Tropical forest and its animals. Animals of the tropical zone

Students get acquainted with brief encyclopedic information, answer questions, and test their erudition. The lesson is developed based on teaching aid for further education Paul Dowswell "The unknown about the known". Recommended by the Ministry of Education of the Russian Federation in accordance with the Federal State Educational Standard.

Type of lesson: combined

Target: development of erudition, cognitive and creative abilities of students; developing the ability to search for information to answer questions.

Tasks:

Educational: the formation of cognitive culture, mastered in the process of educational activities, and aesthetic culture as the ability to have an emotional and value-based attitude towards objects of living nature.

Educational: development of cognitive motives aimed at obtaining new knowledge about living nature; cognitive qualities personalities associated with mastering the fundamentals scientific knowledge, mastering methods of studying nature, developing intellectual skills;

Educational: orientation in the system of moral norms and values: recognition of the high value of life in all its manifestations, the health of one’s own and other people; environmental consciousness; nurturing love for nature;

Personal: understanding of responsibility for the quality of acquired knowledge; understanding the value of adequately assessing one’s own achievements and capabilities;

Cognitive: ability to analyze and evaluate the impact of factors environment, health risk factors, consequences of human activities in ecosystems, the impact of one’s own actions on living organisms and ecosystems; focus on continuous development and self-development; the ability to work with various sources of information, transform it from one form to another, compare and analyze information, draw conclusions, prepare messages and presentations.

Regulatory: the ability to organize independent completion of tasks, evaluate the correctness of work, and reflect on one’s activities.

Communicative: formation of communicative competence in communication and cooperation with peers, understanding of the characteristics of gender socialization in adolescence, socially useful, educational and research, creative and other types of activities.

Technologies: Health conservation, problem-based, developmental education, group activities

Progress of the lesson

Learning new material (teacher's story with elements of conversation)

Questions and tasks for discussion

What does a tropical forest look like? (tiers tropical forest)

Who lives on the upper “floors”?

Are sloths really lazy?

Who lives on the lower “floor”?

How do animals adapt to life in trees?

How do animals manage to fly without wings?

Why are the rainforests so noisy?

Did you know this?

Animalworldtropicalforests

Presentation Animalworldtropicalforests

What does a tropical forest look like?

Rainforests located in the tropical, equatorial and subequatorial zones between 25° north latitude. and 30° S, as if “surrounding” the surface of the Earth along the equator. Rainforests are broken only by oceans and mountains.

Vegetation tropical forests very diverse, depending mainly on the amount of precipitation and its distribution over the seasons. When abundant (more than 2000 mm), and relatively uniform distribution develop humid tropical evergreen forests .

Classification of tropical forests

Tropical rainforest, tropical rain forest these are forests with specific biomes located in equatorial (equatorial rainforest), subequatorial and humid tropical areas with a very humid climate (2000-7000 mm of precipitation per year).

Tropical rainforests are characterized by enormous biodiversity. This is the most conducive natural area for life. Lives here a large number of own, including endemic species of animals and plants, as well as migratory animals. Two-thirds of all animal and plant species on the planet live in tropical rainforests. It is estimated that millions of animal and plant species remain undescribed.

These forests are sometimes called "jewels of the earth" And "the largest pharmacy in the world", since a large amount of natural medical supplies . They are also called “the lungs of the Earth,” but this statement is controversial because it has no scientific basis, since these forests either do not produce oxygen at all or produce very little of it.

Understory formation in tropical forests is severely limited in many places due to the lack of sunlight in the understory.

This allows humans and animals to move through the forest. If for some reason the deciduous canopy is absent or weakened, the lower tier is quickly covered with a dense thicket of vines, bushes and small trees - this formation is called a jungle. The most large areas rain forests Amazon"), in Nicaragua, in the southern part of the Yucatan Peninsula (Guatemala, Belize), in most of Central America (where they are called "selva"), in equatorial Africa from Cameroon to Democratic Republic Congo, in many areas South-East Asia from Myanmar to Indonesia and New Guinea, in the Australian state of Queensland.

