Strange and rare animals (61 photos). The most prickly animals in the world

A selection of 30 of the most unusual creatures of our planet...
Based on materials from: wikipedia.org & animalworld.com.ua & unnatural.ru

Madagascar suckerfoot
Found only in Madagascar. On the bases of the thumbs of the wings and on the soles of the hind limbs of the suckerfoot there are complex rosette suckers, which are located directly on skin(unlike suckers in suckers bats). The biology and ecology of the suckerfoot has been virtually unstudied. Most likely, it uses rolled up leathery palm leaves as shelters, to which it sticks with its suckers. All suckers were caught close to the water.

Angora rabbit (ladies)
These rabbits look quite impressive; there are specimens whose fur reaches up to 80 cm in length. Their wool is extremely valuable, and a wide variety of things are made from it: stockings, scarves, gloves, just fabrics and even linen. One kilogram of this rabbit's wool is valued at about 10 - 12 rubles. One rabbit produces about 0.5 kg of this wool per year, but usually much less. Most often, Angora rabbits are bred by women, which is why they are sometimes called “ladies’ rabbits.” Average weight such a rabbit weighs 5 kg, body length 61 cm, chest girth 35-40 cm, but other options are possible.

Monkey marmoset
This is the most amazing species of monkeys living on Earth. The weight of an adult does not exceed 120 g. When you look at this tiny creature the size of a mouse (10-15 cm) with a long tail (20-21 cm) and large Mongoloid eyes with a conscious gaze, you feel some embarrassment.

Coconut crab
This is one of the representatives of decapod crustaceans. Habitat of this animal West Side Pacific Ocean and islands in the Indian Ocean. This animal of the land crayfish family is quite large for representatives of its species. An adult can reach 32 cm in length and weigh up to 3-4 kg. For quite a long time, it was mistakenly believed that the palm thief could split coconuts with its claws in order to then eat them, but now scientists have definitely proven that this cancer, despite the enormous strength of its claws, is not able to split coconut, but it could easily break your arm...

Coconuts that split when they fall constitute their main source of nutrition, which is why this crayfish was named the palm thief. However, he is not averse to enjoying other food - the fruits of plants, organic elements from the earth, and even God's creatures similar to themselves. His character, meanwhile, is timid and friendly.

The coconut crab is unique in its kind, its sense of smell is as developed as that of insects, and it also has olfactory organs that ordinary crabs lack. This feature developed after this type came out of the water and settled on land.

Unlike other crabs, they move forward rather than sideways. They don't stay in the water for long.

Sea cucumber. Holothuria
Sea cucumbers, egg capsules (Holothuroidea), a class of invertebrates such as echinoderms. The modern fauna is represented by 1,150 species, divided into 6 orders, which differ from each other in the shape of the tentacles and calcareous ring, as well as the presence of some internal organs. There are about 100 species in Russia. The body of sea cucumbers is leathery to the touch, usually rough and wrinkled. The body wall is thick and elastic, with well-developed muscle bundles. Longitudinal muscles (5 ribbons) are attached to the calcareous ring around the esophagus. At one end of the body there is a mouth, at the other there is an anus. The mouth is surrounded by a corolla of 10-30 tentacles, which serve to capture food, and leads into a spirally twisted intestine.

They usually lie “on their side”, raising the front, oral end. Holothurians feed on plankton and organic debris extracted from bottom silt and sand, which is passed through the digestive canal. Other species filter food from bottom waters with tentacles covered with sticky mucus.

Hell Vampire

This animal is a mollusk. Despite its external similarity to an octopus or squid, scientists have separated this mollusk into a separate series, Vampyromorphida (lat.), because only it has retractable receptive whip-shaped filaments.

Almost the entire surface of the mollusk’s body is covered with luminescent organs - photophores. They appear as small white discs enlarging at the ends of the tentacles and at the base of the fins. Photophores are absent only on the inner side of the membraned tentacles. The hellish vampire has very good control over these organs and is capable of producing disorienting flashes of light lasting from hundredths of a second to several minutes. In addition, it can control the brightness and size of the color spots.

Amazonian dolphin
This is the world's largest river dolphin. Inia geoffrensis, as scientists have named it, can reach 2.5 meters in length and weigh up to 200 kg. Juveniles are light gray in color, but become lighter with age. Body Amazonian dolphin full, with narrow muzzle and a thin tail. Round forehead, slightly curved nose and small eyes. You can meet the Amazonian dolphin in the rivers and lakes of Latin America.

