Jungle herbivores. Animals of the tropical forest. Methods and techniques
Jungle, or scientifically, rainforests, from the treetops to the forest floor, are filled with life. Found here animals, about each of which you can write a separate report: a crocodile, an anteater, a hippopotamus, bat, sloth, koala, chimpanzee, porcupine, gorilla, armadillo. Insects: termites, tropical butterflies, mosquitoes. Tarantula spiders, hummingbirds and parrots. Hundreds of species of plants, birds, and animals feel comfortable in the tropical forest.
Select a report about an inhabitant tropical forest:
What does "tropics" mean?
The tropics are the forests that grow near the equator. These forests are the most important ecosystem on Earth. The coast of the Gulf of Mexico and Brazil, the South American shores, the islands of the West Indies, part of Africa, the island of Madagascar, and some Asian countries and the Pacific Islands are occupied by tropical thickets. The tropics make up only 6 percent of the landmass.
High humidity and hot climate- the main features of the fabulous diversity of forms of local life. Constant warmth, frequent, heavy, short-lived tropical showers contribute to the rapid growth and development of flora. And the fauna, thanks to the abundance of water, also does not suffer from drought. Tropical forests have red or spotted soils, and the forest itself is multi-tiered, with each level densely populated. Such a diversity of flora and fauna is possible due to ideal living conditions.
Who lives in the tropical forest and how?
The wilds of the forest are inhabited by a variety of animals. Giant elephants and small insects, birds and medium-sized animals can live simultaneously in one area of the forest, but at different levels, finding shelter and food in the forests. No other place on land has such a wealth of ancient life forms - endemics. Thanks to the dense foliage cover, the undergrowth in the rainforest is weak and animals can move freely.
The diversity of animals in the tropical forests is amazing: along with reptiles (turtles, crocodiles, lizards and snakes), there are many amphibians. The abundance of food attracts herbivores. Predators come after them (leopards, tigers, jaguars). The color of the inhabitants of the tropics is rich, since spots and stripes help to better camouflage in the forest. Many types of ants, tropical butterflies and spiders provide food for hundreds of bird species. The tropics are home to the largest number of monkeys on the planet; there are more than one and a half hundred parrots and 700 species of butterflies, including giant ones.
Unfortunately, many representatives of the jungle fauna (antelope, rhinoceroses, etc.) were exterminated by humans during colonialism. Now many animals that previously lived freely in tropical forests remain only in nature reserves and zoos. Human destruction of forests leads to a reduction in fauna and flora, soil erosion, and loss of the ecological balance of our planet. Tropical forests - the "green lungs of the planet" - have been sending us a message for decades that signals that humans must be held accountable for their actions.
If this message was useful to you, I would be glad to see you
There's nothing sweeter than good old stories about animals. But today I will not talk about pets, but about those that live in tropical forests. In the ecosystem tropical forests is home to a greater variety of animals than any other ecosystem. One of the reasons for such great diversity is the constantly warm climate. Rainforests also provide an almost constant supply 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 the canopies of tropical forests. While sleeping, toucans turn their heads inside out and tuck their beaks under their wings and tail. Toucans are very important to rainforests because they help disperse seeds from the fruits and berries they eat. There are about 40 various types toucans, but unfortunately some species are endangered. The two main threats to the existence of toucans are the disappearance of their habitat and increasing demand in the commercial pet market. They vary in size from approximately 15 centimeters to just over two meters. Large, colorful, light beaks are the hallmarks of toucans. These are noisy birds with their loud and creaky voices.Flying dragons
Tree lizards, called flying dragons, actually glide from tree to tree on their flaps of skin that look like wings. On each side of the body, between the front and hind limb, there is a large flap of skin supported by expanded movable ribs. Usually these “wings” are folded along the body, but they can open so that the lizard can glide for many meters in an almost horizontal state. The flying dragon feeds on insects, particularly ants. To reproduce, a 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, about 4,000 individuals remain in the wild, down from more than 50,000 at the turn of the century in 1900. Poaching and habitat loss are the two main reasons for the decline in Bengal tigers. They were never able to adapt to harsh conditions, despite belonging to a 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 world's fifty eagle species, the South American harpy eagle lives in the tropical lowland forests of the Central and South America: from southern Mexico south to eastern Bolivia, and southern Brazil to northern Argentina. This is an endangered species. The main threat its existence is the loss of habitat due to constant deforestation, destruction of nesting sites and hunting. Tree frogs
