African rainforest fauna. Tropical forest animals A group of animals living in the tropics

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

The lower tier has become a habitat for rodents and insects. Here is 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. Anteaters, armadillos and sloths, chameleons, spiders are widely found in the fauna of tropical rainforests. different monkeys, tenacious porcupines, the bats(the valley of the Congo and the Amazon has several hundred species), llamas, various orders of birds and birds, as well as reptiles and amphibians. Among amphibians there are tree frogs living on 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, amphibians. In humid equatorial forests live and large predators: jaguars (in South America), leopards (in Africa), crocodiles, hippos. Rivers and lakes contain about 2 thousand fish (about 1/3 of the entire freshwater fauna of the planet).

Consider some of the animals of tropical rainforests in more detail:

Birds

Tropical forests are inhabited by a huge variety of birds, both small and large.
Nectar birds are small birds (from 8 cm in length) with bright and colorful plumage, feeding on the nectar of flowers and contributing to their pollination.

Toucan is a representative of the bird family with a huge, brightly colored yellow beak, almost equal to the length his torso. Is the object of hunting local residents because of the tasty meat and the orange skin used as decoration.

Parrots and birds of paradise are among the most densely inhabited rainforest birds with long tail feathers and multicolored crests.

Third largest in the world predatory mammal and one of the largest representatives of the cat family, living in North and South America. Goes hunting at dusk. Its prey are ungulates, birds, monkeys, and also turtles. Jaguar jaws can easily bite through the shell. It swims excellently and in rare cases is able to miss the victim, sometimes it can attack sleeping alligators.

Monkey

The rainforests are densely populated by gibbons, gorillas, marmosets and narrow-nosed monkeys. They live in forest crowns at a height of 50 m above the ground.

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

Gibbons - a distinctive feature is the length of their forelimbs, exceeding the hind limbs. They are well adapted to life in the crowns and foliage of trees and move in a unique way in the animal world by brachiation, swinging from branch to branch with their forelimbs.

The leopard is a large feline, excellent at climbing trunks and branches. It attacks monkeys, small ungulates and is able to drag prey much larger than its own body in weight.

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 under water. Attacking the victim, he uses a suffocating technique, then gradually swallows it with a 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.

Leopards of the tropics are divided into several species, but all of them have characteristic spots on the skin. By the way, the famous black, a symbol of grace and beauty, is also a leopard, but with black spots on the background. Also interesting smoky leopard. He climbs trees like a domestic cat, jumping from branch to branch and terrifying the monkeys.

Tigers are found not only in the tropics, but also in the mountains and in the northern regions.

Such different rainforest monkeys

The largest is the gorilla. Males reach the height of an average person - 1.75 m, and their weight often exceeds 200 kg. Gorillas live on the ground and feed on insects and shoots of green plants.

According to scientists, gorillas are the closest relatives of humans.

Pachyderms of the tropics

Another typical tropical animal is. These animals are among the most dangerous - an angry rhinoceros runs at a speed of 40 km / h, and its sharp horn is able to pierce the thickest skin. The only thing that saves the victim from the fury of the rhinoceros is the pachyderm's poor eyesight. Rhinos usually navigate by smell.

The only animals that do not care about rhino rage are. Some of the largest living mammals are usually led by the oldest female. Elephants are one of the most intelligent animals - they are able to distinguish notes, have their own language and recognize themselves in the mirror.

Advice 2: What are the animals of the humid equatorial forests

The humid equatorial forests of Africa, South America, India are extremely rich and diverse in their flora and fauna. The animal world includes the inhabitants of several tiers - high-rise floors of the forest.

Gilea - humid equatorial forest

Evergreen forests are located along the equator in narrow bands. Here, multi-tiered trees stand as solid walls, under the crowns of which eternal twilight and stupefying humidity reign. The temperature in such forests is constantly extremely high, while the seasons do not change at all. At any moment, a solid wall of heavy rain can collapse. That is why such jungles are also called permanent rain. Alexander Humboldt gave them the name "Gilea" - from the Greek "forest".

Some travelers of the past, having visited such a forest, called it "green hell".

