Tropical forest animals. Tropical Rainforest Animals Jungle Fossil Animals

There's nothing sweeter than good old animal stories. But today I will not talk about pets, but about those that live in tropical forests. The rainforest ecosystem is home to a greater variety of animals than any other ecosystem. One of the reasons for this great diversity is the constantly warm climate. Rainforests also provide an almost constant presence of water and a wide variety of food for animals. So here are 10 amazing rainforest animals and some facts about their lives.

toucans

Toucans can be found in South and Central America under rainforest canopies. During sleep, toucans turn their heads and place their beaks under their wings and tail. Toucans are very important to the rainforest because they help spread the seeds from the fruits and berries they eat. There are about 40 various kinds toucans, but unfortunately some species are endangered. The two main threats to the existence of toucans are the loss of their habitat and the growing demand in the commercial pet market. They vary in size from about 15 centimeters to just over two meters. Large, colorful, light beaks - here distinctive features toucans. These are noisy birds with their loud and raspy voices.

flying dragons


Tree lizards, so-called flying dragons, actually glide from tree to tree on their skin flaps, which look like wings. On each side of the body, between the fore and hind limbs, there is a large flap of skin supported by expanded movable ribs. Usually these "wings" are folded along the torsos, but they can open up to allow the lizard to glide for many meters in an almost horizontal state. The flying dragon feeds on insects, in particular ants. For reproduction, the flying dragon descends to the ground and lays 1 to 4 eggs in the soil.

Bengal tigers


The Bengal tiger lives in the Sundarbans regions of India, Bangladesh, China, Siberia and Indonesia, and is seriously endangered. Today at wild nature about 4000 individuals remained, while at the turn of the century in 1900 there were more than 50 thousand. Poaching and habitat loss are the two main reasons for the declining numbers of Bengal tigers. They have not been able to adapt to harsh conditions, despite their belonging to the dominant species. Tigers, also known as Royal Bengal tiger, which is a subspecies of the tiger, can be found in the Indian subcontinent. The Bengal tiger is the national animal of Bangladesh and is considered the second largest tiger in the world.

South American harpies


One of the largest and most powerful of the fifty species of eagles in the world, South American harpies live in the tropical lowland forests of Central and South America, from southern Mexico south to eastern Bolivia, and southern Brazil to northern regions Argentina. This is a disappearing view. The main threat to its existence is habitat loss due to constant deforestation, destruction of nesting and hunting grounds.

Dart frogs


These are frogs found in the Central and South America. They are known for their bright colors that warn other animals that they are poisonous. Frog venom is one of the most powerful poisons known and can cause paralysis or death. It is so powerful that one millionth of 30 grams of poison can kill a dog, and less than a crystal of salt can kill a human. One frog has a supply of poison sufficient to send up to 100 people to the next world. Local hunters used poison for their arrows, from which the frog got its name in English language Poison-Arrow Frog (frog poisoned arrow).

Sloths


Sloths are extremely slow mammals that can be found in the rainforests of Central and South America. There are two types of sloths: two-toed and three-toed. Most sloths are about the size of a small dog. They have short, flat heads. Their fur is grey-brown, but sometimes they appear grey-green because they move so slowly that tiny camouflage plants have time to grow all over their fur. Sloths are nocturnal and sleep curled up with their heads between their arms and legs turned close together.

spider monkeys


Spider monkeys have big sizes. An adult monkey can grow to be almost 60 centimeters tall, not counting the tail. The tail is very powerful. Monkeys use it as an extra limb. Spider monkeys like to hang upside down, clinging to branches with their tail and paws, which makes them look like spiders, where they get their name from. Also, these monkeys can jump from branch to branch to high speed. Their coat color can be black, brown, gold, red or bronze. Spider monkeys are the object of close attention of hunters, which is why they are on the verge of extinction. This photo is probably your only chance to ever see this monkey. Not to mention our species...