These are frogs found in Central and South America. They are known for their bright colors, which warn other animals that they are poisonous. The frogs' 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 person. 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, which is where the frog got its name in English language Poison-Arrow Frog (poisoned arrow frog). Sloths
Sloths are extremely slow-moving mammals that can be found in the tropical forests of Central and South America. There are two types of sloths: two-toed and three-toed. Most sloths are 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 are large. An adult monkey can grow 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 legs, making them look like spiders, which is where they get their name. These monkeys also know how to jump from branch to branch. high speed. Their coat color can be black, brown, gold, red or bronze. Spider monkeys are the object of close attention among 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
Just about a centimeter in diameter, vine snakes are a surprisingly “slender”, elongated species. If a snake lies among the branches forest trees, its proportions and green-brown color make it almost indistinguishable from dense vines and vines. The head of a snake is 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 inflates the front of its body, revealing the bright coloring that would normally be 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 back paws. When she swims, only her eyes, ears and nostrils are visible above the water. Capybaras eat plant matter, including aquatic plants, and their 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 frequently disturbed, capybaras can 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 land, even over rough and mountainous terrain. Tapirs are dark brown in color. Their fur is short, and a mane grows from the back of the neck down. Thanks to its movable snout, the tapir feeds on leaves, buds, shoots and small branches that the tapir plucks from trees, as well as fruits, herbs and aquatic plants. The female gives birth to a single spotted-striped baby after a pregnancy that lasts from 390 to 400 days. This material tells about the life of animals tropical zone. The article is illustrated with photographs of tropical forest animals.
In an African forest.
Most of Africa's forests are located between two tropics: the Northern (Tropic of Cancer) and Southern (Tropic of Capricorn). In this part of the earth, all seasons are similar to each other; Throughout the year, the average temperature and amount of rainfall are almost constant. Therefore, almost all animals in this zone lead a sedentary lifestyle - after all, unlike the inhabitants of temperate and cold climatic zones, there is no need to make seasonal migrations in search of suitable places to live.
Hippopotamus.
The name of this animal translated from Greek means “river horse”. It weighs more than three tons.
Water is the natural habitat of this huge mammal, where the hippopotamus spends most time. However, with such a thick, squat figure, it is not easy to swim, so usually hippos do not go far into the water, but stay in shallow water, where they can reach the bottom with their paws. The sense organs - movable ears, nostrils equipped with closing membranes, and eyes with protruding supraeyes - are located on the upper part of the muzzle, so that the hippopotamus can be almost completely submerged in water, continuing to breathe air and carefully monitor everything around it. In case of danger threatening him or his cubs, he becomes very aggressive and, no matter where - in water or on land - immediately attacks the enemy.
Mothers give birth to their young either on the shore, or more often right in the water. In the latter case, newborns, as soon as they are born, swim to the surface so as not to suffocate. Hippopotamuses give birth during the rainy season, during which time the mother has an abundance of milk due to the abundant and varied food. To feed the cubs, the female climbs onto land and stretches out comfortably on her side.
Hippopotamuses never live alone; they gather in groups of several dozen individuals. Often, both in water and on land, adult males play with growing cubs. Moving on land. Hippos always follow the same familiar paths.
Feeling in danger, the hippopotamus emits a threatening roar, and opens its huge mouth as wide as possible, showing the enemy its unusually long lower fangs. This threatening pose usually leads to the desired result.
Crocodile.