Each of the species of plants and animals found in the hylaea has its own "floor", a place of permanent residence. There can be up to five "floors" in the forest.

Animal world

The lower layer is the least densely populated layer of the equatorial forest. There are insects, various rodents, predators (including, for example, panthers, jaguars, leopards and other wild cats), as well as wild and small ungulates. In India, they live here - they are smaller than African ones and are quite capable of moving under the low cover of trees.

By the way, just such a forest was described by Rudyard Kipling in the book "Mowgli". A boy raised by wolves grew up in a hylaea.

Water snakes, crocodiles and hippos live in various and numerous reservoirs - lakes and rivers.

By the way, some rodents also live on higher tiers - they have special membranes between their limbs that allow them to plan between trees.

A variety of birds live on all tiers of the equatorial forest, ranging from tiny bright sunbirds to hornbills and huge turacos. Another feathered inhabitant of the equatorial forest is also very beautiful - a toucan with its bright yellow neck and a red stripe on its beak. Birds of paradise with long colored tails and tufts do not lag behind in exoticism.

Most of all in rainforests of all kinds. True, some (usually unusual!) of them are on the verge of extinction - mainly due to the activities of poachers.

In the crowns of trees live and: chimpanzees, gorillas, macaques, gibbons. They usually nest in flocks.

A variety of snakes also live in the equatorial forests. Among them are huge, boas that can weigh up to 100 kilograms. Among them are both viviparous and oviparous species.

Along the equator are countries with the warmest climates on Earth. it Equatorial Guinea, Gabon, Congo, Democratic Republic Congo, Uganda, Kenya, Somalia, Maldives, Indonesia, Kiribati, Ecuador, Colombia and Brazil.

Ecuador - the pearl of the equator

In Spanish, "Ecuador" means the equator. This South American state is located on a small segment of the prime meridian. Despite its not too impressive size, the state is multinational, cultures and customs of many nationalities are closely intertwined in it.

The main treasure of Ecuador are his and vegetable world. Here they found a permanent 4.5 thousand. various kinds butterflies, about 1600 species of birds, 350 species of reptiles, at least 260 species, 350 species of amphibians. Tourism, the oil and gas industry, the export of coffee, cocoa, timber, bananas, shrimp, tuna, and flowers are well developed in Ecuador.

natural conditions

The climate in Ecuador is largely determined by the Andes. southern part The coast is washed by the cold waters of the Pacific Humboldt Current. Almost all types of climate are present in the country - from hot and humid to harsh and cold. In the middle part of the mountains, the average annual temperature is kept within 20-23 degrees. Plus 25-30 degrees is average temperature coast.

Flora of Ecuador

No country in South America has this diversity. plant communities like in Ecuador. The Andes, from Pasado Point to the area below the Equator, is covered by a dense rainforest. Further, the rainforests give way to the territory of xerophytic shrubs, turning into desert areas. Sparse thorny trees are interspersed with xerophytic, crotons and cacti.

The most famous tree is palo de balsa, found both in the valley of the Guayas River and in northern Peru. The tree is valued for its world-famous lightweight wood, which is used to build sea vessels. In these areas, there is a plant similar to a palm tree, palmate karludovika, from the fibers of the leaves of which the "Panama hats" known to almost everyone are made. The high Andes are covered with grassy vegetation, over which the espeletia rise. This plant reaches a height of 1.5 - 6, the leaves are spear-shaped, blooms in clusters. The local flora has largely been replaced by cultivated plants. Behind the eastern Condillera, a zone of tropical forests opens up.

Fauna of Ecuador

The jungles of Ecuador are home to a huge number of rare animals and birds. Hummingbirds are one of the most interesting species. In paramos, spectacled bears, mountain bears, small reindeer pud. The owners of the jungle can be called wild, who spend most of their existence in dense shrubs and marshy reed beds. Aggressive small leopards, monkeys, toucans, parrots, caimans, kuchuchi live here.

The rarest animals can be seen on Galapagos Islands, similar to a closed little world that has avoided the rapid processes of evolution. Rare specimens of animals that have long disappeared from other parts of the globe have been preserved here. These are ground finches, marine and terrestrial iguana. The islands are home to giant land tortoises, which are only found in Indian Ocean in the Mascarene Islands.

