Animals of the tropical zone. Animals of moist equatorial forests (photos, pictures, videos)

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

Because there is a huge diversity of animals (40-75% of Earth's animal species) competing for food, many species have adapted to eat certain foods that others do not. For example, toucans have a long, large beak. This adaptation allows the bird to reach fruits on branches that are too small to support the bird's weight. The beak is also used to extract fruit from trees.

Sloths use behavioral adaptation and camouflage to survive in the rainforest. They move very, very slowly and spend most of their time hanging upside down. Blue-green algae grows on their fur and gives sloths their greenish color and also protects them from predators.

This article discusses the structure tropical forest and some animals living in its layers, from the litter to the upper tier.

forest floor

The forest floor is the lowest layer of the tropical forest, receiving only about 2% sunlight. Thus, the plants growing here are adapted to low light conditions. Thus, at the lower level tropical forests relatively large animals live, such as okapi, tapirs, Sumatran rhinoceroses, etc. This layer also contains a large number of reptiles, insects, etc. Organic substances (plant and animal origin) are collected in the forest floor, where they decompose, such as and.

Okapi

Okapi (Okapia johnstoni ) - unique look mammal that is native to tropical forests Democratic Republic Congo in Central Africa. Although okapi have characteristic zebra-like stripes on their limbs, they are more closely related to giraffes. Okapi are diurnal and solitary in nature. These rainforest animals feed on tree leaves and buds, fruits, ferns, and mushrooms.

Tapir

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

Sumatran rhinoceros

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

Western gorilla

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

Undergrowth

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

Jaguar

(Panthera onca ) is the largest species in the Americas, and the third largest in the world after and. The jaguar prefers to live in tropical forests and is distributed from Central America to Argentina and Paraguay. It is very similar to a leopard, but more muscular and bigger size. The jaguar is a solitary superpredator in which it lives.

Tree frogs

About three species of frogs from the dart frog family are deadly. The terrible leaf climber is considered the most dangerous among the three species and one of the most poisonous animals on Earth. These frogs have bright colors including gold, red, green, blue and yellow to protect them from predators. This feature is known as aposematic coloration.

South American nose

Also known as coati ( Nasua nasua ), this animal lives in the tropical forests of South America. Most of the range is in the lowlands east of the Andes. This is a diurnal animal that lives both on the ground and in trees. The diet includes fruits, other small animals and bird eggs.

Common boa constrictor

Common boa constrictor ( Boa constrictor listen)) is a massive snake that is found in forests throughout America, as well as on the islands Caribbean Sea. Although boas live in a wide range of habitats, they prefer tropical forests due to the high humidity and suitable temperature. Additionally, rainforests provide ample shelter and plenty of food sources for these snakes.

Forest canopy

The forest canopy (or canopy) is the most distinctive level of the rainforest, forming a roof over the understory and forest floor. The canopy contains most of the largest trees in the rainforest, growing up to 30-45 m in height. Broad-leaved evergreen trees dominate the canopy, making it the densest part of the rainforest. It is home to more than 20 million species and a large number of birds, as well as mammals, invertebrates and reptiles.

Jaco

Gray parrots or African gray parrots Psittacus erithacus) are medium-sized, grey-black birds common in equatorial Africa. The birds are currently classified as Near Threatened and number between 120,100 and 259,000.

Rainbow toucan

Rainbow toucan ( Ramphastos sulfatus) common in tropical forests Latin America. In this environment, it settles in tree holes, often with other toucans. Crowded roosting sites force toucans to tuck their beaks and tails under their bodies to save space.

Koats

Koats are a genus belonging to the family of spider monkeys. They live in the tropical forests of Central and South America, from Mexico to Brazil. All seven koat species are endangered to some extent. These primates live in large groups of about 35 individuals and split into smaller groups to search for food during the day.

Three-toed sloths

Three-toed sloths are a family of arboreal mammals found in South and Central America. These rainforest animals are so named because of their slow gait, which is an adaptation to conserve energy. Sloths have the body size of a small dog or large cat, and have three clawed toes on each limb.

Golden-helmed kalao

Golden-helmed kalao ( Ceratogymna elata) lives in tropical forests West Africa. It is one of the largest birds in this environment and lives in forest canopies and rarely feeds on the ground. Birds of this species live in small family groups, consisting of an adult pair and several chicks.

