all as hot as Africa.

It is the wettest continent on the planet, and there are many natural reasons for this. The difference in pressure between warm land and the ocean environment, currents off the coast of the continent; The Andes mountain range extends across a huge part of its territory, blocking the path of westerly winds and contributing to increased humidity and significant amounts of precipitation.

The climate of South America is extremely diverse, because the continent extends through six climatic zones: from subequatorial to temperate. Along with areas of fertile nature, there are areas known for mild winters and cool summers, but famous for frequent rain and winds.

In the center of the continent there is much less precipitation. And the highlands are distinguished by clean, dry air, but a harsh climate, where the bulk of the heavenly moisture falls, even in the summer months, in the form of snow, and the weather is capricious, constantly changing throughout the day.

A person does not survive well in such places. Naturally, the vicissitudes of the weather also affect other organisms living there.

It is not surprising that given natural features, the world of fauna is incredibly diverse and rich. List of animals of South America is very extensive and impressive with its individual bright features of organic life that has taken root in this territory. It includes many beautiful and rare species of creatures that amaze with their fantastic originality.

What animals are in South America live? Most have adapted perfectly to existence in harsh conditions, because some of them have to endure the discomfort of tropical downpours and survive in the highlands, getting used to the characteristics of savannas and subequatorial forests.

The fauna of this continent is amazing. Here are just some of its representatives, the diversity of which can be seen at photo of animals of South America.

Sloths

Interesting mammals– the inhabitants of forests are known throughout the world as very slow creatures. The peculiar animals are closely related to armadillos and anteaters, but purely outwardly they have little resemblance to them.

Number of sloth species included animals endemic to South America, only about five. They are united into two families: two-toed and three-toed sloths, which are quite similar to each other. They are half a meter tall and weigh about 5 kg.

Remind external features the appearance of an awkward monkey, and their thick, shaggy hair looks like a haystack. It's interesting that internal organs These animals differ in structure from other mammals. They lack hearing and visual acuity, their teeth are underdeveloped, and their brain is quite primitive.

The animal in the photo is a sloth

Armadillos

Fauna of South America would be significantly poorer without mammals. These are the most unusual animals among the edentates, a group that includes sloths.

The animals are dressed by nature in something similar to chain mail, as if clad in armor, girded with hoops consisting of bone plates. They have teeth, but they are very small.

Their vision is not well developed, but their sense of smell and hearing are quite acute. When feeding, such animals grab food with their sticky tongue, and are able to bury themselves in loose soil in the blink of an eye.

Pictured is an armadillo

Ant-eater

Scroll South American animal names wouldn't be complete without this amazing creation, How . This is an ancient, outlandish mammal that existed back in the early Miocene era.

These representatives of the fauna inhabit the territories of savannah and rain forests, also live in swampy areas. They are divided by scientists into three genera, differing in weight and size.

Representatives of the genus of giants weigh up to 40 kg. They, like members of the genus of large anteaters, spend their lives on the ground and cannot climb trees. Unlike relatives, pygmy anteaters, skillfully moving along trunks and branches with the help of clawed paws and a prehensile tail.

Anteaters do not have teeth, and spend their lives searching for termite mounds and anthills, absorbing their inhabitants with the help of a sticky tongue, thrusting their long nose. An anteater can eat several tens of thousands of termites per day.

The animal in the photo is an anteater

Jaguar

Among South American forest animals, a dangerous predator that kills in one leap, is. It is precisely in his dexterous, lightning-fast ability to kill his victims that the meaning of the name of this beast, translated from the language of the indigenous inhabitants of the continent, lies.

The predator is also found in shrouds and belongs to the panther genus, reaches a weight of just under 100 kg, has a spotted color like a leopard, and has long tail.

Such animals live in the north and central parts of America, but are found in Argentina and Brazil. And in El Salvador and Uruguay some time ago they were completely exterminated.

In the photo there is a jaguar

Mirikina monkey

American monkeys are endemic, and differ from their relatives living on other continents by a wide partition separating the nostrils of these animals, for which many zoologists call them broad-nosed monkeys.

This type of creature inhabiting mountain forests includes the Mirikina, otherwise called durukuli. These creatures, which are about 30 cm tall, are notable for the fact that, unlike others, they lead an owl-like lifestyle: they hunt at night, seeing perfectly and orienting themselves in the dark, and sleep during the day.

They jump like acrobats, eat small birds, insects, frogs, fruits and drink nectar. They know how to publish huge number interesting sounds: dog barks, meows; roar like jaguars; chirping and chirping like birds, filling the darkness of the night with devilish concerts.

Monkey Mirikina

Titi monkey

It is not known exactly how many species of such monkeys exist in South America, since they have taken root in impenetrable forests, whose wilds cannot be fully explored.

Appearance Titi resemble mirikin, but have long claws. During the hunt, they guard their prey on the branch of a tree, tucking their arms and legs together, and lowering their long tail down. But in right moment in the blink of an eye they deftly grab their victims, be it a bird flying in the air or running along the ground, living creature.