In the waters surrounding the Galapagos, there are many dolphins and whales, marine pinnipeds, the rarest Galapagos marine. The existence of penguins here is a complete paradox - along with iguanas and birds, they form an amazing sight.

Four levels in the equatorial forest and their fauna

Tropical forests are divided into four main levels, each of them has its own characteristics, as well as its own characteristic fauna. Actually top level, consisting of a small number of very tall trees, bats, eagles and some live. There are several hundred species in the Congo and Amazon valleys. bats.

The crown level is located at 30-45 meters from the surface of the earth, it is the densest and is known for its biological diversity. Crown level fauna is similar to that found on the topmost level, but more varied. The middle level is called the sub-ceiling, many birds live here, as well as lizards and snakes. The lower tier is a habitat for rodents and insects.

The most interesting animals of the equatorial forests

The jaguar is one of the largest representatives of the cat family, it lives in North and South America. The jaguar goes hunting at dusk, monkeys, ungulates, birds and even turtles become its prey. The powerful jaws of this animal are able to easily bite through their shell. Sometimes it attacks alligators, it is an excellent swimmer and can miss prey only in very rare cases.

Some species of monkeys live in forest crowns at a height of about 50 m above the ground. equatorial forests densely populated by monkeys, gorillas, narrow-nosed monkeys and gibbons. Gorillas are the most major representatives this class, their growth reaches 1 m 50 cm, and their weight can exceed 250 kg. Predators are afraid to attack them, because adult gorillas have great strength.

In gibbons, the length of the forelimbs exceeds the length of the hind ones; they are perfectly adapted to move in the crowns of trees by brachiation. Swinging on their hands, gibbons quickly move from one branch to another. They move on two legs, and Long hands lifted up to maintain balance.

From gliding anacondas to fluttering blue morpho butterflies, the rainforest is teeming with life - in fact, these precious ecosystems are home to 80 percent of the world's terrestrial biodiversity. The Rainforest Alliance is committed to protecting rainforests and biodiversity, including restoring degraded lands, surrounding forests, and protecting waterways. Here are 11 amazing rainforest animals that the Rainforest Alliance is helping to protect.

With its brilliant, iridescent blue wings, the blue Morpho butterfly flutters through the rainforest. The many "eyes" on its inner brown side fool predators into thinking it is a large predator.

These gentle giants of the ocean can be found in warm waters the southern United States, the Caribbean and the northeast coast of Brazil. These manatees can weigh up to 500 kg. and grow up to 3 meters in length.

The striking okapi, the giraffe's closest relative, lives in the dense Ituri rainforest in Central Africa. A master of camouflage, his striped back and brown hide help him stay undetected by predators.

This slow-moving animal lives exclusively in trees and feeds on leaves, branches and fruits. It moves so slowly that its coat takes on a green tint due to the algae that grows on it. And in order to digest one meal, a sloth can take a whole month.

Having a strong resemblance to guinea pig, Capybara is the largest rodent on Earth. It can weigh up to 65 kg and be up to 60 cm tall. It lives in the dense vegetation that surrounds the water and often jumps into water to hide from predators. The capybara can hold its breath for up to five minutes.

One of the most iconic rainforest animal species, the red macaw is a large parrot with bright red plumage and brilliant blue and yellow feathers. Its powerful beak can open tough nuts and seeds. The red macaw is one of the few species that mates for life.

As one of the most colorful animals on the planet, the poison arrow frog uses its color to warn predators of the toxic venom that resides inside its skin. Indigenous cultures often use the frog's venom to coat arrowheads used for hunting.

Black howler monkeys are so nicknamed because of their loud howls that they use to mark territory. These screams that sound like strong wind blowing through the tunnel can be heard up to 3 km away. The Black Howlers live high up in tropical forests, groups of 4 to 19 individuals.

It is the largest of all anteaters and can be found in grasslands, swamps, and wet forests from southern Belize to northern Argentina. Its long sticky tongue can pop up 150 times per minute, allowing it to easily eat 30,000 insects a day.

The green anaconda is one of the largest snakes in the world, reaching over 9 meters in length, 30 cm in diameter and weighing over 220 kg. Due to its size, it is quite bulky on land, but very stealthy in the water.