Kinkajou

The kinkajou is one of the rainforest animals that is mistaken for a monkey or ferret. The tropical forests of Central and South America are considered the homeland of kinkajou. These nocturnal animals are arboreal and have an omnivorous diet. Unfortunately, they are hunted for their valuable wool.

Upper tier

At this level of the rainforest there are several giant trees reaching heights of about 45-55 m or even higher. Thus, these trees rise above the canopy. They are well adapted to withstand strong winds and high temperatures over the canopy. When such trees die, holes are created in the canopy, allowing sunlight to reach the lower layers of the rainforest.

Crowned eagle

Crowned Eagle ( Stephanoaetus coronatus) is a massive and fierce carnivore common in the upper layer of tropical forests. The eagle primarily feeds on mammals, including small ungulates, small primates, birds and lizards. It is one of the largest eagles in Africa, but is now classified as Near Threatened by the IUCN due to large-scale habitat destruction.

Royal colobus

Royal colobus ( Colobus polykomos) is one of the rainforest animals that is found in the tropical forests of Africa in countries such as Senegal, Liberia, Guinea, Sierra Leone, Guinea-Bissau and Ivory Coast. The royal colobus lives in the upper layer of the forest, but feeds Typically on land, 3 to 4 females and 1 to 3 males form one social group together.

Giant flying fox

Giant flying fox ( Pteropus vampyrus) is one of the largest species bats in the world. It lives in tropical forests, where it feeds exclusively on nectar, fruits and flowers. Although these the bats lacking the ability to echolocate, they use their keen vision to locate food sources.

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– one of the most unique natural areas, with a rich fauna and flora and not fully explored by scientists. Animal world equatorial forests incredibly diverse, more than 2/3 of all species of animals, birds and insects on our planet live in its various tiers.

The lower tier became a habitat for rodents and insects. It has the richest fauna of butterflies and beetles in the world. Under the cover of the forest you can meet the goliath beetle - one of the most heavy beetles on the ground. In the fauna of tropical rainforests, anteaters, armadillos and sloths, chameleons, spider monkeys, prehensile-tailed porcupines, bats (the Congo and Amazon valleys have several hundred species), llamas, various orders of birds and birds, as well as reptiles and amphibians are widely found. Among amphibians there are tree frogs living in trees and laying their eggs in rainwater, which accumulates in the leaves. The largest snakes in the world are found in the ground tiers, eating rodents, birds, and amphibians. In wet equatorial forests live and large predators: jaguars (in South America), leopards (in Africa), crocodiles, hippopotamuses. Rivers and lakes contain about 2 thousand fish (about 1/3 of the entire freshwater fauna of the planet).

Let's take a closer look at some of the animals of tropical rainforests:

Birds

Tropical forests are inhabited by a huge variety of birds, both small and large.
Sunbirds are small birds (from 8 cm in length) with bright and variegated plumage that feed on the nectar of flowers and contribute to their pollination.

The toucan is a member of a family of birds with a huge, brightly colored yellow beak almost as long as its body. Is the object of hunting by local residents due to delicious meat and orange skin used as decoration.

Parrots and birds of paradise are among the most densely populated birds in tropical forests. long feathers tails and crests of different colors.

Third largest in the world carnivorous mammal and one of the large representatives of the cat family, living in North and South America. Goes out hunting at dusk. Its prey includes ungulates, birds, monkeys, and turtles. The jaws of a jaguar can easily bite through the shell. Swims excellently and in rare cases is capable of missing prey; sometimes it can attack sleeping alligators.

Monkey

Tropical forests are densely populated by gibbons, gorillas, monkeys and narrow-nosed monkeys. They live in forest crowns at an altitude of 50 m above the ground.

Gorillas are the largest representatives of this class. Their height reaches more than 1.5 m, and their weight is up to 260 kg. Predators are afraid to attack them because adults are very strong.

Gibbons – distinctive feature is the length of their forelimbs, which exceeds the hind limbs. They are well adapted to life in the crowns and foliage of trees and move using a method of brachiation that is unique in the animal world, swinging from branch to branch with their forelimbs.