Fortropical rainforestscharacteristic:

variety of flora,

presence of 4-5 tree layers, absence of shrubs, large number of vines

the predominance of evergreen trees with large evergreen leaves, poorly developed bark, buds not protected by bud scales; in monsoon forests - deciduous trees;

the formation of flowers and then fruits directly on trunks and thick branches

Trees in tropical rainforests have several general characteristics, which are not observed in plants of less humid climates.

The base of the trunk in many species has wide, woody projections. Previously, it was assumed that these protrusions help the tree maintain balance, but now it is believed that water with dissolved nutrients flows along these protrusions to the roots of the tree. The broad leaves of trees, shrubs and grasses of the lower tiers of the forest are characteristic. Wide leaves help plants absorb better sunlight There are forests under the edges of the trees, and they are protected from the wind from above.

Tall young trees that have not yet reached the top tier also have wider foliage, which then decreases with height. The leaves of the upper tier, which form the canopy, are usually smaller and heavily cut to reduce wind pressure. On the lower floors, the leaves are often narrowed at the ends so that this facilitates the rapid drainage of water and prevents the growth of microbes and moss on them, which destroy the leaves.

Tree tops are often very well connected with each other using vine or epiphytic plants, attached to them.

The trees of the tropical rainforest are characterized by unusually thin (1-2 mm) tree bark, sometimes covered with sharp thorns or prickles, the presence of flowers and fruits growing directly on the tree trunks, and a wide variety of juicy fruits that attract birds and mammals.

In tropical rainforests there are a lot of insects, especially butterflies (one of the richest faunas in the world) and beetles, and in rivers there are a lot of fish (about 2000 species, approximately a third of the world's freshwater fauna).

Levels (tiers) of tropical rainforest

The rainforest is divided into four main levels, each of which has its own characteristics, has different flora and fauna.

Top level

This tier consists of small quantity Very tall trees, rising above the forest canopy, reaching a height of 45-55 meters ( rare species reach 60-70 meters). Most often the trees are evergreen, but some shed their leaves during the dry season. Such trees must withstand harsh temperatures and strong winds. Eagles live on this level, the bats, some species of monkeys and butterflies.

Crown level (forest canopy)

The crown level is formed by most tall trees, usually 30-45 meters high. This is the densest layer known in all terrestrial biodiversity, with neighboring trees forming a more or less continuous layer of foliage.

Real exploration of this layer only began in the 1980s, when scientists developed techniques to reach the forest canopy, such as shooting ropes into the treetops with crossbows. Forest canopy research is still in its early stages. Other research methods include travel on balloons or aircraft. The science of reaching treetops is called dendronautics.

Sren level

Between the forest canopy and the forest floor there is another level called the understory. It is home to a number of birds, snakes and lizards. Insect life at this level is also very extensive. The leaves in this tier are much wider than at the crown level.

forest floor

Far from the banks of rivers, swamps and open spaces where dense, low-growing vegetation grows, forest floor relatively free of plants. At this level, rotting plants and animal remains can be seen, which quickly disappear due to the warm, humid climate that promotes rapid decomposition.

The selva is formed on vast low-lying areas of land under conditions of constant freshwater moisture, as a result of which the selva soil is extremely poor in minerals washed away by tropical rains. Selva is often swampy.

Flora and fauna of the jungle- a riot of colors and a variety of species of plants, birds and mammals.

Mangrove plants They live in sedimentary coastal environments, where fine sediments, often with a high organic content, accumulate in places protected from wave energy.

Mangroves provide habitat for wild animals, including a number of commercial species fish and crustaceans, and in at least some cases the export of stored carbon by mangroves is important in the coastal food web.

Foggy forest formed by trees with abundant lianas, with a dense cover of epiphytic mosses.

Tree ferns, magnolias, and camellias are typical; the forest may also include non-tropical vegetation.

Animal world tropical forests

Because tropical forests are typically very hot and humid, they are home to some of the world's largest trees and plants. There is so much food and opportunities to hide from enemies that many more animals live in these forests than in other areas of the Earth.

Most of the animals depicted here live in South America, where the world's largest forest area is located. Tropical forests are shown in white on the map.

Occupying only 6% of the landmass, the jungle is home to 50% of living species. Many of them are archaic and ancient. The constant heat and humidity of the jungle have allowed them to survive to this day.