The praying mantis is a master of camouflage that blends in and mimics the foliage around it. It uses its keen eyesight and powerful forelimbs to catch and devour its prey.

None of the Earth's land ecosystems plays such an important role as rainforests. From 50 to 75 percent of all species of the planet's fauna live in these territories, and millions more animals remain undiscovered. Due to the astonishing biodiversity in these habitats, they have become home to several interesting creatures nature.

Jaguar

Jaguars are a real thunderstorm in the rainforests of Central and South America, as they represent the top predators in their family. These are the largest feline of those that inhabit the Americas, and the third largest in the world after tigers and lions. While most cats are known to dislike water, jaguars, like tigers, are an exception. They are perfectly adapted to living in rainforests and feel no worse in the 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 okapi, with such a unique appearance, are none of the above creatures. Their closest relatives are giraffes.
These cute and graceful animals live in rainforests. Central Africa. They spend most of their time in the pastures, eating leaves, buds, grass, ferns, and fruit with an unusually long, agile, and sticky tongue. This organ is so dexterous that the animal is able to lick its eyelids, as well as to wash its large ears inside and out.

Amazon river dolphin

The Amazonian river dolphin is one of five living species. river dolphins on the planet, as well as the largest of them. These creatures live in muddy waters the Amazon and Orinoco basins in South America, and are often seen among the trees of flooded forests. In addition, these dolphins are often called pink, as their skin has a pinkish tint in random places.

glass frog

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

Cassowary

These multicolored flightless birds, found in the rainforests of New Guinea and Northeast Australia, look like brightly colored ostriches wearing blade-like hats. They are the third largest birds in the world (after ostriches and emus), and unlike many species of birds, females, rather than males, tend to show brighter plumage.

Igrunka

These little monkeys from the rainforests of South America can be considered the most glorious primates in existence. In fact, these are the smallest monkeys in the world. About 22 species are known to exist, and each one exhibits extravagant variations in fluffy attire. Interestingly, they almost always give birth to twins.

Malayan bear

Malayan bear - smallest view bears in the world. It inhabits the tropical rainforests of Southeast Asia. It is one of only two bear species that have 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 creation features a distinctive orange U-shaped collar on the chest.

Anaconda

The anaconda, which lives in the rainforests and floodplains of South America, is the largest, heaviest and second longest snake in the world. This species has earned a secure place in second-rate horror films. Although not venomous, the anaconda is capable of killing an adult male by squeezing, although such attacks are extremely rare. The semi-aquatic lifestyle contributes in part to achieving such enormous size, and this snake is known to be an excellent swimmer.

Siamang

Siamangs are black-haired monkeys native to the forests of Southeast Asia, in fact they are largest species gibbons in the world. They are distinguished by a spherical throat pouch which they use to make loud calls. These sounds are unmistakable from anything else in the dense jungle and are meant to identify territorial boundaries between competing groups.

fringed turtle

Probably, it is unlikely that in the world you can find a species of turtles with a more strange appearance. Fringed turtles can be seen in the rainforests of the Amazon and Orinoco basins, they lead sedentary image life and are characterized by a triangular flattened head and shell. Skin patches hang freely from the neck and head of these reptiles, somewhat reminiscent of wet leaves. In reality strange shape From a distance, the fringed turtle's shell resembles a piece of tree bark, which provides the reptile with excellent camouflage.

The rainforest is very rich in animals. in the Amazon and Orinoco There are many different kinds of monkeys. In their structure, they differ from the Old World monkeys living in Africa and India. Old world monkeys are called narrow-nosed, American monkeys are called broad-nosed. A long tenacious tail helps the monkeys deftly climb trees. The spider monkey has a particularly long and tenacious tail. Another monkey, the howler monkey, wraps its tail around the bough, holding it like a hand. Howler was named for its powerful, obnoxious voice.

The strongest predator tropical forests - jaguar. This is a large yellow cat with black spots on the skin. She is Good climbs trees.

The other big cat in America is the cougar. It is common in North America to Canada, in South America it is found in the steppes to Patagonia. The cougar is colored yellowish gray and somewhat resembles a lion (without a mane); this is probably why it is called the American lion.