Star-nosed
Star-nosed - insectivorous mammal from the mole family. You can meet such an animal only in South-Eastern Canada and the north-eastern United States. Externally, the star-nosed snake differs from other animals of this family and from other small animals, only it is characterized by the structure of its snout in the form of a rosette or an asterisk made of 22 soft mobile fleshy naked rays. The size of the star-nosed ray similar to its European relative the mole. Its tail is relatively long (about 8 cm), covered with scales and sparse hair. When the starfish is looking for food, the rays on the stigma are constantly moving, with the exception of the two middle ones, they are directed forward and do not bend. When he eats, the rays are pulled together into a compact lump; While eating, the animal holds the food with its front paws. When the starfish drinks, it immerses both the stigma and all the whiskers in the water for 5-6 seconds.

Fossa
These amazing animals live only on the island of Madagascar; there are nowhere else in the world, not even in Africa. The Fossa is a rare animal and the only member of the genus Cryptoprocta, with the Fossa being the largest predator found on the island of Madagascar. The appearance of the Fossa is a little unusual: it is something between a civet and a small puma. At times, the Fossa is also called the Madagascar lion; the ancestors of this animal were much larger and reached the size of a lion. The fossa has a strong build, a massive and slightly elongated body, its length can reach up to 80 cm (on average the fossa body reaches 65-70 cm). The fossa's paws are high, but rather thick, and the hind paws are longer than the front paws. The tail of this animal is very long, often reaching the length of the body and reaching up to 65 cm.

Japanese giant salamander
The largest amphibian found in the world, this salamander can reach 160 cm in length and weigh up to 180 kg. In addition, such a salamander can live up to 150 years, although the officially recorded longest age of a huge salamander is 59 years.

Madagascar crayfish (or Aye-Aye)
The Madagascar monkey (lat. Daubentonia madagascariensis) or aye-aye, is a mammal of the suborder of prosimians; the only representative of the family of arms. One of the rarest animals on the planet - there are only five dozen individuals, which is why it was discovered relatively recently. The largest animal of the nocturnal primates.

The body length of the arm is 30-37 cm without a tail, 44-53 cm with a tail. Weight - about 2.5 kg. The head is large, the muzzle is short; The ears are large and leathery. The tail is large and fluffy. The coat color ranges from dark brown to black. They live in the East and North of the island of Madagascar. Lead night image life. They feed on the fruits of mango trees and coconut palms, the core of bamboo and sugar cane, tree beetles and larvae. They sleep in hollows or nests.

This animal is one of the most unique mammals on the planet; it has no similar features to any other animal. The little arm has a thick, wide head with large ears, which makes the head appear even wider. Small, protruding, motionless, and glowing eyes with smaller pupils than those of a nocturnal monkey. Its muzzle bears a close resemblance to the beak of a parrot, an elongated body and a long tail, which, like the whole body, is sparsely covered with long, stiff, bristle-like hair. And finally, unusual hands, and these are hands, their middle finger has a dried-out appearance - all these features connected together give the ah-ah so peculiar appearance“that you involuntarily rack your brains in a vain zeal to find a related creature similar to this animal,” wrote A. E. Bram in his book “The Life of Animals.”

Listed in the “Red Book”, ah-ah is the most remarkable animal, over which there is a serious danger of extinction. Daubentonia madagascariensis is the only representative of not only the genus, but also the family that has survived to this day.

Guidak
The photo shows the longest-living and at the same time the largest (up to 1 meter in length) burrowing mollusk in the world (the age of the oldest found individual is 160 years). The concept of Guidak was taken from the Indians and is translated as “deep-digging” - these gastropods can actually bury themselves quite deep in the sand. A “leg” protrudes from under the thin, fragile shell of the hyodac, which is three times larger than the shell (there have been cases where specimens with a leg length of more than 1 meter were found). The mollusk meat is very tough and tastes like abalone (this is also a mollusk, terribly tasteless, but with a very beautiful sink), so Americans usually cut it into pieces, beat it and fry it in butter with onions.

Liger
The liger (English liger from the English lion - “lion” and English tiger - “tiger”) is a hybrid between a male lion and a female tigress, looking like a giant lion with blurry stripes. Similar in appearance and size to those extinct in the Pleistocene cave lion and his relative the American lion. Ligers are the largest big cats in the world today. The largest liger is Hercules from the interactive theme park Jungle Island.

Male ligers, with rare exceptions, have almost no mane, but unlike lions, ligers know how and love to swim. Another feature of ligers is that female ligers can give birth to offspring, which is unusual for feline hybrids. The extraordinary gigantism of ligers is due to the fact that ligers receive genes from their lion father that promote the growth of their offspring, while the tiger mother does not have genes that inhibit the growth of their offspring. While the tiger father does not have genes that promote growth, the lioness mother has genes that inhibit growth, which are passed on to her offspring. This explains the fact that the liger is larger than the lion, and the tiger lion is smaller than the tiger.

Imperial tamarin
The name of the species (“imperial”) is associated with the presence of fluffy white “whiskers” on these monkeys and is given in honor of Kaiser Wilhelm II. Body length - about 25 cm, tail - about 35 cm. Weight of adult individuals - 250-500 grams. Tamarins feed on fruits and lead a diurnal lifestyle. They live in small groups of 8-15 individuals.