wine snakes


Only about a centimeter in diameter, wine snakes are a surprisingly "slim", elongated species. If the snake lies among the branches forest trees, its proportions and green-brown color make it almost indistinguishable from dense creepers and vines. The head of a snake, just as thin and oblong. A slow-moving predator active during the day and at night, the wine snake feeds mainly on young birds, which it steals from nests, and on lizards. If the snake is threatened, it puffs up the front of its body, revealing the bright coloration that is normally hidden, and opens its mouth wide.

capybaras


The capybara spends a lot of time in the water and is an excellent swimmer and diver. She has webbed toes on her front and hind feet. When she swims, only her eyes, ears and nostrils are visible above the water. Capybaras feed on plant foods, including aquatic plants, and these animals' molars grow throughout their lives to counteract wear and tear from chewing. Capybaras live in families and are active at dawn and dusk. In areas where they are often disturbed, capybaras may be nocturnal. Males and females look the same, but males have a gland on their nose that is larger than females. They mate in the spring, and after 15-18 weeks of pregnancy, there may be 2 babies in the litter. Babies are well developed at birth.

Brazilian tapirs


Brazilian tapirs can almost always be found near bodies of water. These animals are good swimmers and divers, but they also move quickly on the ground, even on rough and highlands. Tapirs are dark brown in color. Their coat is short, and a mane grows down from the back of the neck. Thanks to the mobile snout, the tapir feeds on leaves, buds, shoots and small branches that the tapir cuts off trees, as well as fruits, herbs and aquatic plants. The female gives birth to one spotted-striped baby after a pregnancy that lasts from 390 to 400 days.

The rainforest is very rich in animals. There are many different kinds of monkeys living in the Amazon and Orinoco basins. 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 branch and holds it like a hand. Howler was named for its powerful, obnoxious voice.

Most strong predator tropical forest - jaguar. This is a large yellow cat with black spots on the skin. She is good at climbing trees.

America's other big cat 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 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 into a trunk. This is an American tapir. He, like a pig, loves to wallow in puddles.

Coypu lives on lakes in reed beds on the plains of Patagonia and on the mountain slopes of the Andes - swamp beaver, or coipu, - 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 fur. 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.

The body of the armadillo is covered with a shell, a bit reminiscent of a turtle shield. The shell consists of two layers: inside it is bony, outside - horny - and is divided into belts, movably connected to each other. Lives in Guiana and Brazil 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 slowness. 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 coat. This is one of the great examples of the cohabitation of animal and plant organisms.

Several species of anteaters are found in the forests of South America. The average anteater is very interesting - tamandua, with a tenacious tail. It runs superbly along sloping trunks and climbs 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 in South America bats various types. Among them are blood-sucking leaf-beetles that attack horses and mules, and vampires.

Despite their sinister name, vampires feed exclusively on insects and plant fruits.

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, which help 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) had 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 good at speaking.

Only in one country - in America - live the smallest birds - hummingbirds. These are unusually bright and beautifully colored fast-flying birds, 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 and lizards in the rainforests. Among them are boas, or boa, anaconda, reaching 11 m in length, bushmaster - 4 m in length. Many snakes, due to the protective coloration of the skin, 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, which lives both in trees and on the ground. This lizard has a very beautiful emerald green color. She eats plant foods.

Lives in the forests of Brazil and Guiana big frog - surinamese pipa. It is interesting in a special way of reproduction. The eggs laid by the female 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 leave the cells. Nutrients, necessary for frogs during development, are transmitted from the mother's body by blood vessels branching in the walls of skin cells.

in the rivers tropical America found big 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 unusually predatory fish- piranha, 30 cm long. In her strong jaws sit sharp, like 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.

In tropical forests, the world of insects is diverse. 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. Umbrella 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.

Elephants, a variety of monkeys, okapi, an animal related to the giraffe, live in the tropical forests of Africa; in the rivers - hippos and crocodiles. The great apes are the 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 rainforest and in the mountains. Gorillas make their lair in trees or on the ground in dense thickets. Gorillas are heavily exterminated by man and are now preserved only in two areas of the tropical forests of Africa - south of Cameroon to the river. 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. Descending from trees, chimpanzees walk on the ground, leaning on their 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 to the west of that country. 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.