The crowns of the tropics close together so tightly that those living here (1. hornbills, 2. turacos, 3. toucans) Almost forgot how to fly. But they jump well and climb branches. It’s easy to get lost in the intricacies of trunks and roots. The 2007 expedition to the island of Borneo alone gave the world 123 previously unknown tropical animals.

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Inhabitants of the forest floor

The lower layer of the tropics is called the litter. There are fallen leaves and branches here. The overgrowth blocks the light. Therefore, only 2% of the litter is illuminated total number sun rays. This limits vegetation. Only shade-tolerant representatives of the flora survive in the litter. Some plants reach for the light, climbing tree trunks like vines.

These kinds of lianas also exist among animal litter. Many of them are large and have long necks. This allows you to come out of the shadows, so to speak. The rest of the inhabitants of the lower tier of the tropics do not need lighting, but depend only on heat. We are talking about snakes, frogs, insects and soil inhabitants.

Tapir

Looks like a pig long trunk. In fact, the tapir is a relative of rhinoceroses and horses. Together with the trunk, the length of the animal’s body is about 2 meters. Tapirs weigh approximately 3 quintals and are found in Asia and America.

Leading night look life, the pig-like creatures disguised themselves. Black and white coloring makes tapirs invisible in the dark jungle floor, illuminated by the moon.

Animals living in the tropical forest acquired long nose, in order to hide from the heat and predators under water. When diving, tapirs leave the tip of their “trunk” on the surface. It serves as a breathing tube.

Cuban slittooth

It was declared extinct at the beginning of the 20th century. At the beginning of the 21st century, the animal was found again. Insectivore is relict species. Externally, its representatives are something between a hedgehog, a rat and a shrew. Living in the mountain tropics of Cuba, the slittooth is the largest of the insectivores. The body length of the animal is 35 centimeters. The slit tooth weighs about a kilogram.

These are flightless birds. Honored as the most dangerous on earth. In Australia, 1-2 people die every year from the powerful paws and clawed wings of cassowaries. How can a bird's wings have claws?

The fact is that the flying “vehicles” of cassowaries are transformed into such rudiments. On their central finger there is a sharp claw. Its size and strength are frightening, considering the bird's 500-kilogram weight and 2-meter height.

Okapi

Found in tropical Africa. The appearance of the animal combines the characteristics of a giraffe and a zebra. The body structure and coloring were borrowed from the latter. Black and white stripes decorate the legs of the okapi. The rest of the body is brown. Head and neck like a giraffe. According to the genome, okapi is precisely his relative. Otherwise, representatives of the species are called forest giraffes.

Okapi's neck is shorter than that of savannah giraffes. But the animal has a long tongue. It is 35 centimeters long and bluish in color. The organ allows okapi to reach foliage and clean its eyes and ears.

Western gorilla

It is the largest among primates and lives in the jungles of central Africa. The animal's DNA is almost 96% identical to human DNA. This applies to both lowland and mountain gorillas. The latter live in the tropics. They are few in number. There are less than 700 individuals left in nature.

There are about 100 thousand lowland gorillas. Another 4 thousand are kept in zoos. There are no mountain gorillas in captivity.

Being able to walk on their hind legs, gorillas prefer to move on all fours at once. In this case, the animals place their hands sideways, resting on the backs of their fingers. Monkeys need to keep the skin of their palms thin and tender. This is necessary for proper sensitivity of the brushes and fine manipulation of them.

Sumatran rhinoceros

He is the smallest among rhinoceroses. There are generally few large animals in the jungle. Firstly, it is easier for small creatures to get through the thickets. Secondly, the diversity of tropical species must fit into fertile but small areas.

Among rhinoceroses, the Sumatran is also the most ancient and rare. Animal life in the rainforest limited to the territories of the islands of Borneo and Sumatra. Here rhinoceroses reach one and a half meters in height and 2.5 in length. One individual weighs about 1300 kilograms.

Animals of the undergrowth

The undergrowth is slightly higher than the litter and already receives 5% of the sun's rays. To capture them, plants grow wide leaf blades. Their area allows them to capture maximum light. The height of representatives of the undergrowth flora does not exceed 3 meters. Accordingly, the tier itself is the same minus half a meter from the ground.

They fall on the canopy. Rainforest Animals in the undergrowth they are often medium-sized, sometimes medium-sized. The tier is inhabited by mammals, reptiles, and birds.