Emperor tamarins are native to the Amazon rainforest and are found in northwestern Brazil, eastern Peru and northern Bolivia. In the east, the range is limited by the Gurupi River, in the upper reaches of the Amazon - by the Putumayo rivers in the north and Madeira in the south. Although the species lives in hard-to-reach places, it protective status assessed as vulnerable.

Cuban slittooth
The Cuban slittooth, a strange creature that looks like a large hedgehog with a funny long-nosed muzzle, when it bites, kills insects and small animals with poisonous saliva. The slit tooth is not dangerous for humans, quite the contrary. Until 2003, the animal was considered extinct until several specimens were caught in the forest. The slittooth has no immunity to its poison, so fights between males are usually fatal for all participants.

Kakapo parrot
The New Zealand kakapo parrot, also known as the owl parrot, is probably the most unusual parrot in the world. He never flies, weighs 4 kilograms, croaks in a nasty voice and is nocturnal. It is considered an extinct species in nature due to ecological imbalance caused by rats and cats. Experts hope to restore the kakapo population, but it is very reluctant to breed in zoos.

Cyclocosmia
This species of spider stands out from the representatives of its genus only by the very original shape of its abdomen. Cyclocosmia digs burrows 7-15 cm deep in the ground. Its abdomen, at the end, is as if chopped off and ends with a chitinized flat disc-shaped surface; it serves to close the entrance to the burrow when the spider is in danger. This method of defense is called Pragmosis (eng. Phragmosis) - a method of defense in which an animal, if threatened, hides in a hole and uses part of its body as a barrier, blocking the path of a predator.

Tapir
Tapirs (lat. Tapirus) are large herbivores from the order of equids, somewhat reminiscent of a pig in shape, but with a short trunk adapted for grasping.

The sizes of tapirs differ from species to species, but as a rule, the length of a tapir is about two meters, the height at the withers is about a meter, and the weight is from 150 to 300 kg. Life expectancy in the wild is about 30 years, the cub is always born alone, pregnancy lasts about 13 months. Newborn tapirs have protective coloring consisting of spots and stripes, and although this coloring appears to be the same, different types there are some differences. The front paws of tapirs are four-toed, and the hind paws are three-toed; the toes have small hooves that help them move on muddy and soft ground.

Mixin
The hagfish (lat. Myxini) lives at depths of 100-500 meters, its predominant habitat is near the shores North America, Europe, Iceland, East Greenland. Sometimes it can be found in the Adriatic Sea. IN winter time The hagfish sometimes descends to great depths - up to 1 km.

The size of this animal is small - 35-40 centimeters, although sometimes giant specimens are found - 79-80 centimeters. Naturalist Carl Linnaeus, who discovered this miracle in 1761, initially even included it in the class of worms because of its specific appearance. Although in fact hagfish belong to the class of cyclostomes, which are the historical predecessors of fish. The color of hagfish can vary, but the predominant colors are pinkish and gray-red.

A distinctive feature of hagfish is the presence of a number of holes that secrete mucus, which are located along the lower edge of the animal’s body. It should be noted that mucus is a very important secretion of hagfish, which is used by the animal to penetrate into the cavity of the fish chosen as a victim. Mucus also plays an important role in animal respiration. The hagfish is a real mucus-creating plant, in particular, if you put it in a bucket full of water, then after a while all the water will be converted into mucus.

The fins of hagfishes are actually not developed; they are difficult to distinguish on long body animal. Organ of vision - the eyes see poorly; they are masked by light areas of skin in this area. The round mouth has as many as 2 rows of teeth, and there is also one unpaired tooth in the palate area. Hagfish “breathe through their nose”, and water enters the hole at the end of the snout - the nostril. The respiratory organs of hagfish, like all fish, are gills. The area where they are located are special cavities-channels running along the animal’s body. The hagfish hunts only those fish that are sick, weakened (for example, after spawning) or caught in gear or nets installed by humans. The attack process itself occurs as follows: the hagfish eats with its sharp teeth the wall of the fish's body, after which it enters the body, consuming first internal organs, and then muscle mass. If the unfortunate victim is still able to resist, then the hagfish passes into the gills and fills them with mucus, abundantly secreted by its glands. As a result, the fish dies from suffocation, leaving the hunter the opportunity to eat its body

Proboscis
The proboscis monkey, or Kahau (lat. Nasalis larvatus) is a monkey widespread in only one small area globe- valleys and coast of Borneo. The proboscis monkey belongs to the family of thin-bodied monkeys and got its name thanks to its huge nose, which is hallmark males.

It has not yet been possible to establish the exact purpose of such large nose, but obviously its size plays a role in choosing a mating partner. The fur of these monkeys is yellowish-brown on the back and white on the belly, the limbs and tail are colored grey colour, and the face is not covered with hair at all and has a rather bright reddish tint, and in the cubs it has a bluish tint.