Animal world Madagascar has some peculiarities. So, for example, lemurs live on this island. Their body is covered with thick fur. Some have fluffy tails. The muzzles of lemurs are more animal than monkey; hence they are called semi-monkeys.

There are many different types of parrots in the rainforests of Africa. The most famous gray parrot is a jaco, 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 thick tropical forest. Nile crocodile reaches 7 m in length.

Large, up to 6 m long, boas - pythons live in the forests of Africa.

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. The lungfish lepidosiren lives in South America, and the ceratodes live in Australia.

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 the Malay Peninsula and in the mountain forests of Burma.

A variety of macaques live in the forests of the Greater Sunda Islands - Sumatra and Borneo - and in Eastern India. The nosed monkey lives on the island of Borneo. 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 well-known common Indian rhinoceros- the largest one-horned rhinoceros.

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

Among the predators of southern Asia, the Bengal tiger is the most famous. 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 the event of a hunter, illness or headman being wounded by an unsuccessful shot, or in general for any reason who has lost the ability to hunt ungulates that make up his main food, attacks people, becomes a "cannibal".

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 is a large, heavy beast, armed with long claws, allowing him to climb trees well. The color of his fur is black, on the chest there is a large white spot. His big lips mobile, they can be pulled out by a tube, and long tongue The bear takes out insects from the cracks of the 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, there are banking, or bush, chickens - the wild ancestors of domestic chickens, many species of pheasants and other chickens.

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

On the Malacca peninsula, a reticulated python snake is found, reaching 10 m in 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 on different continents similar animals live 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; 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 Earth helps to clarify some features in the distribution of animals on the continents. Thus, the remains of marsupials are found in the ancient layers of the earth of Europe and America. Nowadays, these marsupials live only in Australia and only a few species 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).

If you find an error, please highlight a piece of text and click Ctrl+Enter.

    Live in the jungle

    1. Monkey.
    2. Gorillas.
    3. Papuans.
    4. Indians.
    5. snakes.
    6. Spiders.
    7. Poisonous insects.
    8. Termites.
    9. Boa.
    10. Sloths.
    11. Parrot.
    12. Jaguar.
    13. Tiger.
    14. Monkeys.
    15. Mowgli.
    16. Panther.
    17. Banderlog.
    18. Ants.
    19. bees.
    20. Wild pigs.
  • The correct answers to the game 100 to 1 to the question Who lives in ...? quot ;:

    The most popular answer in the jungle lives - Mowgli- seventy-two points;

    In second place, the correct answer lives in the jungle - a monkey- forty-two points;

    In third place, the correct answer is Tarzan- thirty-four points;

    In fourth place, the answer lives in the jungle - a lion- fourteen points; 4

    In fifth place, the answer is - tiger- sixteen points;

    In sixth place, the correct answer is - elephant lives in the jungle - eight points.

    It makes me want to scream out Russian President— banderlogs!

    But the correct one would be:

    MOWGLI

    In the forests with Mowgli live:

    MONKEY

    And of course it happens:

    TARZAN

    In addition to these representatives of our fauna, zhuvut live in the forest:

    SNAKE

    Of all the monkeys, the most:

    MACAKE

    And how will the forest do without:

    TIGER

    And here is probably a mistake, how can it live in the jungle:

    ELEPHANT

    And the very last inhabitant of the jungle:

    PARROT

  • 100 to 1 game.

    Who can live in the jungle? Probably the Papuans can definitely live there.

    Animals such as tigers, monkeys, snakes, various insects can also live there.

    Indians, too, probably can live in the jungle. A city dweller in the jungle will definitely not be able to live.

    An excellent question from the famous and popular game 100 to 1 and we have to answer the question of who can live in the jungle. And most likely every player knows this answer. Because we studied and studied it in geography. And of course, many people live in the jungle various animals.