The leopard is a large feline that excels at climbing trunks and branches. It attacks monkeys and small ungulates and is capable of dragging prey that weighs much more than its own body.

The anaconda is one of the largest boas on earth, its body reaches a length of up to 10 m. The large size of the anaconda allows it to hunt even animals and small mammals, sometimes crocodiles and people. Unlike other snakes, for a long time may be underwater. When attacking a victim, it uses a strangulation technique, then gradually swallows it with its huge mouth. Lives up to 50 years and lives in the Amazon forests in South America.

Movie. BBC: Planet Earth. Jungle. / BBC: Planet Earth. Jungles.

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

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

Rainforest climate

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

Soil in a tropical forest

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

Rainforest Plants

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

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

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

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

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

Tropical trees of Central and South America:

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

Tropical trees of Africa:

• Bubinga
• Ebony
• Zebrano
• Pink tree

Tropical trees of Asia:

• Malaysian maple

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

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

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

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

Tropical Plant Adaptations for Survival

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

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

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

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

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

Rainforest Animals

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

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

Also lives in the tropics more quantity monkeys: arachnids, orangutans, chimpanzees, monkeys, baboons, gibbons, red-bearded jumpers, gorillas. In addition, there are sloths, lemurs, Malayan and sun bears, rhinoceroses, hippopotamuses, tarantulas, ants, piranhas and other animals.

Disappearance of tropical forests

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

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

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

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

Consequences of tropical deforestation

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

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

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

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

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

The Meaning of Rainforests

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

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

The rainforest is home to unique flora and fauna.

How to protect tropical forests?

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

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

Cancer) and South (Capricorn) in Africa there is a vast zone of forests. Practically in this climatic zone, the change of seasons is hardly noticeable, since air quality and precipitation are almost always at the same level. That's why animals tropical zone have no need to migrate in search of places suitable for life. They always have enough food and water, so the fauna of this region is extremely diverse.

Just look at the animals of the tropical zone - hippopotamuses! If we translate this name from Greek, they can be called “river horses.” This almost three-ton giant spends most of its life in water. But it is difficult for a hippopotamus to swim - with such and such a figure and weight! Therefore, he simply goes into the water to such a depth that he can reach the bottom with his feet, and submerges almost completely.

These amazing tropical animals have nostrils that are equipped with closing membranes, and eyes with protruding supraeyeli. Therefore, even almost completely under water, this colossus vigilantly makes sure that no one dares to offend its dear little ones. And just try to get closer to them! Tender parents immediately turn into uncontrollable aggressive killers. But at the same time, hippos are extremely peaceful animals. After all, they are not predators and feed only on plants and their fruits.

And such predatory and cruel animals of the tropical zone as crocodiles can instill fear in any mammal. These descendants of ancient dinosaurs have remained virtually unchanged since those distant times. Despite the fact that these reptiles can move quite quickly on land, they still prefer to be in the water most of their time. Adults can stay underwater for almost an hour without surfacing.

Crocodiles reproduce by laying eggs on land in a hole dug near a reservoir. And while the embryos are in the shell, the mother vigilantly watches them, protecting the clutch. After all, at any time an evil monitor lizard may appear - a large predatory lizard that simply loves to feast on the eggs of its closest relatives.

When the time comes for the embryo to be born, it breaks the shell using a special device - a horn located on the head. After some time, this growth disappears by itself.

Having hatched, the crocodiles race to the water. However, danger awaits them everywhere. They are not even insured against this terrible death, how to be eaten by your own parent - these cold-blooded predators have absolutely no maternal feelings.

The crocodile's mouth is “decorated” with huge sharp teeth. But the predator does not need them for chewing food, but to kill its prey and tear off pieces from it, which it swallows whole.

In order for the food product to become softer, the predator often drags the killed victim underwater and hides it somewhere under a snag. When he begins to feel hungry, then he takes out a dish from his “stores”.

Other animals of the tropical forest are also extremely diverse and amazing: monkeys, lorises, panthers, giraffes, okapi, tapirs and pachyderms: rhinoceroses, as well as elephants.

Monkeys are especially well represented here. This includes a chimpanzee, a gorilla, an orangutan, a proboscis monkey, and a macaque. Among them there are such small species, the young of which barely reach the size of a thumb. human hand. The weight of a large individual can be 70 grams. And among the monkeys there are real giants, almost two and a half centners!