Near the reservoirs in the thicket of the forest you can meet an animal that resembles a little horse and even more - a rhinoceros. The animal reaches 2 m in length. His muzzle is elongated, as if elongated in trunk. This is an American tapir. He, like a pig, loves to wallow in puddles.

On the lakes in the reed beds on the plains of Patagonia and nutria lives on the mountain slopes of the Andes - swamp beaver, or koipu, is a large rodent the size of our river beaver. The life of a nutria is connected with water. Nutria feeds on succulent roots aquatic plants, arranges nests from reeds and reeds. The animal gives valuable moss. The nutria was transferred to Soviet Union and released in the swampy thickets of Transcaucasia. They have acclimatized and breed well. However, they suffer greatly during the cold winters that occur in Azerbaijan and Armenia, when the lakes freeze.

Unadapted to life in freezing reservoirs, nutria, diving under the ice, do not find a way out. At the same time, their habitats become accessible for jungle cats and jackals, which pass through the ice to nests of nutrias.

Armadillos, sloths and anteaters live in the forests of South America.

Body armadillo is covered with a shell, a bit reminiscent shield . The shell consists of two layers: inside it is bony, outside - horny - and is divided into belts, movably connected to each other.: Guiana and Brazil lives giant armadillo. The largest of the armadillos reach one and a half meters in length. Armadillos live in deep burrows and come out to prey only at night. They feed on termites, ants and various small animals.

Sloths have a monkey-like face. The long limbs of these animals are armed with large sickle-shaped claws. They got their name for slowness and sluggishness. The dull greenish-gray protective coloration of the sloth reliably hides it from the eyes of the enemy in the branches of trees. The color of the sloth is given by green algae that live in its rough and shaggy wool. This is one of the great examples of the cohabitation of animal and plant organisms.

AT In the forests of South America, several species of anteaters are found - The average anteater, tamandua, with a tenacious tail, is very interesting. He is great at running up sloping trunks and climbing trees, looking for ants and other insects.

Marsupials in the forests of Brazil are eared and water opossums. The water opossum, or swimmer, lives near rivers and lakes. It differs from the eared one in color and swimming membranes on the hind legs.

There are many different types of bats in South America. Among them are blood-sucking leaf-beetles that attack horses and mules, and vampires.

Despite their sinister name, vampires eat exclusively by insects and fruits of plants.

Of the birds of great interest is the hoatzin. This is a motley colored, rather large bird with a large crest on its head. The nest of the hoatzin is placed above the water, in the branches of trees or thickets of shrubs. Chicks are not afraid to fall into the water: they swim and dive well. Hoatzin chicks have long claws on the first and second fingers of the wing,; helping them climb branches and branches. It is curious that the adult hoatzin loses the ability to quickly move through the trees.

Studying the structure and lifestyle of hoatzin chicks, scientists came to the conclusion that the ancestors of birds also climbed trees. After all, the fossil first bird (Archaeopteryx) were long fingers with claws on the wings.

There are over 160 species of parrots in the rainforests of South America. The most famous are green Amazonian parrots. They are learn to speak well.

Only in one country - in America - live the smallest birds - hummingbirds. These are unusually bright and beautifully colored fast-flying pawns, some of them the size of a bumblebee. There are over 450 species of hummingbirds. They, like insects, hover around flowers, sucking flower juice with a thin beak and tongue. In addition, hummingbirds also feed on small insects.

There are many different snakes in the rainforests! and lizards. Among them are boas, or boa, anaconda, reaching I m in length, bushmaster - 4 l I in length. Due to the protective coloration of the skin, many snakes are hardly noticeable among the forest greenery.

There are especially many lizards in the tropical rainforest. Big broad-toed geckos are sitting on the trees. Among other species of lizards, the most interesting is the iguana, living and | in trees and on the ground. This lizard has a very beautiful emerald green color. She eats plant foods.