Jaguar

Lives in the tropics of America. The weight of the animal is 80-130 kilograms. This is the largest cat in America. The color of each individual is unique, like human fingerprints. The spots on the skins of predators are compared to them. Jaguars— excellent swimmers. Cats prefer to move through water by clinging to logs. On land, jaguars are also associated with trees. Cats drag prey onto them, hiding other contenders for meat in the branches.

Binturong

Belongs to the viverrid family. Externally, the binturong is something between a cat and a raccoon. The animal's relatives are genets and lysangs. Like them, the binturong is a predator. However, the touching appearance seems to cast off the fear of the animal.

Binturong lives in the tropics of Asia. Mostly Indian population. When dividing territories, binturongs mark their possessions with a liquid that smells like roasted corn.

South American nose

Represents raccoons. The animal has a long and mobile nose. It, like the head of the beast, is narrow. The name of the species is associated with the nose, as a distinctive feature. You can meet its representatives in the tropics of South America.

There, noses, like jaguars, are excellent tree climbers. The noses have short, but flexible and mobile paws with tenacious claws. The structure of the limbs allows animals to descend from trees both backwards and forwards.

The nose climbs into the trees to get fruit and hide from danger. In her absence, the beast is not averse to strolling along the jungle floor. Digging with its clawed paws, the nose finds reptiles and insects. Being an omnivore, the animal hunts them.

Darter frog

Among the existing reptiles, poison dart frogs are the most colorful. On photo of tropical forest animals stand out with their indigo coloration. There are also turquoise and blue-black colors. It’s not for nothing that they highlight the frog in the background surrounding nature like a tropical bud.

The poison dart frog has no need to camouflage itself. Among reptiles, the animal produces the most powerful poison. They don’t touch the frog, even if they see it in front of their nose. More often, predators and people recoil from the blue beauty, fearing poison. One frog injection is enough to kill 10 people. There is no antidote.

Dart frog venom contains 100 non-protein substances. It is believed that the frog gets them by processing the tropical ants that it feeds on. When poison dart frogs are kept in captivity on other food, they become harmless and non-poisonous.

Common boa constrictor

Similar to a python, but slimmer. The boa constrictor also does not have a supraorbital bone. Finding out what animals live in the tropical forest, it is important to “discard” the Argentine boa constrictor. It settles in arid and desert places. Other subspecies live in the tropics.

Some snakes hunt in water. In America, where rivers and lakes are occupied by anacondas, boa constrictors obtain food on the ground and trees.

The common boa constrictor in the tropics often replaces the cat. Residents of jungle settlements lure snakes, allowing them to live in barns and warehouses. There are boa constrictors catching mice. Therefore, the snake is considered partially domesticated.

flying dragon

This is a lizard with skin projections on the sides. They open when the animal jumps from the tree, resembling wings. They are not attached to the paws. Movable, rigid ribs open the folds.

The flying dragon descends into the jungle floor only to lay eggs. There are usually from 1 to 4 of them. Lizards bury their eggs in fallen leaves or soil.

Rainforest Canopy Dwellers

A tropical canopy is otherwise called a canopy. It is composed of tall, broad-leaved trees. Their crowns form a kind of roof over the litter and undergrowth. The height of the canopy is 35-40 meters. Many birds and arthropods hide in the treetops. There are 20 million species of the latter in the tropical canopy. There are fewer reptiles, invertebrates and mammals at altitude.

Kinkajou

Represents the raccoon family. Kinkajou lives in America. In the tropics, the animal settles in the crowns of trees. The kinkajou moves along their branches, clinging to its long tail.

Despite the slight similarity and lack of relationship with clubfoot, the animals are called tree bears. It's about diet. Kinkajou loves honey. The animal obtains it using its tongue. It reaches 13 centimeters in length, allowing it to climb into hives.

Malayan bear

Among the bears, he is the only one who almost never descends to the ground; he lives in the trees. The Malayan clubfoot is also the smallest in its order. The bear's fur is shorter than that of other Potapychs. Otherwise, representatives of the Malayan species would not be able to live in the tropics of Asia.

Among bears, the Malayan clubfoot has the longest tongue. It reaches 25 centimeters. The animal's claws are also the longest. How else to climb trees?