Only sometimes crocodiles can swim into sea water; usually they settle along the banks of rivers and lakes in areas with warm and hot climates. Crocodiles are much more comfortable and calm in the water than on land. They swim with the help of their paws and tail; Large individuals can spend about an hour under water. During the hottest hours of the day, crocodiles lie on land with their mouths wide open: due to the lack of sweat glands, they can only get rid of excess heat in this way, like dogs who stick out their tongues in the heat.
The female crocodile lays her eggs in a hole specially dug on the shore, not far from the water. The cub breaks the shell using a special horn located on its head, which soon falls off.
Young crocodiles feed mainly on fish, but also birds and insects. Only as adults will they be able to cope with more large mammals, which need to be caught, pulled from the shore and kept under water for some time.
A crocodile does not need teeth for chewing food, but only for grabbing prey and tearing pieces of meat from it.
Even such terrifying reptiles, like crocodiles, have enemies - animals that hunt for crocodile eggs. The most dangerous of them is the monitor lizard, a large lizard. Having discovered an egg, he begins to unusually quickly dig the ground near him, distracting the female crocodile, who usually stands guard, and having stolen the egg from the nest, he takes it to a place inaccessible to crocodiles and eats it.
Like many other land animals that live in water for long periods of time, crocodiles' ears, nostrils and eyes are located on the top of the head so that they remain above the water when the animal swims.
Smallest crocodile: Osborne's caiman, 120 centimeters long.
Chimpanzee.
Thanks to its intelligence and learning ability, it is the most famous of all monkeys. Although chimpanzees are excellent climbers, they spend a lot of time on the ground and even travel on foot. But they still sleep in trees, where they feel safer. This is one of the few animals that uses various tools: chimpanzees take a broken branch into a termite mound, and then lick insects from it. These monkeys are practically omnivorous. Communities living in different regions often eat differently.
Chimpanzees' "vocabulary" consists of various sounds, but in communication they also use facial expressions; their faces can take on a variety of expressions, often very similar to human ones.
As a rule, only one baby is born to chimpanzees; twins are extremely rare. The cubs spend their entire childhood literally in the embrace of their mother, tightly clinging to her fur.
Chimpanzees live in fairly large societies, but not as closed as other apes, such as gorillas. On the contrary, chimpanzees often move from one group to another.
The strongest males, defending their primacy, uproot small trees and wave this club with a threatening look.
There is usually a tender friendship between female chimpanzees. It is not uncommon for a mother to entrust her cub to another female for a time; Sometimes such nannies take, in addition to their own, two or three other people’s cubs for a walk.
Gorilla.
Despite its terrifying appearance, this large monkey, more than two meters tall, is very friendly; males from the same flock usually do not compete with each other, and in order for the leader to be obeyed, it is enough to widen his eyes and utter an appropriate cry, hitting himself on the chest with his fingers. This behavior is just an act and is never followed by an attack. Before a real attack, the gorilla looks into the eyes of the enemy for a long time and silently. Staring directly into the eyes is a challenge not only in gorillas, but in almost all mammals, including dogs, cats and even humans.
Baby gorillas stay with their mother for almost four years. When the next one is born, the mother begins to alienate the older one, but never does it rudely; she seems to invite him to try his hand at adulthood himself.
Having woken up, gorillas go in search of food. They devote the remaining time to rest and games. After the evening meal, they arrange a kind of bedding on the ground, on which they fall asleep.
Okapi.
These are relatives of the giraffe, its height is slightly less than two meters, and its weight is about 250 kilograms. Okapi are extremely timid animals and are distributed in a very narrow geographical area, therefore not studied enough. It is known that they live in thickets of bushes, and their coloring, which at first glance is very unusual, actually makes them completely invisible in natural environment a habitat. Okapi live solitary lives, and only mothers are not separated from their cubs for a long time.
With stripes on the back of the body and on the legs, the okapi resembles a zebra; these stripes serve them for camouflage.