In the forests of Brazil and Guiana lives a large frog - the Surinamese pipa. It is interesting in a special way of reproduction. delayed female the eggs are distributed by the male on the back of the female. Each egg falls into a separate cell. In the future, the skin grows, and the cells close. The frogs develop on the back of the female; when they grow up they come out from cells. Nutrients, necessary for frogs during development, are transferred from the mother's body by blood vessels branching in the walls of skin cells.

in the rivers tropical America there is a large fish - electric eel, which has special electrical organs. With electric shocks, the eel stuns its prey and scares away its enemies.

In many rivers of South America lives an unusually predatory fish - piranha, 30 cm long. In her strong jaws sit sharp, knives, teeth. If you lower a piece of meat into the river, piranhas immediately appear from the depths and instantly tear it apart. Piranhas feed on fish, attack ducks and domestic animals that inadvertently entered the river. Even such large animals as tapirs suffer from piranha. Fish damage lips drinking water animals. Piranhas are also dangerous to humans.

AT tropical the forests are diverse world of insects. Very large diurnal butterflies are numerous. They are very beautiful and richly colored, varied in shape and size. In Brazil, there are over 700 species of diurnal butterflies, while in Europe there are no more than 150 species.

Ants are very numerous. Penetrating into human dwellings, they eat his reserves and thereby cause significant harm. Umbelliferae ants live in underground galleries. They feed their larvae with mushroom mold, which is grown on finely chopped foliage. Ants bring pieces of leaves to the anthill, moving along strictly constant paths.

There are many spiders in the tropical belt of South America. Among them, the largest is the tarantula. Its size is more than 5 cm. Lizards, frogs, insects serve as food for it; apparently, it also attacks small birds. The same large earthen spiders are found in New Guinea and Java.

In the tropical forests of Africa live elephants, various monkeys, okapi - an animal related to the giraffe; in the rivers - hippos and crocodiles. The great apes are of the greatest interest. gorillas and chimpanzees. The gorilla is a very large monkey, the growth of males reaches 2 m, weight - 200 kg. They live in the most deaf, inaccessible parts of the tropical the woods and in the mountains. Gorillas make their lair in trees or on the ground in dense thickets. Gorillas have been heavily exterminated by humans and are now preserved only in two areas of the tropical forests of Africa - south of Cameroon before R. Congo and in the country of lakes Victoria and Tanganyika.

Chimpanzees are smaller than gorillas. An adult male is not higher than 1.5 m. They live in families, but sometimes they gather in small herds. Coming down from the trees, chimpanzees walk on the ground, leaning on the hands clenched into fists.

There are many species of monkeys in the tropical forests of Africa. The fur of these long-tailed little monkeys is greenish in color. Of interest are fingerless monkeys (colobus), which lack thumb on hands. The most beautiful of these monkeys is the Gverets. She lives in Ethiopia and in the forests west of this countries. Macaques, related to African monkeys, live in tropical Asia.

Dog-headed monkeys - baboons - are very characteristic of the African continent. They live in the mountains of Africa.

The fauna of Madagascar has some peculiarities. So, for example, lemurs live on this island. Their body is covered with thick fur. Some have fluffy tails. Lemurs' faces quicker bestial than simian; hence they are called semi-monkeys.

There are many different species in the African rainforests. parrots. The most famous gray parrot is a gray parrot, which imitates the human voice very well.

Crocodiles have been preserved in large numbers in places. They are especially fond of rivers, the banks of which are overgrown with dense tropical forest. Nile crocodile reaches 7 m in length.

In the forests of Africa live large, up to 6 liters in length, boas - pythons.

Among the fish attracts attention lungfish protopterus inhabiting muddy lakes and swamps. These fish, in addition to gills, have lungs that they breathe during a drought. AT South America lives lungfish lepidosiren, and in Australia - ceratodes.

In the humid dense forests of the islands of Sumatra and Borneo (Kalimantan), the orangutan ape lives. This is a large monkey, covered with coarse red hair. Adult males grow large beards.

close to great apes the gibbon is smaller than the orangutan, its body length is 1 m. The gibbon is distinguished by long limbs; with their help, swinging on the branches, he very easily jumps from tree to tree. Gibbons live on the island of Sumatra, on Malacca Peninsula and in the mountain forests of Burma.