The size of an adult proboscis monkey can reach 75 cm, excluding the tail, and twice that size from the nose to the tip of the tail. Average weight males weigh 18-20 kg, females weigh almost half as much. Almost never moving away from the water, proboscis whales were known as excellent swimmers who could travel more than 20 meters underwater. In the open shallow waters of tropical forests, proboscis monkeys move, like most primates, on four limbs, but in the wild thickets of mangroves (the so-called tropical forests of the island of Borneo) they walk on two legs, almost vertically.

Axolotl
Representing the larval form of Ambystoma, the axolotl is considered one of the most interesting objects for study. Firstly, axolotls do not need to reach adult form and undergo metamorphosis to reproduce. Surprised? The secret lies in neoteny - a phenomenon in which the axolotl reaches sexual maturity while still in childhood. Note that the tissues of this larva react rather poorly to the hormone secreted by the thyroid gland.

Experiments have proven that a decrease in water level when home breeding of these larvae contributes to their transformation into adults. The same thing happens in cooler, drier climates. If an axolotl lives in your aquarium, and you want to turn it into an ambistoma, then be sure to add the hormone thyroidin to the larva’s food. A similar result can be achieved with an injection. As a rule, the transformation of an axolotl will take several weeks, after which the larva will change its body shape and color. In addition, the axolotl will permanently lose its external gills.

Literally translated from the Aztec language, axolotl is a “water toy,” which is quite consistent with its appearance. Once you see an axolotl, you are unlikely to forget its unusual, bizarre appearance. At first glance, the axolotl resembles a newt, but has a rather large and wide head. The smiling “face” of the axolotl deserves special attention - tiny beady eyes and an excessively wide mouth.

As for the amphibian’s body length, it is about thirty centimeters, and axolotls are characterized by the regeneration of lost body parts. Natural environment The axolotl's habitat is concentrated in Xochimailco and Cholco - mountain lakes Mexico.

If you look closely at the amphibian's head, you will notice six long gills, symmetrically located on the sides of the head. The axolotl's gills externally resemble thin shaggy twigs, which the larva cleans from time to time of organic debris.

Thanks to their wide, long tail, axolotls are excellent swimmers, although they prefer to spend most of their life at the bottom. Why bother with unnecessary movements if the food floats into your mouth by itself?

At first, biologists were quite surprised respiratory system axolotls, including both lungs and gills. For example, if water environment The axolotl's habitat is not sufficiently saturated with oxygen, the larva quickly adapts to such a change and begins to breathe with its lungs.

Naturally, the transition to pulmonary breathing negatively affects the gills, which gradually atrophy. And, of course, it is worth paying attention to the original coloring of the axolotl. Small black spots evenly cover the green body, although the axolotl's abdomen remains almost white.

Zoologists have made different assumptions as to what exactly attracts the candira to the human genitals. The most plausible assumption seems to be that the candiru are extremely sensitive to the smell of urine: it happened that the candiru attacked a person a few moments after he urinated in the water. It is believed that candiru are able to find the source of smell in water.

But the candiru does not always penetrate the victim. It happens that, having overtaken prey, the candiru bites through the skin of a person or the gill tissue of a fish with long teeth that grow in their upper jaw and begins to suck blood from the victim, causing the body of the candiru itself to swell and swell. Candiru hunt not only fish and mammals, but also reptiles.

Tarsier
Tarsier (Tarsier, lat. Tarsius) is a small mammal from the order of primates, the very specific appearance of which has created a somewhat ominous halo around this small animal weighing up to one hundred and sixty grams.

Particularly impressionable tourists say that the first time they see huge shining eyes looking at them without blinking, and the next moment the animal turns its head almost 360 degrees and you look straight at the back of its head, you feel, to put it mildly, uneasy. By the way, local aborigines still believe that the tarsier’s head exists separately from the body. Well, this is all speculation, of course, but the facts are obvious!

There are about 8 species of tarsier. The most common are the Bankan and Philippine tarsier, as well as a separate species - the ghost tarsier. These mammals live in the territory South-East Asia, the islands of Sumatra, Borneo, Sulawesi and the Philippines, as well as in surrounding areas.

Externally, tarsiers are small animals, the size of which does not exceed sixteen centimeters, with large ears, long thin fingers And long tail about thirty cm and at the same time with very little weight.

The animal's fur is brown or grayish, and its eyes are much larger compared to human proportions - about the size of an average apple.

In nature, tarsiers live in pairs or small groups of eight to ten individuals. They are nocturnal and feed exclusively on animal origin - insects and small vertebrates.

Their pregnancy lasts about six months and a small animal is born, which, within a couple of hours after birth, grasping the mother’s fur, will make its first journey. Average duration The lifespan of a tarsier is about ten to thirteen years.