Jaco

One of the smartest parrots. Like a real intellectual, Gray is modestly “dressed.” The bird's plumage is gray. Only the tail has red feathers. Their shade is not flashy, but rather cherry. You can see birds in the jungle Africa. Rainforest Animals continent are successfully kept in captivity and often become news heroes.

Thus, a Gray Gray named Baby from the USA remembered the names of the robbers who broke into his owner’s apartment. Birds gave the thieves' information to the police. Jaco, who knew about 500 words, is listed in the Guinness Book of Records. different languages. The bird spoke in coherent sentences.

Koata

Otherwise called spider monkey. The animal has a tiny head, a massive body against its background, and long, thin limbs. When the koata extends them between the branches, it looks like a spider waiting for prey. The black, shiny fur of the animal, like fluff on the bodies of arthropods, is also confusing. The coata lives in South and Central America. With a 60-centimeter body length of a monkey, its length

the tail is 90 centimeters.

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Rainbow toucan

A large bird up to 53 centimeters long. With its massive and long beak, the toucan reaches for fruits on thin branches. If a bird sits on them, the shoots will not survive. A toucan weighs about 400 grams. The animal's beak is colored green, blue, orange, yellow, and red. The body is mostly black, but there is an extensive lemon-colored patch on the head with a red scarlet border on the neck. Even the irises of the toucan’s eyes are colored, turquoise. It becomes clear why the species is called rainbow. The colorful appearance of the toucan is combined with the fruit variety of the tropics. However, the bird can also feast on protein foods, catching insects and tree frogs. Sometimes toucans eat the chicks of other birds.

Golden-helmed kalao

The largest among the birds of the tropics of Africa. The bird weighs approximately 2 kilograms. The golden-helmeted animal is named due to the feathers sticking out on its head. They seem to be raised, forming a semblance of armor from the times of the Roman Empire. The color of the feathers is golden.

There is a patch of bare skin on the neck of the kalao. It is slightly drooping and wrinkled, like that of a vulture or turkey. The kalao is also distinguished by its massive beak. It is not for nothing that the bird belongs to the hornbill family.

Three-toed sloth

What animals are in the rainforest the slowest? The answer is obvious. Sloths move on land with maximum speed 16 meters hour. Animals spend most of their time on the branches of trees in the African jungle. There are sloths hanging upside down. The animals sleep most of the time, and leisurely chew the leaves for the rest.

Sloths not only feed on vegetation, but are also covered in it. Animal fur is covered with microscopic algae. That's why sloths are greenish in color. Algae are plants of water bodies. From there the sloths took “tenants”.

Slow mammals are good swimmers. During the rainy season, sloths have to

melt from tree to tree

Upper tropics

Animals of the tropical rainforest the upper tier live at an altitude of 45-55 meters. At this mark there are single crowns of particularly tall trees. Other trunks do not strive higher, because they are not adapted to stand alone in the face of the winds and heat of the sun.

Some birds, mammals, and bats also fight them. The choice is determined either by the proximity of the food supply, or by the availability of an overview of the area, or by moving to a safe distance from predators and dangers.

Crowned eagle

Among birds of prey he is the largest. The animal's body length exceeds a meter. The wingspan of the crowned eagle is more than 200 centimeters. A distinctive feature of the species is the crest on the head. In moments of danger or fighting spirit, the feathers rise, forming something like a crown.

The crowned eagle lives in the jungles of Africa. You rarely see birds alone. Crowned birds live in pairs. Animals even fly around their domains together. The eagles’ “allotment,” by the way, is approximately 16 square kilometers.

Giant flying fox

The muzzle of this bat looks like a fox. Hence the name of the animal. His fur, by the way, is reddish, which also reminds of foxes. Soaring in the sky, the flyer opens his wings to 170 centimeters. The giant fox weighs more than a kilogram.

Giant flying foxes are found in Asian countries such as Thailand, Indonesia and Malaysia. Fruit bats live in flocks. Flying in groups of 50-100 individuals, foxes terrify tourists.

Royal colobus

Belongs to the monkey family. It differs from other colobus monkeys by white markings on the chest, tail, and cheeks. The monkey lives in the jungles of Africa, growing to 60-70 centimeters in length, excluding the tail. He is 80 cm.

