Animals of the southern countries for children. Solving problematic issues

Elephants are the largest animals, they feed on tree leaves, which they pluck with their trunk - this is what elephants have a long nose. And these are the tusks. Why do you think the elephant needs them? . An elephant uses its tusks to protect itself from enemies; these are horns. The elephant fans itself with its huge ears like a fan to keep it from being so hot. Elephants love water very much and if there is a river or lake nearby, they will definitely go for a swim, just as children hold their mother’s hand, so baby elephants walk holding the elephant’s tail with their proboscis.
This is a crocodile. A formidable and dangerous animal. Why do you think? The crocodile needs strong teeth in order to grab, tear and chew prey. Do you know what a crocodile eats? Young crocodiles eat fish, birds, insects, and adults are even tough on zebras that come running to a pond to drink water. Animals that, like crocodiles, feed on other animals are called carnivores. Repeat this word and try to remember. Well, of course, such teeth serve as reliable protection from enemies. A crocodile can live both on land and in water. But it is in the water that they feel calmer. Crocodiles are helped to swim by their paws, which they use to row, and their tail, which they use as a rudder.
The crocodile lays its eggs in a hole near the water. And baby crocodiles hatch from eggs, just like chicks or ducklings.
This is a monkey. She lives in trees and eats leaves and fruits there. The monkey's tail helps it hold on to tree branches. Monkey mothers are very caring: they bathe their babies, bite their nails, and shout at the naughty ones.
This is a zebra. Zebras are very timid, they run away from their enemies, and they run very fast, but not for long - they get tired. And if they cannot escape, they defend themselves with their teeth and hooves. People have tried many times to tame zebras, to teach them to help people, like a horse, for example. But nothing came of it. The zebra does not carry people or loads on its back.
This is a giraffe. It can feed on the leaves of trees that others cannot reach. Why do you think?
The giraffe is taller than all other animals. The giraffe can take food from the ground, as well as drink water, but to do this, it must spread its front legs wide apart in order to bend over. In this position, the giraffe cannot immediately escape; predators take advantage of this and attack drinking water giraffes. The giraffe's fur is spotted - covered with spots. Giraffes live in herds, divided into two groups: one contains mothers with cubs, the other contains fathers.


WITH womb
There is an elephant in the zoo.
Ears, trunk, gray.
nods his head,
It's like he's inviting you to visit.
Palm towards yourself. Middle finger let in. On one side it is sandwiched by the little and ring fingers, and on the other by the index and thumb. Move your middle finger. Swing with the whole brush.

Finger gymnastics “Crocodile”
A huge crocodile was swimming.
Another one surfaced nearby,
I shouted to him: “Wait!”
Once upon a time along the Nile River
Children on each hand connect in pairs the index and middle fingers, the little finger and the ring finger. The result is two imaginary crocodiles that swim, opening and closing their mouths.

“Monkeys”.

We are funny monkeys, not just kids
We clap our hands and stamp our feet.
We puff out our cheeks and jump on our toes;
And we’ll even show each other our tongues.
Let's stick out our ears, tail on the top of the head,
Let's shake our heads, what a delight you and I are!

Who loves what? Feed the animals.

Non-existent animal.

Game "Whose ears are these?"

Game "Wings, paws and tails"

In countries with hot climates, the fauna is much richer and more diverse than in other parts of the planet (unless these areas belong to areas of hot tropical deserts).

Favorable natural conditions in warm countries

In countries with warm climates there are such advantages associated with weather conditions, such as the absence of cold seasons, the constancy of the plant world (almost all plants are non-deciduous), and sufficiently high humidity. All this together creates ideal conditions for living organisms. So, animals have a food supply in the form of plants all year round, may not hibernate and have no reason to migrate (like, for example, birds living in countries with cold seasons). For this reason, the largest number of species live in those states that are in the zone equatorial forests. This is for example:

• Brazil.
• Democratic Republic of the Congo.
• Republic of the Congo.
• Colombia.
• Papua New Guinea.
• Australia.

Species diversity in countries with hot climates

If in countries with cold climates the main part of living organisms are mammals and birds (i.e. warm-blooded animals), then in hot countries there are also a large number of amphibians and reptiles. Also in the south you can find species of animals such as primates and other herbivores that live in trees and feed on fruits and fresh leaves. By comparison, herbivores in northern countries are mainly terrestrial herbivores (such as deer or rodents).

The warm climate is home to a huge number of birds and insects. They stand out for their colorful colors and large sizes. However, many of the insects are poisonous and pose a danger to human life.

Of the hot countries, some (especially island ones) are home to a huge number of endemics. This is, for example, Madagascar or Papua New Guinea, where more than half of the species are endemic. Thus, in Madagascar there are lemurs, fossas (relict animals from the civet family), etc.

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Victor Moroz
Tell children about animals of hot countries

HIPPOPOTAMUS

Thick-skinned, clumsy
And huge, like a mountain.
Loves water, but not puddles,
The river has been splashing in the morning.
He eats the lotus and chews the reeds.
A resident of the Nile is a hippopotamus.

Hippos, or hippos as they are also called, live in Africa. They have a thick, clumsy body and big head. Hippopotamuses weigh up to four tons. The hippopotamus lies in the water for hours, with only its nostrils and eyes exposed.

People have known about the existence of the hippopotamus since ancient times. On the walls of ancient Egyptian temples there are preserved scenes of hunting hippopotamuses, which the Egyptians called “water pigs.” IN Ancient Rome hippopotamuses were brought for battles in arenas with gladiators.