Narwhal
Narwhals (lat. Monodon monoceros) are a protected rare view, belonging to the unicorn family and listed due to its small number in the Red Book of Russia. The habitat of this marine animal is the waters of the Northern Arctic Ocean, as well as the North Atlantic. The size of an adult male often reaches 4.5 meters, weighing about one and a half tons. Females weigh slightly less. The head of an adult narwhal is round, with a large bumpy forehead, dorsal absent. Narwhals are somewhat reminiscent of beluga whales, although compared to the latter, the animals have somewhat spotted skin and 2 upper teeth, one of which, growing, turns into a three-meter tusk weighing up to 10 kg.

The narwhal tusk, twisted to the left in the form of a spiral, is quite rigid, but at the same time it has a certain limit of flexibility and can bend up to thirty centimeters. Previously, it was often passed off as a unicorn horn, which had healing powers. It was believed that if you throw a piece of narwhal horn into a glass of poisoned wine, it will change its color.

IN given time There is a hypothesis that is very popular in scientific circles, proving that the narwhal’s horn, covered with sensitive endings, is needed by the animal to measure water temperature, pressure and other parameters of the aquatic environment that are no less important for life.

Narwhals most often live in small groups of up to ten animals. The basis of the diet of narwhals, which, by the way, can hunt at a depth of more than a kilometer, are cephalopods and bottom fish. The enemies of narwhals in nature can be called other inhabitants of these territories - polar bears and killer whales.

However, the greatest damage to the narwhal population was caused by people who hunted them for their delicious meat and horns, which are successfully used to make a variety of crafts. At this time, animals are under state protection.

Octopus Jumbo
Dumbo is a very small and unusual deep sea octopus, representative cephalopods. Lives only in the Tasman Sea.

Jumbo apparently got his name in honor of the famous cartoon character, Dumbo the elephant, who was ridiculed for his big ears(in the middle of the body the octopus has a pair of rather long, paddle-shaped fins resembling ears). Its individual tentacles are literally connected to the ends by a thin elastic membrane called the umbrella. It, together with the fins, serves as the main mover of this animal, that is, the octopus moves like jellyfish, pushing water out from under the umbrella bell.

The largest Jumbo was discovered in the Tasman Sea - half the size of a human palm.

Medusa Cyanea
Medusa Cyanea - considered largest jellyfish in the world, living in the North-West Atlantic. The diameter of the bell of the cyanea jellyfish reaches 2 meters, and the length of the thread-like tentacles is 20-30 meters. One of these jellyfish, washed ashore in Massachusetts Bay, had a bell diameter of 2.28 m, and its tentacles extended 36.5 m.

Each such jellyfish eats about 15 thousand fish during its life.

Piglet squid

This is a deep-sea marine inhabitant, which received the nickname “pig squid” because of its round body. The scientific name of piglet squid is Helicocranchia pfefferi. Not much is known about him. It is found in the Atlantic and Pacific oceans at a depth of about 100 meters. Swims slowly. And under the eyes (like many deep-sea animals) it has luminous organs - photophores.

“Little Pig”, unlike other squids, swims upside down, so its tentacles look like a tuft.

Snake Carla
There are currently 3,100 known species of snakes on our planet. But the snake Carla from the island of Barbados is the smallest of them. Maximum length, which reaches in adulthood - 10 centimeters.

Leptotyphlops carlae was first officially described and identified as a new species in 2008. Blair Hedge, a biologist at Penn State, named the snake after his wife, herpentologist Carla Ann Hass, who was also part of the team that made the discovery.

It is believed that the Barbados thread, as this snake is also called, is close to the theoretically possible minimum size for snakes that evolution allows. If suddenly the snake happens to be even smaller, it simply will not be able to find food for itself and will die.

The snake Carla feeds on termites and ant larvae.

Due to its miniature size, the thread snake bears only one egg, but it is a large one. The size of the born snake at the moment of birth is half the mother’s body. However, this is normal for snakes. How smaller snake, the larger in proportion her offspring are - and vice versa.

Leptotyphlops carlae has so far been found only on the island of Barbados in the Caribbean Sea, and even then only in the east-central part of it. Most of Barbados' forests have been cleared. And since the thread snake lives only in the forest, it is assumed that the territory suitable for habitation of the strange creature is limited to just a few square kilometers. So the survival of the species is a concern.

Lamprey
Lampreys look like eels or huge worms, although they have nothing to do with either one. They have a naked body covered with mucus, which is why they are mistaken for worms. In fact, these are primitive vertebrates. Zoologists group them into a special class of cyclostomes. You can’t say about cyclostomes that they have a tongue without bones. Their mouth is just equipped complex system cartilage that supports the mouth and tongue. There are no jaws, so food is sucked into the mouth like into a funnel. Along the edges of this funnel and on the tongue there are teeth. Lampreys have three eyes. Two on the sides and one on the forehead.