Colobuses rarely descend to the ground. Monkeys spend most of their lives on

treetops where they feed on fruits.

Conclusion:

Wildlife of the rainforest- this is fierce competition not only for space, light, but also food. Therefore, it is in the jungle that species are found that eat food that the inhabitants of other places do not even consider as food.

What about eucalyptus leaves, for example? Nutrients they contain a minimum, but there are enough poisons, and only koalas have learned to neutralize them. Thus, the animals of the species provided themselves with an abundance of food, for which they did not have to fight.

- one of the most unique natural areas, having 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. In the ground tiers there are the most large snakes in the world, eating rodents, birds, amphibians. Humid equatorial forests are also home to 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 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

The rainforests are densely populated by gibbons, gorillas, monkeys and 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 of South America.

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

Tropical forests are home to a huge number of animals. First of all this. Species live in India and Africa narrow-nosed monkeys, and in America - broad-nosed. Their tail and limbs allow them to expertly climb trees, where they get their food.

Mammals

The tropical forests are home to predators such as leopards and pumas.

Interesting view is an American tapir, somewhat reminiscent of a horse and a rhinoceros.

Nutria can be found in ponds. People hunt this type of large rodent because they have valuable fur.

Nutria

In South America you can find sloths that appearance remind . They have fairly long and flexible limbs with which they cling to trees. These are slow animals; they move slowly along the branches.

Armadillos, which have a powerful shell, live in the forests. During the day they sleep in their burrows, and at nightfall they come to the surface and lead a nocturnal lifestyle.

An inhabitant of tropical forests is the anteater. It moves without problems on the ground, climbs trees, eats ants and various insects.

Among marsupial species Possums can be found here.

Opossums

African tropical forests are inhabited by elephants and, which are relatives of giraffes.

Elephant

Lemurs, which are considered prosimians, live in Madagascar.

Lemurs

Some reservoirs are home to crocodiles, among which the Nile crocodile is the most famous. In Asia, long-snouted crocodiles are known, which mainly swim in the Ganges. The length of its body reaches 7 meters.

Rhinoceroses are found in tropical forests, and hippos are found in ponds.

Rhinoceros

Hippopotamus

In Asia you can find a tiger, a sloth bear and.

Birds of the rainforest

Many birds fly in the forests. South America is home to hoatzins, hummingbirds, and more than 160 species of parrots.

Africa and America have large populations of flamingos. They live near salt lakes and on sea coasts, feeding on algae, worms and mollusks, and some insects.

There are peacocks in Asia and on nearby islands.

Wild bush chickens are found in India and the Sunda Islands.

Bush chickens

Insects and reptiles of forests

In tropical forests there are many snakes (pythons, anacondas) and lizards (iguanas).

The reservoirs are home to a variety of amphibian and fish species, among which the most famous in South America are piranhas.

Piranha

The most important inhabitants of the tropical forest are ants.

Spiders, butterflies, mosquitoes and other insects also live here.

Insect

No other terrestrial ecosystem on Earth is as important as rain forests. From 50 to 75 percent of all species of the planet's fauna live in these territories, and millions more animals remain undiscovered. The amazing biodiversity in these habitats makes them home to several most interesting creatures nature.

Jaguar

Jaguars are a real threat to the rainforests of Central and South America, as they are the top predators in their family. These are the largest cats that inhabit the American continents, and the third largest in the world after tigers and lions. Although most cats are known to have an aversion to water, jaguars, like tigers, are an exception. They have perfectly adapted to living in rain forests and feel no worse in water than on land.

Okapi

This creature resembles a cross between a zebra and an antelope, and is sometimes even mistaken for a unicorn. But the okapi, which has such a unique appearance, is not one of the above creatures. Their closest relatives are giraffes.
These cute and graceful animals live in rain forests Central Africa. They spend most of their time in the pastures, eating leaves, buds, grass, ferns and fruits with the help of an unusually long, mobile and sticky tongue. This organ is so dexterous that the animal is able to lick its eyelids, as well as wash its big ears.

Amazon river dolphin

The Amazon river dolphin is one of five living species river dolphins on the planet, and also the largest of them. These creatures live in troubled waters Amazon and Orinoco basins in South America, and they can often be seen among the trees of flooded forests. Additionally, these dolphins are often called pink dolphins because their skin has a pinkish tint in random places.