Okapi resemble some types of horses, but the differences are quite noticeable; for example, males have short horns. When playing, okapi lightly hit each other with their muzzles until the defeated one lies on the ground as a sign of the end of the game.
When the mother hears the special calling cry made by the cub in case of danger, she becomes very aggressive and decisively attacks any enemy.
Asian jungle.
Some species of animals that inhabit the Asian jungle, such as elephants, rhinoceroses and leopards, are also found in Africa; however, over thousands of years of evolution, the inhabitants of the jungle have developed many features that distinguish them from their African “brothers.”
Monsoons are the name given to winds that periodically blow in tropical zones Asia. They usually bring heavy rains, which promote rapid growth and renewal of vegetation.
The monsoon season is also favorable for animals: during these periods, plant food is plentiful and varied, which provides the best conditions for their growth and reproduction. Just like the Amazon forests, the Asian jungles are very dense and sometimes impenetrable.
Tapir.
They say about the tapir that he is a fossil animal; Indeed, this species, inhabiting several remote regions one after another, has survived on earth since very ancient times, surviving several geological eras.
black-backed tapir can walk on the bottom of the lake!
Female tapir larger than the male. The most noticeable feature in the structure of the body is the elongated upper lip, which forms a small and very mobile trunk, with the help of which tapirs can pick leaves and tufts of grass - their usual food. They live in Asia black-backed tapirs. Their color is very expressive: black and white. It may seem that these contrasting colors should make them very noticeable, but in fact, from a distance they look very much like an ordinary pile of stones, which are many around. The cubs, on the contrary, have a pockmarked skin with small specks and stripes. In the second year of life, this color will gradually be replaced by an even black color with a characteristic white band - a saddle.
More often, tapirs eat leaves, shoots and stems of aquatic plants. They love water very much and swim well. They always walk along the same familiar paths, which over time turn into well-trodden paths, ending, as a rule, in a “gutter” - a convenient descent to the water.
The most terrible enemies of tapirs are various types of cats on land and gharials in the water. Very rarely does a tapir try to defend itself; he has practically no means for this and always prefers to run away.
The tapir's body is squat, its legs are short, and there is almost no neck. The movable trunk is a very sensitive organ of smell. - with its help, the tapir explores the surface of the earth and surrounding objects. Vision, on the contrary, is very poorly developed. Asian cats.
Asia does not have felines that live in groups like lions or cheetahs in Africa. All types of Asian cats are loners; each animal rules its own territory and does not allow strangers there. Only tigers sometimes go hunting in small groups. Representatives of the cat family live everywhere in Asia, even in areas with a climate that is not very suitable for them, such as, for example, in the Far East, where reigns Ussurian tiger. The peculiarity of tigers living in the jungle is their hunting style. It consists of sneaking up to the victim as close as possible, remaining unnoticed, and at the last moment rushing at him with one jump from a place or a short run-up.
The royal, or Bengal, tiger is now quite rare. Found in India and Indochina.
Leopard or black panther.
The panther also has spots characteristic of a leopard, although they are completely invisible against a black background. The black panther is a dark-colored leopard.
Clouded leopard. He jumps from branch to branch as well as a monkey. These cats are sometimes called tree tigers.
Speckled cat.
I also call her the fishing cat. In fact, she really likes to live near water and is a good swimmer. In addition to fish and shellfish, it catches small vertebrates on land. The habits of this animal have been little studied.
Tiger.
Tigers adapt to a wide variety of climatic conditions; they live in flat tropical areas, but are also found in the mountains at altitudes of up to 3000 m and in very cold areas; in the latter case, a thick, more than five centimeters, layer of fat forms under their skin, protecting them from heat loss.
Almost all jungle inhabitants are at risk of becoming prey to a tiger. Only large and warlike pachyderms, and even bulls and buffaloes with strong horns, can feel safe.