Lampreys are predators and attack mainly fish. The lamprey attaches itself to the victim, gnaws through the scales, drinks the blood and snacks on the meat (from the area it bit into). In our country, lamprey fishing is carried out in the Neva and other rivers flowing into the Baltic Sea, as well as in the Volga. In Russia, lamprey is considered an exquisite delicacy. But in many countries, such as the USA, lampreys are not eaten.

Killer Clam
This curiosity lives on coral reefs at a depth of almost 25 meters. The mollusk weighs up to 210 kilograms with a body length of up to 1.7 meters. Life expectancy is up to 150 years. Due to its impressive size, it gave rise to many rumors and dark legends.

It is called Giant clam (from the English giant clam), Tridacninae, Tridacna. The giant clam is a delicacy in Japan, France, Southeast Asia and many Pacific Islands. Lives due to symbiosis with the algae that live on it. It also knows how to filter water passing through it and extract plankton from there.

It doesn’t actually eat people, but if a careless diver tries to touch the mollusk’s mantle with his hand, the shell flaps will reflexively close. And since the compression force of the tridacna muscles is enormous, a person risks dying from lack of oxygen. This is where the name “killer clam” comes from.

All tenrecs have an elongated muzzle, with a thin, movable nose. The body is covered with spines, stiff bristles or normal fur. Therefore, in appearance, some are very similar to hedgehogs, others - to opossums, and others - to shrews. Modern tenrecs live in Madagascar, fossils were found in the Miocene sediments of Kenya. About 30 species of tenrecs are grouped into 10-12 genera.

The striped tenrec (lat. Hemicentetes semispinosus) is a representative of a very interesting family called tenrecs or bristly hedgehogs. To understand what this funny animal looks like, you need to put together... a hedgehog, a shrew and an otter and paint what you get with yellow and black paint.

(Total 15 photos + 3 videos)

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1. It is not difficult to guess that the final portrait will be somewhat unusual: an elongated muzzle with a yellow stripe along the nose, a crown of long sharp needles and many spines scattered throughout the body mixed with thick black fur, long hind legs and short front legs with sharp claws. The appearance is really piquant, but this is exactly what the striped tenrec looks like - a small mammal endemic to Madagascar, living in the eastern and northern parts of the island.

2. Striped tenrecs are the main hunting object of famous Madagascar predators, such as fossas and their close relatives, mongooses. To protect themselves from attacks on their lives, little tenrecs invented an ingenious way of throwing needles at the enemy. Finding themselves in a dangerous situation, they bring their long, jagged needles into combat readiness, directing them towards the predator, and then, with sharp movements of the head and body, “shoot” them directly at the enemy’s nose and paws. The entire crown on the head of the tenrec consists of such flying needles, and another part of them is located on the sides of the body.

3. However, these are not all the functions that the unusual performs prickly coat bristly hedgehog. The striped tenrec is the only mammal that has mastered the ability to communicate in the same way as beetles, crickets and snakes.

Wide beige needles running along the central part of the back, when rubbed against each other, produce high-pitched sounds, thanks to which striped tenrecs exchange information with their relatives.

4. Seemingly silent from the outside, tenrecs are in constant communication: by clicking their tongues, they send sound signals that help them navigate the dark forest. It is on hearing that they rely more than on sight, but the sounds they make, as in the case of bats, are inaccessible to the human ear.

5. Communication plays a very important role in the life of striped tenrecs, since they are the only one of the thirty species of tenrecs that unite in groups. Each of these groups, which can number up to twenty individuals, occupies a long, about one and a half meters, hole, dug at a depth of 15 centimeters near the reservoir. Striped tenrecs cover the entrance to their home with leaves, and next to the hole these clean animals always build what people call a latrine or latrine.

When the cold season sets in, which in Africa occurs between May and October, striped tenrecs lower their body temperature to the level of the surrounding temperature, while remaining active. This trick helps them conserve energy, but if the winter is too harsh, they have no choice but to hibernate.

6. From September to December, striped tenrecs mate, and after about two months, 6-8 babies are born, who grow up very quickly and at the age of five weeks are ready to become parents themselves.

Here are some more:

Tailless tenrec(Tenrec ecaudatus) is the only species of a separate genus. Its local name is tendreka and kelora. Body length is about 30-35 cm, tail - 1-2 cm (it is almost invisible). It is still similar in appearance, with an elongated muzzle, but its prickly spines are mixed with hair. When frightened, both the tailless tenrec's hair and quills immediately stand on end; At the same time, the animal almost doubles in size.