Interesting animals of the tropical zone that cannot be found on any other continent are the relatives of giraffes - okapi. These extremely timid herbivores spend most of their lives in bushland. Adults reach a height of two meters and gain a body weight of about 250 kilograms. These animals prefer to live alone, with the exception of mothers raising their cubs.

IN this material tells about the life of animals of the tropical zone. The article is illustrated with photographs of tropical forest animals.

In an African forest.

Most of Africa's forests are located between two tropics: the Northern (Tropic of Cancer) and Southern (Tropic of Capricorn). In this part of the earth all seasons are similar to each other; Throughout the year, the average temperature and amount of rainfall are almost constant. Therefore, almost all animals in this zone lead sedentary image life - after all, they, unlike the inhabitants of temperate and cold climatic zones, there is no need to make seasonal migrations in search of suitable places to live.

Hippopotamus.

The name of this animal translated from Greek means “river horse.” It weighs more than three tons.

Water is the natural habitat of this huge mammal, where the hippopotamus spends most of its time. However, with such a thick, squat figure, it is not easy to swim, so usually hippos do not go far into the water, but stay in shallow water, where they can reach the bottom with their paws. The sense organs - movable ears, nostrils equipped with closing membranes, and eyes with protruding supraeyes - are located on the upper part of the muzzle, so that the hippopotamus can be almost completely submerged in water, continuing to breathe air and carefully monitor everything around it. In case of danger threatening him or his cubs, he becomes very aggressive and, no matter where - in water or on land - immediately attacks the enemy.

Mothers give birth to their young either on the shore, or more often right in the water. In the latter case, newborns, as soon as they are born, swim to the surface so as not to suffocate. Hippopotamuses give birth during the rainy season, during which time the mother has an abundance of milk due to the abundant and varied food. To feed the cubs, the female climbs onto land and stretches out comfortably on her side.

Hippopotamuses never live alone; they gather in groups of several dozen individuals. Often, both in water and on land, adult males play with growing cubs. Moving on land. Hippos always follow the same familiar paths.

Feeling in danger, the hippopotamus emits a threatening roar, and opens its huge mouth as wide as possible, showing the enemy its unusually long lower fangs. This threatening posture usually produces the desired result.

Crocodile.

Only sometimes crocodiles can swim into sea ​​water; usually they settle along the banks of rivers and lakes in areas with warm and hot climates. Crocodiles are much more comfortable and calm in the water than on land. They swim with the help of their paws and tail; Large individuals can spend about an hour under water. During the hottest hours of the day, crocodiles lie on land with their mouths wide open: due to the lack of sweat glands, they can only get rid of excess heat in this way, like dogs who stick out their tongues in the heat.

The female crocodile lays her eggs in a hole specially dug on the shore, not far from the water. The cub breaks the shell using a special horn located on its head, which soon falls off.

Young crocodiles feed mainly on fish, but also birds and insects. Only as adults will they be able to cope with more large mammals, which need to be caught, pulled from the shore and kept under water for some time.

A crocodile does not need teeth for chewing food, but only for grabbing prey and tearing pieces of meat from it.

Even such terrifying reptiles, like crocodiles, have enemies - animals that hunt for crocodile eggs. The most dangerous of them is the monitor lizard, big lizard. Having discovered an egg, he begins to unusually quickly dig the ground near him, distracting the female crocodile, who usually stands guard, and having stolen the egg from the nest, he takes it to a place inaccessible to crocodiles and eats it.

Like many other land animals that live in water for long periods of time, crocodiles' ears, nostrils and eyes are located on the top of the head so that they remain above the water when the animal swims.

Most small crocodile: Osborne's caiman, its length is 120 centimeters.

Chimpanzee.

Thanks to its intelligence and learning ability, it is the most famous of all monkeys. Although chimpanzees are excellent climbers, they spend a lot of time on the ground and even travel on foot. But they still sleep in trees, where they feel safer. This is one of the few animals that uses various tools: chimpanzees take a broken branch into a termite mound, and then lick insects from it. These monkeys are practically omnivorous. Communities living in different regions often eat differently.

The chimpanzee's "vocabulary" consists of different sounds, but in communication they also use facial expressions; their faces can take on a variety of expressions, often very similar to human ones.