Contrary to popular belief, the tiger is not a very clever hunter; he's so heavy. That for a successful jump he needs to start his run from a distance of 10 - 15 meters; if the tiger gets closer to its prey, it risks missing.
A tiger litter usually consists of two, three or four cubs. For eight weeks, the mother feeds them exclusively with milk; Then solid food is gradually added to their milk. Only six months later the female begins to go hunting, leaving the cubs for more than a day.
Tigers, like all wild animals, are afraid of humans. However, it happens that an old or sick animal, for which ordinary hunting becomes too difficult, overcomes its innate fear and attacks people.
Monkey.
Among the numerous species of monkeys, there are animals that weigh no more than 70 grams, and there are also those whose weight reaches 250 kilograms. U asian monkeys the tail does not have a grasping function, i.e. a monkey cannot, having caught it on a branch, support its body so that its arms and legs remain free; this is typical only for monkeys living on the American continent.
Orangutan.
The most common monkey in Asia is the orangutan. This is a large monkey that spends most of its time among the branches and only sometimes descends to the ground.
Female orangutans, perhaps more than any other monkey, care about raising their children. Mothers bite their cubs' nails, bathe them in rainwater, and shout at them if they start acting up. The upbringing received in childhood subsequently determines the character of an adult animal.
Nosach.
This monkey owes its name to its huge, ugly nose, which in males sometimes goes down to the chin. The proboscis whale not only climbs trees well, but also swims very well and can stay under water for a long time.
Slender loris.
The pointed muzzle and huge eyes that can see in the dark make this prosimian very cute. During the day, the loris hides in the branches, and at night it gets its food.
Indian pachyderms.
The differences between Indian pachyderms and African ones are not noticeable at first glance. The behavior of both is also very similar: they do not stay in one place for a long time, but move quite long distances in search of suitable food, mainly young foliage. They love water and swim well, sometimes for long periods. They often relax near the water, bathing in muddy mud, which is very beneficial for their skin.
Rhinoceros.
He enjoys the respect of all the other animals, who try to avoid meeting him. Only elephants do not fear them and easily put them to flight if they disturb them. A newborn Indian rhinoceros weighs about 65 kilograms.
Unlike the African rhinoceros, it has only one horn and its body is covered with thick shields of skin. It usually moves slowly, but if necessary it can reach speeds of up to 40 kilometers per hour.
Elephant.
Although its skin appears rough, it is actually very sensitive thanks to a covering of short and flexible bristles that react to even the lightest touch.
The mother never allows the baby elephant to leave her. She watches the cub all the time and begins to call him as soon as she notices that he is a little behind.
Female Indian elephant carries the fetus for about 20 months!
You can spend a whole day in the untouched jungle and not see a single animal larger than a mouse. There really aren't many of them here. There are especially few large ones.
By weight, animals make up only 0.02 percent of the total forest biomass. This is 2-3 times less than the same ratio for the entire total biomass Earth. In absolute numbers, about 200 kilograms per hectare, and at least a third of the animals of the tropical forest (again by weight) live in the soil and litter.
But you need to keep in mind that hiding in the jungle is not at all difficult. There are so many suitable shelters for this! In addition, many animals lead a twilight or nocturnal lifestyle, showing their activity only in pitch darkness.
The story of the okapi illustrates how difficult it is to see jungle creatures. This huge beast, the closest relative of giraffes, is almost the same long legs and neck, which the natives of the virgin forest knew well, skillfully hid from the eyes of Europeans until 1901. Only thanks to the efforts of the pygmies, touched to the quick by distrust of their stories about amazing inhabitant thicket, the Royal Zoological Society in London received the skin and two skulls of the mysterious invisible creature. However, over the next 80 years, only a few jungle explorers were lucky enough to see okapi in the wild.
The life of any forest animal is necessarily connected with a tree. This connection is especially noticeable in the jungle. Almost all of their inhabitants live in trees - on trunks and in the crowns, in extreme cases they huddle near the roots in the forest floor and in the soil, but there are few who independently build burrows or constantly use them. Among land animals, only a few are unable to climb trees. Tropical wilds are the patrimony of the most skilled steeplejacks.