7. In addition to Madagascar, the species is found in the Comoros Islands. In the last century, this tenrec was also acclimatized on some islands of the Indian Ocean (Seychelles, etc.) - In the bushes or dry and sparse forests of Madagascar up to an altitude of 900 m above sea level, the tailless tenrec is not uncommon. However, encounters with it are infrequent due to its mainly nocturnal activity. The animal spends the day in a shallow hole or in a natural shelter under the roots of a tree or in stones. When it begins to get dark, the tailless tenrec awakens and comes out to feed. He eats all kinds of animals that he is able to overcome: earthworms, mollusks, insects, small amphibians and reptiles. He willingly eats fallen bananas or other fruits. When searching for food, this tenrec likes to dig with its paws with strong claws in fallen leaves and soft soil.

From May to October it is winter in Madagascar. At this time the rains almost stop, but the temperature is still very high. Some trees shed their leaves due to drought, grasses dry out, and the tenrec's favorite food - worms and mollusks - burrow deep into the ground. Under these conditions, the animal can only wait for good times again, and it prefers to sleep.

For the winter, a thoroughly obese tenrec climbs into a nest, which it builds at the end of a hole up to 2 m long. The hibernating animal has a completely empty stomach; his body temperature decreases and fluctuates depending on the temperature external environment, from 24 to 35°C; the respiratory rate does not exceed 30 per minute.

8. At the end of September the rains begin. Then the awakened tailless tenrecs, who have not eaten in hibernation for several months, begin to feed intensively. In October, the females are already pregnant, and in March numerous cubs, grown to a third the size of adults, are found, accompanied by their mothers. Only at the age of five months do the young begin to leave their mother. A litter often contains 12-16 cubs, but a case has been recorded where a female had 25 embryos. The female has a total of 24 nipples, which apparently corresponds to the maximum fertility of the animal. An equally high multiplicity of children is known only among some marsupials.

Hedgehog tenrec(Setifer setosus) is very prickly and indeed similar to our big-eared hedgehog, but only a little more elongated and short-legged. The spines are dark in color with light rings. The lower body and muzzle are covered with soft fur. Body length up to 20 cm, tail up to 2 cm, weight about 200 g. Long (up to 7 cm) whiskers (vibrissae) stick out on the sides of the elongated nose.

9. Hedgehog tenrecs live in the dry forests of Madagascar. The lifestyle and diet are similar to the tailless tenrec, but unlike it, the hedgehog tenrec does not hibernate for a long time in winter. They are only capable of short-term numbness during particularly unfavorable periods.

10. At the end of a shallow burrow, a nest is made of leaves and grass, where the female usually gives birth to 3 to 10 cubs, sometimes there are 12. Like many other tenrecs, the hedgehog has a strong repellent odor. This, however, does not prevent local residents from seeing it as a desirable hunting trophy, from which delicious meat dishes are prepared.

13. Rice tenrecs (3 species: Orzorictes hova, O. talpoides and O. tetradactylus), widespread throughout Madagascar, are true burrowing animals. In their lifestyle and appearance they resemble moles.

Their body is covered with short and thick dark brown hair without spines. Body length is about 10 cm, tail - 4 cm. On the front legs, wide and long digging claws reach special development. The main food of rice tenrecs is soil invertebrates. They got their name because their emissions are often found near damp places near rice fields.

14. Water tenrec (Limnogale mergulus) is a rare animal in the forest uplands of Eastern Madagascar. The length of its body is about 12 cm, its tail is 13 cm, the color of its thick and soft fur is brownish. Outwardly, it resembles a short-eared mouse. The webbed animal lives in burrows along the banks of rivers, lakes and swamps. It feeds mainly on aquatic plants, occasionally eating fish.

15. Lesser tenrecs (about two dozen species of the genus Microgale) are numerous in forest areas of Madagascar. Outwardly, they are very similar to our shrews and lead the same lifestyle. Body length in different species is from 4 to 13 cm, tail - from 5 to 16 cm, weight - from 5 to 12 g. The fur is short and soft, without spines. The fur color is dark brown, olive or brown. One of them has a dark strap running along the back on a light background. The five-toed paws are not adapted for digging.

Active with short breaks around the clock. In some species, a reserve reserve of fat accumulates in the tail. They feed on a variety of animal foods, which are found in leaf litter and grass: worms, mollusks, insects, spiders. Do not avoid wet rain forests. In most forested areas they dominate in numbers and biomass among all other mammals. They settle under fallen trees, among stones, in low hollows, in those areas of the forest where there is litter or grassy thickets. Apparently they reproduce in any season of the year.

Apparently, small tenrecs are very close in appearance to the most ancient of the higher animals that appeared on our planet in the second half of the Mesozoic era.

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Do you think that the cartoons “Madagascar” and “Madagascar 2” show all the oddities of this island? Yes, the cartoons do contain some features of island life, but not all of them. Madagascar was chosen as a “platform” for the cartoon due to the fact that there are actually a huge number of strange, but nevertheless very amazing animals. Let's take a look at them.

A small animal, similar to a squirrel. An amazing animal that lives only in Madagascar. But the main difference between this animal and a squirrel is that it is carnivorous. The mongoose feeds on earthworms, beetles, and invertebrates.