    And in order to pass the level, we must answer as follows:

    Mowgli is a famous character from a fairy tale

    Monkey - many species of them live there

    Tarzan - he lived there and jumped on the vines

    The lion is the king of the beasts of the jungle

    The tiger is a very beautiful animal from there.

    The elephant is a powerful animal and resides in the jungle.

    Answer like this and collect your reward points at this level in the game, good luck.

    And, what, actually difference, lives or lives. People usually answer, all the same, what they have is associated with creaturesquot ;, which can be found in the jungle. It:

    • Monkey.
    • Parrots.
    • Crocodiles.
    • Behemoths.
    • Elephants.
    • Tigers.
    • snakes.
  • Tarzan lives in the jungle.

    Mowgli lives in the jungle.

    Monkeys live in the jungle.

    Porcupines live in the jungle.

    Tigers live in the jungle.

    Lemurs live in the jungle.

    Crocodiles live in the jungle;

    Elephants live in the jungle.

    1) Monkeys

    4) insects

    Answer the question Who lives in the jungle? in the most popular game 100 to 1 people were offered the following options:

    2. Monkeys

    8. Parrot

    Good luck with this game!

    Mowgli lives in the jungle. Monkeys can live in the jungle. Tarzan may live there. It is possible that there are snakes in the jungle. You can also note the option about macaques. The tiger lives in the jungle. Other options in the game: elephant and parrot.

    First of all, a wonderful comedy comes to mind Hello, I'm your aunt, in which they discussed the jungles of Brazil, where many, many wild monkeys live.

    But among the most popular answers, monkeys were only on the second line:

    monkey

    In order to correctly answer this question and be the winner in the game 100 to 1quot ;, you must offer the following options as answers:

    monkey;

    It is these species that are most often found in the jungle according to the respondents.

    In the game 100 to 1 when answering the question about who lives in the jungle, the following versions of answers should be given:

    • 40 points - Mowgli(the hero of Kipling's book and many cartoons based on this book),
    • 80 points - monkeys,
    • 120 points - Tarzan,
    • 160 points - snakes,
    • 200 points - macaques,
    • 240 points - tiger,
    • 280 points - elephant,
    • 320 points - parrot.
  • I would answer that Papuans, parrots, blacks, tarantulas, all sorts of sores live in the jungle., Chinese, monkeys, dragons :-), but the correct answers.

    Jungle, or scientifically, rainforests, from the tops of the trees to the forest floor are filled with life. Found here animals, about each of which you can write a separate report: this is a crocodile, anteater, hippopotamus, bat, sloth, koala, chimpanzee, porcupine, gorilla, armadillo. Insects: termites, tropical butterflies, mosquitoes. Tarantulas, hummingbirds and parrots. Hundreds of plant, bird, and animal species thrive in the rainforest.

    Select a report about a rainforest inhabitant:

    What does "tropics" mean?

    The tropics are called forests growing near the equator. These forests are the most important ecosystem of the Earth. The coast of the Gulf of Mexico and Brazil, South American coasts, the West Indies, part of Africa, the island of Madagascar, and some Asian countries and islands Pacific Ocean- occupied by tropical thickets. The tropics make up only 6 percent of the land mass.

    high humidity and hot climate- the main features of the fabulous variety of forms of local life. Constant heat, frequent, plentiful, short-lived tropical downpours, contribute to the rapid growth and development of the flora. And the fauna, thanks to the abundance of water, also does not suffer from drought. Tropical forests have red or mottled soils, and the forest itself is multi-tiered, and each level is densely populated. Such a variety of flora and fauna is possible due to ideal living conditions.

    Who lives in the rainforest and how?

    The wilds of the forest are inhabited by a variety of animals. Giant elephants and small insects, birds and animals of medium size, can live simultaneously in one part of the forest, but at different levels, finding themselves in forest areas shelter and food. No other place on land has such a wealth of ancient forms of life - endemics. Due to the dense foliage cover, the undergrowth in the rainforest is weak and animals can move freely.