In front of large land animals that are unable to climb upper floors, cost two important issues: how to move in the chaos of the thickets and what to eat here. Large creatures require significant amounts of food, and there is little of it on the ground floor.
The problem of movement is even more complex. Of the large animals, the living bulldozer, the huge forest elephant, is best adapted to life in the impenetrable jungle. Crushing everything in its path, a herd of giants is capable of tearing through any thicket, maneuvering among huge trunks, which serve as an insurmountable obstacle for them.
However, even elephants gravitate toward forest edges, clearings, and grass-covered meadow lowlands that are regularly flooded with water along the banks of forest rivers and streams. Like other jungle inhabitants, they need sunbathing, especially baby elephants, otherwise they may develop rickets.
There are few ungulates in rain forests. There are no animals here crowned with such spreading antlers as our European red deer and elk. With such a decoration on your head you won’t be able to get through the thicket. Mazama, or spoke-horned deer, native to Central and South America, wear small, straight horns on their heads. The American Pudu's horns are so small that they do not protrude from their thick fur. The deer themselves are also small. The size of the different species of mazama varies from a large hare to a small fallow deer. The common Pudu is a dwarf, 30-35 centimeters high and weighing 7-10 kilograms.
Of the 14 species of African crested duiker, unique forest antelopes, 12 prefer to live in tropical rainforests. Their slightly backward-curved horns rise only slightly above the high tuft of thick fur growing between them. The small antelope has horns no more than 10 centimeters, and the very miniature dwarf antelope, barely reaching a quarter of a meter at the withers, has very tiny horns - only 1.5-2 centimeters.
Among the few exceptions horned antelope. Bushbucks have spiral-shaped horns that can reach a length of 55 centimeters, and the larger bongo can reach a meter in length. But they are directed backwards and do not interfere with pushing through the thickets. Moreover, when running, antelopes throw their heads back. How often bongos have to do this is evidenced by the bald patches on the back behind the shoulder blades, rubbed by the horns.
Most of the ungulates of the dense tropical forest are pygmies compared to their relatives from other areas of the planet. The jungle is characterized by deer and antelope as tall as a small dog. The small kancil, a resident of the island jungles of Sumatra, Kalimantan and Java, is the size of a rabbit and runs on pencil-thin legs, and weighs 2-2.5 kilograms. It is nocturnal and appears timid and defenseless. At the slightest danger, the deer disappears into dense thickets, but if a predator overtakes it, it desperately bites, inflicting serious wounds on the enemy. Dwarfism is an adaptation to dense vegetation. It is characteristic of bulls, bears and other animals.
The red subspecies of the African buffalo, which lives in the jungle, can easily pass for the calf of its huge black brother living in the savannah. The baby's height is 100-130 centimeters, and he weighs four times less. Even smaller is the dwarf anoa buffalo from the forests of Sulawesi. His height is 60-100 centimeters. These bulls have short, backward-curving horns, while on the black African buffalo they form an intricate figure eight on the animal's head, and the distance between their tips can reach a meter. Identical living conditions caused unidirectional adaptations: they affected in a similar way appearance most jungle ungulates and required their miniaturization, which affected not only the body, but also the horns.
The same applies to bears. If you compare the sizes of animals living on open plains and in various forests, it is easy to notice that they gradually become smaller as the forests become denser. Polar polar bear weighs up to a ton. Almost as large is the subspecies of brown land bear from Kodiak Island, located off the coast of Alaska. In the forests of our country brown bears rarely reach a weight of 750 kilograms, more often they are much smaller. Himalayan bear, more closely related to wood, cannot be heavier than 140-150 kilograms. North American baribal, South Asian sloth bear and South American spectacled bear are slightly smaller. And the smallest Malayan bear, or biruang, is very tiny, weighing up to 65 kilograms! It lives in tropical rain forests and spends most of the day in trees. There it sleeps or feeds on leaves, fruits and all kinds of living creatures.