As a rule, only one baby is born to chimpanzees; twins are extremely rare. The cubs spend their entire childhood literally in the embrace of their mother, tightly clinging to her fur.

Chimpanzees live in fairly large societies, but not as closed as other apes, such as gorillas. On the contrary, chimpanzees often move from one group to another.

The strongest males, defending their primacy, uproot small trees and wave this club with a threatening look.

There is usually a tender friendship between female chimpanzees. It is not uncommon for a mother to entrust her cub to another female for a time; Sometimes such nannies take, in addition to their own, two or three other people’s cubs for a walk.

Gorilla.

Despite its terrifying appearance, this large monkey, more than two meters tall, is very friendly; males from the same flock usually do not compete with each other, and in order for the leader to be obeyed, it is enough to widen his eyes and utter an appropriate cry, hitting himself on the chest with his fingers. This behavior is just an act and is never followed by an attack. Before a real attack, the gorilla looks into the eyes of the enemy for a long time and silently. Staring directly into the eyes is a challenge not only in gorillas, but in almost all mammals, including dogs, cats and even humans.

Baby gorillas stay with their mother for almost four years. When the next one is born, the mother begins to alienate the older one, but never does it rudely; she seems to invite him to try his hand at adulthood himself.

Having woken up, gorillas go in search of food. They devote the remaining time to rest and games. After the evening meal, they arrange a kind of bedding on the ground, on which they fall asleep.

Okapi.

These are relatives of the giraffe, its height is slightly less than two meters, and its weight is about 250 kilograms. Okapi are extremely timid animals and are distributed in a very narrow geographical area, therefore not studied enough. It is known that they live in thickets of bushes, and their coloring, which at first glance is very unusual, actually makes them completely invisible in natural environment a habitat. Okapi live solitary lives, and only mothers are not separated from their cubs for a long time.

With stripes on the back of the body and on the legs, the okapi resembles a zebra; these stripes serve them for camouflage.

Okapi resemble some types of horses, but the differences are quite noticeable; for example, males have short horns. When playing, okapi lightly hit each other with their muzzles until the defeated one lies on the ground as a sign of the end of the game.

When the mother hears the special calling cry made by the cub in case of danger, she becomes very aggressive and decisively attacks any enemy.

Asian jungle.

Some species of animals that inhabit the Asian jungle, such as elephants, rhinoceroses and leopards, are also found in Africa; however, over thousands of years of evolution, the inhabitants of the jungle have developed many features that distinguish them from their African “brothers.”

Monsoons are the name given to the winds that periodically blow in the tropical zones of Asia. They usually bring heavy rains, which promote rapid growth and renewal of vegetation.

The monsoon season is also favorable for animals: during these periods, plant food is plentiful and varied, which provides the most Better conditions their growth and reproduction. Just like the Amazon forests, the Asian jungles are very dense and sometimes impenetrable.

Tapir.

They say about the tapir that he is a fossil animal; Indeed, this species, inhabiting several remote regions one after another, has survived on earth since very ancient times, surviving several geological eras.

Black-backed tapir can walk on the bottom of the lake!

The female tapir is larger than the male. The most noticeable feature in the structure of the body is the elongated upper lip, forming a small and very mobile trunk, with the help of which tapirs can pick leaves and tufts of grass - their usual food. They live in Asia black-backed tapirs. Their color is very expressive: black and white. It may seem that these contrasting colors should make them very noticeable, but in fact, from a distance they look very much like an ordinary pile of stones, which are many around. The cubs, on the contrary, have a pockmarked skin with small specks and stripes. In the second year of life, this color will gradually be replaced by an even black color with a characteristic white band - a saddle.

More often, tapirs eat leaves, shoots and stems of aquatic plants. They love water very much and swim well. They always walk along the same familiar paths, which over time turn into well-trodden paths, ending, as a rule, in a “gutter” - a convenient descent to the water.

The most terrible enemies of tapirs are different kinds felids on land and gharials in water. Very rarely does a tapir try to defend itself; he has practically no means for this and always prefers to run away.

The tapir's body is squat, its legs are short, and there is almost no neck. The movable trunk is a very sensitive organ of smell. - with its help, the tapir explores the surface of the earth and surrounding objects. Vision, on the contrary, is very poorly developed. Asian cats.