Glass frog

You're not looking at an x-ray right now. The skin of these amazing transparent frogs, which can be seen in the rain forests of Central and South America, is so translucent that you can see their organs through it. It is believed that there are more than 150 species of this amazing family of amphibians in the world.

Cassowary

Native to the rainforests of New Guinea and northeastern Australia, these colorful flightless birds resemble colorful ostriches with blade-like hats. They are the third largest birds in the world (after ostriches and emus), and unlike many bird species, females tend to display brighter plumage rather than males.

Marmoset

These little monkeys from the rain forests of South America may be considered the most glorious primates in existence. In fact, they are the smallest monkeys in the world. About 22 species are known to exist, and each exhibits extravagant variations in furry attire. The interesting thing is that they almost always give birth to twins.

Malayan bear

Malayan bear - smallest type bears in the world. It inhabits the tropical rain forests of Southeast Asia. It is one of only two species of bears adapted to life in the jungle (the other being the South American spectacled bear), and the only species that lives almost exclusively in trees. This creature is distinguished by a distinctive orange U-shaped collar on its chest.

Anaconda

Found in the rain forests and floodplains of South America, the anaconda is the largest, heaviest and second longest snake in the world. This species has earned a secure place in B-horror films. Although it is not venomous, the anaconda is capable of killing an adult male by constriction, although such attacks are extremely rare. The achievement of such enormous dimensions is partly facilitated by semi-aquatic image life, and this snake is known to be an excellent swimmer.

Siamang

Siamangs are black-furred monkeys native to the forests of Southeast Asia and are in fact the largest species of gibbon in the world. They are distinguished by a spherical throat sac, which they use to produce loud calls. These sounds are unmistakable in the dense jungle and are intended to define territorial boundaries between competing groups.

Fringed turtle

It is probably difficult to find a species of turtle in the world with a more strange appearance. Fringeback turtles can be seen in the rain forests of the Amazon and Orinoco basins and are sedentary and characterized by a triangular, flattened head and shell. Flaps of skin hang loosely from the neck and head of these reptiles, somewhat reminiscent of wet leaves. In fact, the strange shape of the fringed turtle's shell from a distance resembles a piece of tree bark, which provides the reptile with excellent camouflage.

African equatorial forests occupy lowland and mountainous areas. Mountain forests are shrouded in clouds that maintain high humidity. That's why they are also called cloud forests. The world's largest apes, gorillas, live in the tropical forests of Africa. There are only two populations of gorillas: the lowland, or ground, gorillas, which live in the western lowland forests, and the mountain gorillas, which inhabit the eastern mountain forests. Gorillas are classified as apes. These are huge animals, the males of which reach 2 m in height and can weigh up to 300 kg. Despite their terrifying appearance, they are peaceful vegetarians. Gorillas live family groups from 5 to 15 individuals: several females and juveniles. The group is led by an adult male (you can recognize him by his silvery back). The leader takes care of the entire flock, and if for some reason he dies, then the rest of the group members may die along with him, deprived of his protection and care. Gorillas are too heavy to easily climb trees, so they lead a terrestrial lifestyle. Every evening they settle down for the night, building nests on the branches of fairly strong trees or on the ground. Gorillas are not aggressive, but in case of danger they can attack the offender. Most often, they scare away the attacker without engaging in a fight, roar, beat their chests with their fists and break branches with a loud crash. In the same way, young males sort things out among themselves.

The fauna of African tropical forests differs from savannas in the absence of large predators. (The exception is the leopard). The inhabitants of tropical forests are much smaller than their relatives living in savannas. For example, duiker antelopes are slightly larger than a hare, the pygmy hippopotamus is half the size of a normal one, and the okapi, a relative of giraffes, is significantly inferior to them in height.

Okapi, which lives only in forests, does not need long neck, like a giraffe, because it can pick shoots, leaves and anodes low from the ground. The coloring of the okapi also bears little resemblance to its relative; its large ears give it a somewhat comical appearance, but they help to better capture forest sounds. Interestingly, the okapi's tongue is so long that it can reach the ear.