In the forests of the Greater Sunda Islands - Sumatra and Borneo - and in Eastern India, a variety of macaques live. Lives on the island of Borneo

nosed a monkey. Her nose is long, almost proboscis-shaped. In older animals, especially in males, the nose is much longer than in young monkeys.

In the forests of India and on the nearest large islands, it is often found Indian elephant. Since ancient times, it has been tamed by man and used in various jobs.

The common Indian rhinoceros is well known - the most large one-horned rhinoceros.

A relative of American tapirs lives in Asia - black-backed tapir. It reaches 2 m in height. Back he is light, and other parts of the body are covered with short black hair.

Among the predators of southern Asia, the most famous Bengal tiger. Most tigers survived in India, Indochina, on the islands of Sumatra and Java.

The tiger is a twilight animal; he hunts for large ungulates. A tiger, in case of injury by a hunter’s unsuccessful shot, illness or old age, or in general, for any reason, has lost the ability to hunt ungulates that make up its main food, attacks people, becomes a “cannibal” Raquo;.

We have tigers in Transcaucasia, Central Asia, Primorye and in the south of the Ussuri Territory.

The leopard is distributed in southern Asia, in the forests of the Greater Sunda Islands and in Japan. It is found in the Caucasus, in the mountains of Central Asia and in Primorye. We call him a bar. Leopard attacks domestic animals; he is cunning, bold, and dangerous to humans. On the Greater Sunda Islands, black leopards are often found; they are called black panthers.

South Asia is home to the sloth bear and the Malay bear, the biruang. Gubach- a large, heavy beast, armed with long claws, allowing it to climb trees well. The color of his fur is black, on the chest there is a large white spot. Its large lips are mobile, they can be pulled out with a tube, and with a long tongue from the cracks of insect trees. Gubach lives in tropical forests on the peninsula of Hindustan and on the island of Ceylon. It feeds on plants, fruits, berries, insects, bird eggs and small animals.

The Malayan bear has short, black fur. It spends most of its life in trees, feeding on fruits and insects.

There are many birds in tropical Asia. One of the most beautiful is considered a peacock living in the wild in Java, Ceylon and Indochina.

In the forests of the Sunda Islands, in Ceylon and in India, Bapkiv or bush chickens live & mdash; wild ancestors of domestic chickens, many species of pheasants and other chickens.

The waters of South Asia are inhabited by long-snouted gharial crocodiles. They live in r. Ganges.

On the peninsula Malacca there is a snake reticulated python, reaching 10 m length.

There are many in the forests of India poisonous snakes, from the bites of which a large number of people suffer every year. The most dangerous cobra, or spectacle snake. She got her name from the spots on the back of her head that look like glasses.

The tropics are inhabited by many amphibians, or amphibians. Among them is the Javan flying frog. Strongly developed webs between the toes of the front and hind paws allow it to jump from one tree to another when planning.

Having become acquainted with the distribution of animals on the globe, it is easy to see that similar animals live on different continents under similar living conditions. Some species have adapted to life in the tundra, others in the steppes and deserts, and others in the mountains and forests. Each continent has its own fauna - species of animals that live only on this continent. Especially in this regard, the animal world of Australia is peculiar, which we will consider below.

Studying the past of the Earth from the fossil remains of animals that once inhabited the continents and islands, scientists came to the conclusion that the composition of the fauna, that is, the animal world, has continuously changed in all geological epochs. Connections arose between the continents; so, for example, between Asia and North America there was a connection. Animals that inhabited Asia may have entered the Americas; therefore, in the fauna of America and Asia, we still see a lot of similarities at the present time. Geological history helps to clarify some features in the distribution of animals. on continents. So, leftovers marsupials are found in the ancient layers of the land of Europe and America. Nowadays, these marsupials live only in Australia and only a few species live in America. Consequently, earlier marsupials on the globe were much more widespread. This confirms the opinion of geologists about the connection that existed between these continents.

Having studied the composition of the animal world of individual continents and islands, scientists have divided Earth into areas characterized by species of animals found only in this area.

The main areas are as follows: Australian, Neotropical (South and Central America), Ethiopian (Africa), Eastern or Indo-Malayan, Holarctic (Northern Asia, Europe and North America).