Pictured is a titi monkey

Saki

These monkeys live in the forests of the interior regions of the continent. They spend their lives on the tops of trees, especially in areas of the Amazon that are flooded with water. for a long time because they cannot tolerate dampness.

They jump on branches very deftly and far, and walk on the ground on their hind legs, helping themselves to maintain balance with their front legs. Zoo workers, observing these animals, noticed their habit of rubbing their own fur with pieces of lemon. And they drink by licking the water from their hands.

White-faced saki

Uakari monkey

Close relatives of the saki, living in the Amazon and Orinoco river basins, are known for the shortest tail among the continent's monkeys. These peculiar creatures, classified as endangered species and rare animals of South America, have red faces and a bald forehead, and with their lost and sad expression on their faces they look like an old person, confused in life.

However, appearances are deceptive, because the character of these creatures is cheerful and cheerful. But when they are nervous, they smack their lips noisily and shake the branch they are on with all their might.

Uakari monkey

Howler

South American harpy bird

Titicaca whistler frog

Otherwise, this creature is called a scrotum due to the flabbiness of its skin, hanging in folds. She uses her fancy skin for breathing, since her lungs are small in volume.

This is the most big frog in the world, found in the reservoirs of the Andes and Lake Titicaca. Some specimens grow up to half a meter and weigh about a kilogram. The back color of such creatures is dark brown or olive, often with light spots, the belly is lighter, creamy-gray.

Titicaca whistler frog

American manatee

A large mammal that inhabits the shallow waters of the Atlantic coast. Capable of living also in fresh water bodies. Average length is three or more meters, weight in some cases reaches 600 kg.

These creatures are painted in rough gray, and their forelimbs resemble flippers. They feed on plant foods. They have poor eyesight and communicate by touching their muzzles.

American manatee

Amazonian inia dolphin

The largest of the. His body weight can be 200 kg. These creatures are dark in color and sometimes have a reddish skin tone.

They have small eyes and a curved beak covered with tinny bristles. No more live in captivity three years and are difficult to train. They have poor eyesight, but a developed echolocation system.

Inia river dolphin

Piranha fish

This aquatic creature, famous for its lightning-fast attacks, received the title of the most voracious fish on the continent. Having a height of no more than 30 cm, she mercilessly and brazenly attacks animals and does not hesitate to feast on carrion.

The body shape is like a rhombus, laterally compressed. Usually the color is silver-gray. There are also herbivorous species of these fish that feed on vegetation, seeds and nuts.

Pictured is a piranha fish

Giant arapaima fish

According to scientists, the appearance of this ancient fish, a living fossil, has remained unchanged for millions of centuries. Some individuals, as local residents of the continent say, reach four meters in length and weigh 200 kg. True, ordinary specimens are more modest in size, but they are valuable commercial fish.

Giant arapaima fish

Electric eel

The most dangerous big fish, having a mass of up to 40 kg, found in the shallow rivers of the continent and having a fair share of human casualties.

Capable of emitting electric charge of great power, but feeds only on small fish. It has an elongated body and smooth, scaly skin. The color of the fish is orange or brown.

Electric eel fish

Agrias claudina butterfly

The most beautiful tropical forests with a wingspan of rich colors, bright wings of 8 cm. The shape and combination of shades depends on the subspecies of the described insects, of which there are about ten. It is not easy to see the butterfly, as they are rare. It's even harder to catch such beauty.

Agrias claudina butterfly

Nymphalid butterfly

With wide, medium-sized wings, bright and variegated colors. Its lower part usually merges with environment against the background of dry leaves. These insects actively pollinate flowering plants. Their caterpillars feed on grass and leaves.

Nymphalid butterfly

South America is a continent located in the Western Hemisphere of our Planet. It is crossed by the Equator line and divides this continent into two parts. One part (the largest) belongs to the Southern Hemisphere, and the second (the smallest) belongs to the Northern Hemisphere.

The mainland ranks 4th among the continents in terms of its area - 17,840,000 km². On its territory, including adjacent islands, there are 15 states, three of which are dependent. By clicking on the link, you can see a detailed list of South American countries in a table with capitals and characteristics. The population is approximately 400 million people.

In the west, the continent is washed by the Pacific Ocean, in the east by the Atlantic Ocean, and in the north by the Caribbean Sea, which is the border between North America and South America.

Extreme points of the continent of South America

Northern point - Cape Gallinas is located in Colombia on the Caribbean Sea.

Southern (mainland) point - Cape Froward is located in Chile on the Brunswick Peninsula on the shores of the Strait of Magellan.

Southern (island) point – Diego – Ramirez – the most southern point America and Chile, which consists of a group of islands covering an area of ​​just over one square kilometer.

The western point, Cape Parinhas, is located in Peru.

The eastern point is Cape Cabo Branco, located in Brazil.

Relief of South America

The continent of South America is divided by relief into the Mountain West and the Plain East.