Among the ungulates of the tropical rainforest, tapirs are the most distinctive. These large creatures weighing up to 300 kilograms, their appearance resembles pigs, ideally suited for life in the bush. They have relatively short legs and an elongated body, so that the animals at the withers do not exceed 1 meter. The elongated muzzle and narrow-browed head allow tapirs to easily fit into any spaces between branches. A torpedo-shaped body with a narrow shoulder girdle, slightly widening towards the pelvic region, which is dressed in thick skin covered with short, smooth hair, allows one to squeeze through the thicket. Like elephants, tapirs gravitate to open clearings, mainly to the banks of water bodies. Animals like to spend hot time in water. In the territory occupied by tapirs, a system of paths and holes is created, which the animals use every day. However, if the owner of the site is attacked by a jaguar, the only predator dangerous for an adult animal, the tapir turns off the established path and dives into the thicket. Here the peace-loving animal receives some advantages, and this often saves his life.
Life is much more difficult in the okapi jungle. Younger brother The long-necked giraffe is deprived of the ability to disappear into the thickets, like tapirs and small deer. Okapi are extremely attached to thickets, and prefer not to use wide country roads and open clearings. To pave the way in the wilds, they have only one device - a massive chest, hanging slightly over the front legs. This allows the animal to bring down the entire weight of its body on the obstacle, and the head raised high and pushed forward makes it possible to look behind the obstacle and assess how surmountable it is.
Pigs are well adapted to life in the jungle. The large forest pig, discovered only in 1904, lives in the mountain forests of Africa. This is the largest member of the pig family. More widespread are the brush-eared or river pigs - large, beautiful animals of a bright yellow color, with a white mane-strap on the back, with white sideburns and tufts on the ears. Unlike most forest ungulates, brush-eared pigs live in herds, sometimes up to 100 animals, but are so careful that it is difficult to meet them in the jungle.
The bearded pig, so named for the abundant thickets of light bristles covering its face, lives in the jungles of the Malay Peninsula, Java, Sumatra, Kalimantan and the small islands of the Indian Ocean. It is the size of a European wild boar and also lives in families and herds. On the island of Sulawesi lives the babirussa, an almost hairless pig of medium size, with two pairs of large tusks, curved back and intended only for decoration. The lower pair takes its place between the teeth of the lower jaw. The upper one does not grow from the mouth, but sticks out directly on the muzzle. In old males, their tips almost reach the forehead or bend 180 degrees and grow back into the skin of the snout. In the shape of the upper fangs there is a clear analogy with the horns of forest ungulates.
The body shape and mass of large pigs and tapirs turned out to be suitable for life in the jungle. Given their size, they do not yet get stuck in the tangles of vines, and their solid weight allows them to break through the thickets.
The dimensions of a dwarf hippopotamus are approximately the same. Pygmy again! His height at the withers does not exceed 80 centimeters. It is the size of a large pig, and weighs 10 times lighter than its large relative. The “baby” lives in the tropical forests of the Niger Delta. Adapting to life in the wilds, he not only changed his size, but borrowed the most typical forms of behavior from the indigenous inhabitants of the forest. Animals do not gather in herds, but live alone or in pairs, are less associated with water and trample paths in coastal bushes.
Most arboreal rodents, in the process of adaptation, like other jungle mammals, turned into pygmies. Let's take protein as an example. In the mountain jungles of Panama, located on the slopes of the Chiriqui volcano, live bright red dwarf squirrels measuring about 15 centimeters in size. In the thickets of the Amazon basin live midge squirrels with a body length of 10-11, and in South Asia, on Java, Sumatra, Kalimantan and other Indo-Pacific islands, tiny squirrels are only 7-10 centimeters tall.