    The variety of animals in the rainforest is amazing: along with reptiles (turtles, crocodiles, lizards and snakes), there are many amphibians. The abundance of food attracts herbivorous animals. They are followed by predators (leopards, tigers, jaguars). The color of the inhabitants of the tropics is saturated, since spots and stripes help to better camouflage in the forest. Many types of ants tropical butterflies and spiders provide a prey base for hundreds of bird species. The tropics are home to the most monkeys on the planet, there are more than one and a half hundred parrots, 700 species of butterflies, including giant ones.

    Unfortunately, many representatives of the jungle fauna (antelopes, rhinos, etc.) were exterminated by man during colonialism. Now many animals that used to live freely in tropical forests are left only in nature reserves and zoos. The destruction of forests by man leads to the reduction of fauna and flora, soil erosion, and the loss of the ecological balance of our planet. Tropical forests - the "green lungs of the planet" - have been sending us a message for decades, signaling that a person must be responsible for his actions.

    If this message was useful to you, I would be glad to see you

    jungle animals

    Prepared

    Grigoryeva S.A.



    The name of this animal in Greek means "river horse". It weighs over three tons.

    Water is a natural habitat, in which the hippo spends most time. However, with such a fat 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.

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


    He is respected by all other animals who try to avoid meeting him. Newborn rhinoceros weighs about 65 kilograms. It has only one horn and its body is covered with thick leather shields. Horn a rhinoceros can be as long as 1.5 meters. Usually he moves slowly, but if necessary, speeds up to 40 kilometers per hour.

    Although in appearance leather his hair is coarse, in fact very sensitive thanks to a cover of short and flexible bristles that respond to even the lightest touch.

    Tusks and trunk are two miraculous tools for elephant survival. tusks the elephant defends itself against predators and uses them during drought to dig up the ground in search of water. Very mobile trunk it plucks leaves and scoops up water, which it then puts into its mouth. The elephant loves water very much and at the first opportunity climbs into the pond to freshen up. He's fine floats .

    The elephant willingly hides in the shade, because its huge body is hardly cooled. For this purpose serve huge ears, which he fanned rhythmically to cool off.


    More often tapirs are eating leaves, shoots and stems of aquatic plants. They love water and are great. swim. They always walk along the same habitual paths, which eventually turn into well-trodden paths, ending, as a rule, in a "gutter" - a convenient descent to the water.

    Body the tapir is squat, the legs are short, there is almost no neck. 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 other hand, is very poorly developed.


    They are settle down along the banks of rivers and lakes in areas with a warm and hot climate. Crocodiles are much more comfortable and calmer in the water than on land. swim they use paws and tail.

    young crocodiles eat mainly fish, but also birds and insects. Only when they become adults will they be able to cope with larger mammals that need to be caught, dragged from the shore and kept under water for a while.

    Teeth the crocodile is needed not for chewing food, but only to grab prey and tear off pieces of meat from it.


    Chimpanzee excellent climb, they spend a lot of time on the ground and even travel on foot. But are sleeping they are still in the trees, where they feel safer.

    These monkeys are practically omnivores. For example, insects, bananas.

    live quite numerous societies.

    This is a large monkey that spends most of its time among the branches and only occasionally descends to the ground.

    Female orangutans, perhaps, more than all other monkeys care about the upbringing of their children. Mothers bite their nails, bathe them in rainwater, yell at them if they start acting up.


    It's big, more two meters the growth of the monkey is very friendly; males from the same flock usually do not compete with each other, and for the leader to obey him, it is enough to goggle his eyes and utter the appropriate cry, hitting his chest with his fingers.

    Waking up, gorillas go in search of food. The rest of the time they devote rest and games. After the evening meal, a kind of bedding is arranged on the ground, on which fall asleep .


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


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


    Sloths so named for the extreme slowness of the movements, reminiscent of the movements in slow motion filming. The constantly wet skin of sloths serves nutrient medium for microscopic algae, due to which the hair of animals acquires a greenish tint, making them almost invisible among the foliage.