In the dense thickets along the river banks live miniature African deer, the size of a domestic cat. They are relatives of deer; they do not have antlers and lead a completely different way of life. These animals live near water and swim well. Sensing danger, the deer runs to the water and dives, holding its breath for a long time. He moves along the bottom of the river and emerges in a safe place, thus escaping his pursuer. This unusual creature feeds not only on plants, but also on small fish, crabs, insects and even small mammals. Deer are active at night, and during the day they climb low on the trees along the vines, like on a ladder. The deer are in the trees and hide during the day.

Several species of hyraxes live in Africa. These small (body length up to 60 cm) animals are classified as a separate order of mammals. Outwardly, they resemble marmots or pikas, although scientific research has revealed their distant relationship with elephants. The forests are inhabited by tree hyraxes, which are excellent tree climbers, jumping from branch to branch in search of food. Hyraxes feed on plants and insects. Tree hyraxes are solitary, unlike mountain hyraxes, which live in small colonies.

In tropical forests you can find an animal that looks like a fir cone. This mammal from the order of lizards is called a pangolin. Pangolins have a lot in common with armadillos, since, according to scientists, they descended from the same ancestors. The pangolin's body is covered with horny scales that protect it from predators: the pangolin, like the armadillo, can curl up into a ball and feeds on insects. Tree pangolins have a strong, grasping tail, which they use to cling to branches while climbing trees.

Geneta is an active predator, a relative of civets, mongoose and meerkat. Flexible and dexterous, genets easily climb trees, hunting for birds and small mammals. But genets spend most of their time on the ground. Apes live in African forests. They live in groups of 2 to 20 individuals, led by an important male. The lifestyle of chimpanzees is generally similar to that of gorillas. However, chimpanzees feed not only on plant foods, but also on insects and small mammals. Sometimes a group of chimpanzees will also attack a fairly large animal. These monkeys even have cases of cannibalism: one monkey can steal another’s baby and eat it. Chimpanzees in their development are more advanced high level than other mammals - they are very smart, communicating with each other using more than 30 different sounds. Apes are the closest relatives of humans in the animal kingdom.

All layers of the African rainforest are home to a variety of birds, some of which are found only here. In Africa, unlike South America, there are not many parrots, only a few dozen species. The most famous parrot is the gray parrot. gray with red undertail. Small sunbirds occupy the same ecological niche as hummingbirds in South America. Tree hoopoes, hornbills, banana eaters and Congolese peacocks live here. This rare peacock was discovered by scientists relatively recently: before that, its existence could only be judged by a single feather that was accidentally found.

In terms of brightness of color, banana-eater birds, or turacos, are not inferior to South American parrots. Turakas, which are relatives of cuckoos, live in struts, breaking into pores only during the breeding season. When it rains, banana eaters can “shed” because their feathers are covered with a multi-colored powdery substance that dissolves in water. After some time, the brightness of the color is restored. Turaks are poor fliers, preferring to climb trees or glide from branch to branch in search of food, fruits and small animals.

At night, bats, small mammals belonging to the order Chiroptera, fly out to hunt. Spreading their leathery wings, they fly between trees and catch insects. Well-developed hearing, vision, touch, and in some species echolocation, help these animals to navigate perfectly in the dark without bumping into obstacles. During the day, bats rest in caves, rock crevices, as well as in hollows or on tree branches. They cling to branches or stones with their hind legs, hanging upside down, and, folding their wings, sleep. A wide variety of insects, spiders, centipedes and mollusks live in tree trunks, foliage and forest floors. The most numerous insects are ants, of which there are more than 600 species in the forests of Africa. Insects such as stick insects, mantises and beetles live here. The Goliath beetle, the largest beetle in the world and found in these forests, has become very rare due to collecting. The most colorful representatives of insects are butterflies. Butterflies fly in the forest canopy, tropical butterflies, as well as African giant swallowtails. Centipedes are ancient arthropods that have lived on Earth for more than 500 million years. Living in the forest floor, they crawl out during the leader's time or at night, feeding on the remains of animals.

Legless amphibians - worms - live in the damp forest floor of the tropical forest. They look similar to earthworms, although they are related to frogs, salamanders and newts. The body length of these amphibians can reach 1.1 meters. Worms feed on soil invertebrates: earthworms, centipedes and others.