Some terrestrial rodents adapted to the wilds by increasing their size. It is in tropical rainforests that the most major representatives this squad. There are very few of them. The largest is the capybara, or capybara. Externally the animals are exact copy guinea pigs, magnified 10 times. Males reach 1.5 meters in length and weigh 60-70 kilograms. The body is covered with long, thick brown bristles, which do a good job of protecting the skin from numerous thorns.
Capybaras do not like recluse, are very sociable and live in groups, sometimes quite large. The capybara has swimming membranes on its paws, between its toes, so it, like tapirs, swims and dives. It is not surprising that capybaras settle along the banks of rivers and other bodies of water. Most of all, capybaras like areas of the shoreline covered with tall grass, which they feed on.
Two other giant rodents - paca and agouti - look like large rabbits, only their ears are short. They are much smaller than capybaras, but have similar habits to pei, swim well, and pacas can even dive. In case of danger, the animals rush to the water and plop down there with a terrible noise, which for the rest of the group serves as a signal of extreme danger.
These are the requirements in the jungle for the shape and size of animals that cannot climb trees. It doesn't pay to be too big or too small. For life in the wilds, a golden mean is good. Apparently, body size in the range from agouti (up to 50 centimeters long) to capybaras and large pigs does not yet impose serious restrictions on movement in the dense thickets of the rainforest, but sharply reduces the number natural enemies. After all, there is little here large predators, so capybaras, pigs and tapirs have almost no enemies. This is where dwarfism arose among traditionally large animals and gigantism among small fry.
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 the hornbills, turacos and toucans that live here have almost forgotten 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.
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 remaining 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 with a 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.
Being nocturnal, the pig-like creatures are camouflaged. 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.
The tapir is a primitive animal that looks today the same as it did a thousand years ago, which is rare for animals
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. The insectivore is a 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.
Cassowary
This flightless birds. Honored as the most dangerous on earth. 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.
The cassowary has a dense, leathery growth on its head. Its purpose is not clear to scientists. Externally, the growth resembles a helmet. There is an assumption that it breaks branches when the bird runs in the thick of the tropics.
The cassowary is an extremely irritable bird that goes into a rage for no apparent reason, attacking people
Okapi
Found in the tropics. 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 adorn the okapi's legs. 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 them. 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 rhinos, 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.
Rhinoceros picks up berries and fruits fallen from careless birds
Animals of the undergrowth
The undergrowth is slightly higher than the litter and already receives 5% of the sun's rays. In order 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 are 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 them in the branches from other contenders for meat.
The jaguar is the third largest of the big cats after lions and tigers.
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 nosoha climbs into the trees to get fruit and hide from danger. In her absence, the beast is not averse to strolling through the jungle floor. Digging with its clawed paws, the nose finds reptiles and insects. Being an omnivore, the animal hunts them.
dart 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.
The singing of poison dart frogs does not at all resemble the usual croaking, but rather resembles the sounds made by a cricket
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 hunt in the water. In America, where rivers and lakes are occupied by anacondas, boa constrictors obtain food on the ground and trees.
Common boa constrictor in the tropics it 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.
The dragon can dive long distances while landing silently
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 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.
Kinkajous are easily tamed, very friendly and are often kept at home.
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 the monkey, the length of its tail is 90 centimeters.
Koats very rarely come down to the ground, sometimes spider monkeys fall and get injured, which heal quickly
Rainbow toucan
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 food, catching insects, tree frogs. Sometimes toucans eat the chicks of other birds.
Golden-helmed kalao
The largest among the birds of the tropics. 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 saggy 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.
Long beaks make it convenient for birds to collect fruits from branchy trees.
Three-toed sloth
What animals are in the rainforest the slowest? The answer is obvious. On land, sloths move at a maximum speed of 16 meters per hour. Animals spend most of their time on tree branches 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 swim 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
It is the largest among birds of prey. 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 in the treetops, where they feed on fruit.
Animal world tropical forests- 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? They contain a minimum of nutrients, 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.