    Its height is slightly less two meters, and the mass is about 250 kilograms.

    It is known that live they are in thickets of bushes, and their coloration, at first glance very unusual, actually makes them completely invisible in natural environment a habitat. Okapi live alone, and only mothers are not separated from their cubs for a long time.


    The giraffe can feed on the leaves of trees that other herbivores cannot reach: thanks to six meters tall he is superior to all other animals. The giraffe can also take food from the ground, as well as drink water, but for this it must spread its front legs wide in order to bend over. In this position, he is very vulnerable to predators, because he cannot immediately rush to flight.

    Giraffes live in herds, divided into two groups: in one female with cubs, in the other - males.


    The black panther is a dark-colored leopard.

    She jumps from branch to branch like a monkey.

    I also call her the fishing cat. In fact, she loves to live near the water and swims well. In addition to fish and shellfish, it catches small vertebrates on land. The habits of this animal are little studied.


    "secret weapon"The cheetah is served by its flexible body with a strong spine, curved like an arch of a bridge, and powerful clawed paws that allow it to firmly rest on the ground. This is the fastest animal. No one can imagine an animal running faster than a cheetah. In short moments, it develops speed over At 100 kilometers per hour, the cheetah climbs trees and surveys the area from above to spot herds of grazing herbivores that could become its prey.


    adapt to the various climatic conditions; they live in various localities, they are also found in the mountains at an altitude 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 the skin, which protects against heat loss.

    Almost all jungle dwellers are at risk of becoming tiger prey. Contrary to popular belief, the tiger is not a very dexterous hunter; he is so heavy. That for a successful jump, he needs to start the run from a distance of 10 - 15 meters; if the tiger comes closer to its prey, it runs the risk of missing.


    An animal similar to a leopard, but larger; it also differs in a special pattern on the skin: ring-shaped dark spots, inside of which there are smaller specks. Jaguars hunt alone and mostly on the ground, although they are good at crawling through trees and swimming. Having caught the prey, the predator usually hides it somewhere in a secret place and then eats it piece by piece.


    The lion prefers open spaces, where he finds coolness in the shade of rare trees. For hunting, it is better to have a wide view in order to notice herds of grazing zebras, buffaloes, antelopes from a distance and develop a strategy for how best to approach them unnoticed. Outwardly, this is a lazy beast, which, on duty, dozes and does nothing. Only when the lion is hungry and forced to pursue herds of herbivores, or when he must defend his territory, does he come out of his stupor.

    A characteristic feature of the lion is the thick mane of males. The claws of a lion can reach 7 cm.



    The skin of a zebra is original and easily recognizable. At first glance, all zebras seem the same, but in fact, each animal has its own stripe pattern, like human fingerprints.

    Zebras are deprived of horns and other means of protection, fleeing from predators. Once in the environment, they defend themselves with their teeth and blows of hooves.

    A pursued zebra can run at a speed of 80 kilometers per hour, but not for a long time.


    The mass of an ostrich exceeds 130 kilograms . Long neck increases the growth of the ostrich up to two meters. A flexible neck and excellent eyesight allow him to notice danger from afar from this height. Long legs give the ostrich the ability to run at speeds up to 70 kilometers per hour. The ostrich prefers open spaces where everything can be seen from afar and there are no obstacles for running.

    The beak of an ostrich short, flat and very strong. It is not specialized for any particular food, but serves to pluck grass and other vegetation and grab the insects, small mammals, and snakes it feeds on.


    This bird cannot be confused with any other because of the huge motley beak, which toucans sometimes longer than the whole body. Toucans nest in the recesses of tree poles, but often they occupy hollows left by woodpecker families.


    This tiny bird (size from 5.7 to 21.6 cm; weight from 1.6 to 20 grams) with a long curved beak is able to flap its wings so often that it manages to hang almost motionless in the air, sucking nectar from a flower. It is the only bird in the world that can fly backwards.