Asia does not have felines that live in groups like lions or cheetahs in Africa. All types of Asian cats are loners; each animal rules its own territory and does not allow strangers there. Only tigers sometimes go hunting in small groups. Representatives of the cat family live everywhere in Asia, even in areas with a climate that is not very suitable for them, such as Far East where he reigns Ussurian tiger. The peculiarity of tigers living in the jungle is their hunting style. It consists of sneaking up to the victim as close as possible, remaining unnoticed, and at the last moment rushing at him with one jump from a place or a short run-up.

The royal, or Bengal, tiger is now quite rare. Found in India and Indochina.

Leopard or black panther.

The panther also has spots characteristic of a leopard, although against a black background they are completely invisible. The black panther is a dark-colored leopard.

Clouded leopard. He jumps from branch to branch as well as a monkey. These cats are sometimes called tree tigers.

Speckled cat.

I also call her the fishing cat. In fact, she really likes to live near water and is a good swimmer. In addition to fish and shellfish, it catches small vertebrates on land. The habits of this animal have been little studied.

Tiger.

Tigers adapt to a wide variety of climatic conditions; they live in flat tropical areas, but are also found in the mountains at altitudes of up to 3000 m and in very cold areas; in the latter case, a thick, more than five centimeters, layer of fat forms under their skin, protecting them from heat loss.

Almost all jungle inhabitants are at risk of becoming prey to a tiger. Only large and warlike pachyderms, and even bulls and buffaloes with strong horns, can feel safe.

Contrary to popular belief, the tiger is not a very clever hunter; he's so heavy. That for a successful jump he needs to start his run from a distance of 10 - 15 meters; if the tiger gets closer to its prey, it risks missing.

A tiger litter usually consists of two, three or four cubs. For eight weeks, the mother feeds them exclusively with milk; then solid food is gradually added to their milk. Only six months later the female begins to go hunting, leaving the cubs for more than a day.

Tigers, like all wild animals, are afraid of humans. However, it happens that an old or sick animal, for which ordinary hunting becomes too difficult, overcomes its innate fear and attacks people.

Monkey.

Among the numerous species of monkeys, there are animals that weigh no more than 70 grams, and there are also those whose weight reaches 250 kilograms. In Asian monkeys, the tail does not have a grasping function, i.e. a monkey cannot, having caught it on a branch, support its body so that its arms and legs remain free; this is typical only for monkeys living on the American continent.

Orangutan.

The most common monkey in Asia is the orangutan. This is a large monkey that spends most of its time among the branches and only sometimes descends to the ground.

Female orangutans, perhaps more than any other monkey, care about raising their children. Mothers bite their cubs' nails, bathe them in rainwater, and shout at them if they start acting up. The upbringing received in childhood subsequently determines the character of an adult animal.

Nosach.

This monkey owes its name to its huge, ugly nose, which in males sometimes goes down to the chin. The proboscis whale not only climbs trees well, but also swims very well and can stay under water for a long time.

Slender loris.

The pointed muzzle and huge eyes that can see in the dark make this prosimian very cute. During the day, the loris hides in the branches, and at night it gets its food.

Indian pachyderms.

The differences between Indian pachyderms and African ones are not noticeable at first glance. The behavior of both is also very similar: they do not stay in one place for a long time, but move quite long distances in search of suitable food, mainly young foliage. They love water and swim well, sometimes for long periods. They often relax near the water, bathing in muddy mud, which is very beneficial for their skin.

Rhinoceros.

He enjoys the respect of all the other animals, who try to avoid meeting him. Only elephants do not fear them and easily put them to flight if they disturb them. A newborn Indian rhinoceros weighs about 65 kilograms.

Unlike the African rhinoceros, it has only one horn and its body is covered with thick shields of skin. It usually moves slowly, but if necessary it can reach speeds of up to 40 kilometers per hour.

Elephant.

Although its skin appears rough, it is actually very sensitive thanks to a covering of short and flexible bristles that react to even the lightest touch.

The mother never allows the baby elephant to leave her. She watches the cub all the time and begins to call him as soon as she notices that he is a little behind.

Female Indian elephant carries the fetus for about 20 months!