Are you afraid of snakes? If yes, then Madagascar will not be a very pleasant place for you - after all, a huge number of reptiles live here. But there is also good news– There are no life-threatening snakes here. You can also meet the leaf-nosed snake on the island. This is one of the most exotic snakes on the planet.

The meeting with the snakes has just ended, and here is another not very pleasant meeting. Meet Pill Millipede, a two-legged centipede. A rather strange, but harmless living creature. This beetle is similar to a woodlice, but larger. In case of danger, the centipede will curl into a ball.

You will not find such a “joke of nature” anywhere else. I wonder what happens if you cross a lemur with a rat? Very strange idea, right? But in Madagascar this “miracle of nature” lives. This is Ai-ai, a native inhabitant of the island. Animals are not dangerous to humans, because they feed on insects and live high in trees.

Strange creature? Could it be some kind of hedgehog? No. Tenrec is very similar to a hedgehog, but it is not one at all, although it is related to it. Animals have enough long nose, the body is covered with fur (less common), stiff bristles, and sometimes spines. Tenrecs significantly fewer hedgehogs and live mainly in Madagascar.

Everyone knows what lemurs look like, and the largest representatives of this species, the indri, live in Madagascar. Like them little brothers, they love to climb trees and eat fruits and vegetables. But unlike their relatives, indris make a lot of noise, and the sounds that the monkeys make are similar to the sounds that humpback whales make under water.

Madagascar is home to both the largest lemurs and some of the smallest in the world. Mouse lemurs are tiny monkeys that spend most of their lives in trees. Like indris, mouse lemurs eat vegetables and fruits, but they are still not averse to profit small insects. In Madagascar, these tiny monkeys are domesticated, so they can be found here as pets.

Remember that Madagascar is home to a number of different "faults of nature"? Here is another striking example. This is Flatid Leaf Bugs. They usually gather in flocks, and when they fly, it looks like someone dropped a pink holiday napkin.

This is a predator of Madagascar that looks like a mongoose. A carnivorous nocturnal animal that lives exclusively on this island. Fanaluks are not dangerous for people.

These are huge the bats that live in colonies. They only eat fruit, so they cause harm orchards. But tourists love them very much - where else can you take a selfie with a huge bat?

When are you in last time have you seen the red toad? This is probably something you rarely see. But in Madagascar this is not uncommon. And this inhabitant of the island is special not even because of the color of her cold skin, but because of its functionality. Firstly, the skin of a frog constantly secretes a sticky substance, which serves as a kind of protection from predators: how can you hunt something that sticks to everything? And secondly, this sticky substance is quite toxic - dangerous even for humans.

Moths are one of the most annoying insects in the world. And Madagascar is home to the largest moth in the world - the Moon moth (or Madagascar comet). The dimensions of this butterfly are impressive - the wingspan reaches 16-20 cm, and the length of the “tail” is up to 8 cm (in females) and up to 13 (in males). Of course, this moth does not eat woolen sweaters, but it looks very impressive.

Madagascar is home not only to the smallest lemurs, but also to the smallest chameleons too. These reptiles are only 3-4.5 cm long, so they are not easy to find. They live in trees and grass. And it’s also not uncommon for them to simply fall on tourists. Therefore, in Madagascar you need to be as careful as possible so as not to miss the next “miracle of nature” that has fallen on your head.

Madagascar is a unique island, home to not only unique reptiles and animals, but also birds. More than 15 unique species birds consider Madagascar their only home. A striking example- Blue Coua. The bird gives a very beautiful blue color unusual look. It is quite rare: it is now listed in the Red Book. Previously, it was hunted for its beautiful plumage.

These geckos live on tree trunks, but are very difficult to spot. They are well camouflaged. If you are lucky enough to meet such a lizard in Madagascar, try feeding it any insect - the show will be unforgettable.

The most original looking species is the striped tenrec, which lives in Madagascar. With a body length of 15 to 18 cm, it weighs from 80 to 280 grams. Its body is covered with black and yellow spines, interspersed with coarse hairs. The fur coat is designed to protect tenrecs from those who dream of feasting on them: mongooses and fossos.

A “comb” of jagged needles grows behind the animals’ ears. yellow color, serving as the main weapon in the fight for survival. Sensing a threat, the kids tilt their heads and begin to rustle. If threats do not help, needles fly at the predator, separated from the body by sharp turns of the head. Some of the sounds emitted by tenerecs are audible even to humans.

Tenrecs are equally active at any time of the day, but, like hedgehogs, they hibernate in winter. They can climb trees, although they do this very rarely. They usually feed on worms obtained from under fallen leaves and plant roots. For living, they build burrows, some of which can accommodate a group of adults.

The tenrec can be found in wooded areas with high humidity or in the rice plantations of Madagascar.