The Atacama Desert is located in Chile and is the driest place on our Earth. There are places in the desert where rain falls once in several decades. The air humidity is the lowest here. The only vegetation found is cacti and acacias.

The western part of the continent consists of mountain system The Andes, stretching across seven states of South America, and the eastern plains. In the North there is the Guiana Plateau, 1930 km long and 300–1000 m high.

In the east of the mainland is the Brazilian Highlands, whose area is about 4 million km2. 95% of Brazil's population lives here. The highest point of this highland is Mount Bandeira. Its height is 2897 meters. Due to the enormous natural diversity, the Brazilian Highlands are divided into three parts: the Atlantic, Central and Southern Plateaus.

To the south of the Brazilian Highlands is the Laplata Lowland, on the territory of which are located such states as Paraguay and Uruguay, the northern part of Argentina, southern part Brazil and southeast Bolivia. The area of ​​the lowland is more than 3 million km2.

The Amazonian lowland is a lowland covering an area of ​​over 5 million km2. It is the largest lowland on our Planet.

South America climate

There are 6 climatic zones in South America: Northern and Southern subequatorial zones, Equatorial, Tropical, Subtropical and Temperate zones.

The climate of South America in most of its parts is subequatorial and tropical, in which dry and wet seasons. Equatorial humid climate characteristic only of the Amazonian lowland. In the south of the continent, a subtropical and temperate climate prevails. Temperatures in the northern plains all year round 20-28 degrees. In the Andes, temperatures decrease with altitude. Even frosts are possible. On the Brazilian plateau, temperatures in winter can drop to 10 degrees, and on the Patagonian plateau to zero degrees.

River systems of South America.

The following river systems are located on the mainland: Parana, Orinoco, Amazon, Paraguay, Uruguay.

The Amazon is the world's largest river by basin area (7,180 thousand km²), formed by the confluence of the Ucayali and Marañon rivers. Considered one of the seven natural wonders of the world. Brazil owns most of the basin. It flows mainly through the Amazonian lowland and flows into Atlantic Ocean.

The Paraná is the second longest river on this continent, flowing in the southern part of the continent. It flows through the territory of Argentina, Brazil, and Paraguay. Just like the Amazon flows into the Atlantic Ocean.

Paraguay is a river that is a right tributary of the Paraná. It divides the Republic of Paraguay into Northern and Southern Paraguay, and in its southern part it is the state border between Paraguay and Argentina.

Uruguay is a river originating in Brazil and formed by the confluence of the Canoas and Pelotas rivers. Is the border between Brazil and Uruguay. Her river system is the country's main source of water supply. The country's largest hydroelectric power station is also located here.

The Orinoco is a river that flows through Venezuela and flows into the Atlantic Ocean. Its peculiarity is the bifurcation of the river. The Casiquiare River separates from it, which flows into the Rio Negro River. This river is home to the white river dolphin or Amazonian and one of the largest - the Orinoco crocodile.

Lakes of South America

Maracaibo (translated as “Land of Mary”) – large lake with brackish water, located in Venezuela. The depth of this lake differs significantly in its southern and northern parts. The northern one is shallow, and the southern one reaches (by different sources) from 50 - 250 meters. This lake is also one of the oldest lakes.

Titicaca (titi - puma, caca - rock) is the largest lake in terms of reserves fresh water and the second largest city after Maracaibo. More than three hundred rivers flow into this lake. It is navigable. Archaeological research shows that the city of Wanaku is located at the bottom of the lake.

Patos is a lake located on the coast of Brazil. Its length is 280 km and its width is 70 km. It is separated from the ocean by a sand spit 8 km wide. Large hydroelectric power stations are located on it. Salt, fish and oil are mined here.

Flora of South America

Thanks to warm climate and a huge amount of rainfall - the plant world in South America is very diverse. For each climate zone its own flora is characteristic. Large area occupy the jungle, which is located in tropical zone. Here grow: chocolate and melon trees - papaya, rubber trees, various palm trees, orchids.

To the south of the jungle, deciduous and evergreen plants grow in equatorial forests. Here grows a tree called quebracho, which has a very durable wood. IN subtropical zone you can find vines and cacti. Further, moving south, there is a steppe zone where feather grass and various grasses grow. Beyond this zone, deserts and semi-deserts begin, where dry shrubs grow.

Fauna of South America

The fauna of the mainland is as diverse as the flora. The tropics are home to monkeys, sloths, jaguar, anteaters, parrots, hummingbirds, toucans and many other animals. The Amazon jungle is home to crocodiles, anacondas, piranhas, the rodent copybara, and river dolphins. Only here you can meet wild cat- an ocelot, similar to a leopard. The savanna is inhabited by armadillos, peccary pigs, spectacled bears, ostriches, pumas, foxes and maned wolves. The plains area is home to: deer, llamas, and pampas cats. Only in South America can you find deer - pudú, only 30-40 cm high. Huge tortoises live on the Galapagos Islands, which belong to South America.