Hippos seem clumsy and clumsy. On the shore they move slowly, moving their short legs. But as soon as the hippopotamus gets into the water, it immediately transforms! The hippopotamus swims and dives well. His skin secretes special liquid reddish in color, which is why the hippopotamus does not get wet in the water. This liquid is called “bloody sweat” because of its color. In terms of thick skin, the hippopotamus ranks first in the world, surpassing both the rhinoceros and even the elephant!

Hippos live in small herds of 6-15 animals. Hippos are peace-loving creatures and never attack first. But if the boundaries of their territory are violated, they bravely enter into battle even with crocodiles and put them to flight.

Hippopotamus, hippopotamus,
He has a huge mouth
He's been chewing something all day -
Apparently, it was not in vain.
He's famous in the area
Everyone will say: “It’s a shame
Hippopotamus appetite
You don’t know beautiful!”
Who's just visiting?
Would he risk inviting you?

(E. Koryukin)

A newborn hippo rides on its mother's back almost all the time until it grows up.

Poachers hunt hippos, which is why their numbers have declined. Poachers especially value hippopotamus tusks, which do not turn yellow over time, like ivory.

There are also dwarf hippos in Africa. They could not be discovered for a long time wildlife. Scientists believed that these were tales told by local residents. Only at the beginning of the 20th century was it possible to catch a living pygmy hippopotamus, whose weight was “only” 300 kilograms. These “mini-hippos” feed on roots and tubers of plants.

GIRAFFE

In the heat, taking off my clothes,
Giraffe went to the shower.
He bent down,
He bent and... fell.

(Yu. Parfenov)

Giraffes live in Africa - the tallest animals. The height of an adult giraffe reaches 6 meters. The giraffe has a light skin with large brown spots scattered on it. In nature, you cannot find two identically colored giraffes.

Giraffes have smooth fur and a short dark mane growing on their back and neck. Giraffes have horns - up to 5 horns can grow on their heads - more than other mammals.

Giraffes lead a herd lifestyle - 7-12 animals each. The herd is led by the most experienced female. While the others graze, the tall male observes the surrounding area. Acute vision helps him spot danger at a distance of up to one kilometer.

Giraffes are hunted by lions, but they prefer weak or sick animals. And an adult giraffe is capable of fighting back. With a strong hoof he can break a lion's skull.

Grown-up male giraffes engage in fights over females. Such a fight follows strict rules: first, the giraffes walk in a circle, then swing their heads and hit each other in the side and back. When one of the opponents is exhausted, the fight ends.

It is difficult for giraffes to eat grass because they have very Long neck. To eat grass or drink, the giraffe strongly spreads its front legs to the sides or bends them at the knees.

The main food of these animals is succulent leaves from the branches. tall trees. The giraffe easily reaches the highest branches.

During the day in Africa it is very hot, so giraffes feed only in the morning and evening. And the hot time is spent standing in the shade of trees. At night, giraffes lie on the ground, tucking their front legs and one back leg under them. Giraffes place their head on the second hind leg. Giraffes sleep very lightly and fall into deep sleep for only a few minutes.

MYSTERY

And he walks with his head up,
Not because he’s an important count,
Not because of a proud disposition,
But because he...

(Giraffe)

ZEBRA

The horse has a shirt -
Striped, like a vest.
A horse is a horse, not a sailor,
What kind of strangeness is this? Here's the question.

(V. Kremnev)

The striped horse - zebra - lives in African steppes– savannahs. All zebras differ from each other in the pattern on their body. Scientists are still arguing about who a zebra is - a white animal with black stripes or a black animal with white stripes?

It seems that striped zebras easy to spot in the yellow savannah. But it turns out that when a zebra runs quickly, the flashing stripes seem to merge in the air. At night and in the twilight, when most predators hunt, zebras are completely invisible against the background of bushes.

The zebra has a short mane of coarse hair on its neck, and a black tassel on its tail.

Horses are frolicking on the field.
They play tag and hide and seek.
And the zebra is standing behind the bushes,
Feeling embarrassed to go out to them in pajamas.

(N. Lamm)

Zebras do not like loneliness and live in large herds of up to 10 thousand animals. Together with African antelopes Zebras feed and go to water. They prefer to eat the very hard and dry upper leaves, while the juicier young shoots are left for the antelopes. When the herd is resting, one of the zebras stands guard, making sure that no predator sneaks up unnoticed.

Zebras run quite fast, they are shy and cautious. But even high speed sometimes does not save them from lions. Other enemies of zebras, especially young foals, are leopards and hyenas. A newborn zebra calf immediately learns to walk - in the savannah it is very important if you want to stay alive to be able to run away from predators.

Although zebras are similar to horses, they always remain wild and are very difficult to tame. In past centuries, zebras were hunted by poachers. The would-be hunters completely exterminated the zebra-like quaggas. Unlike zebras, quaggas only had stripes on their neck and front part of their body.

RHINOCEROS

Rhinoceros without further ado
Ready to jump into a fight.
He will not let himself be offended,
He is clumsy only in appearance.

(V. Stepanov)

One of the largest land animals on Earth is rhinoceroses. Their thick skin is covered with folds and is almost completely hairless. On the head of a rhinoceros there are one or two curved or straight horns.

In the Middle Ages, European scientists did not see a living rhinoceros, they only heard stories about it from travelers who visited Africa. This is how legends about magical unicorns appeared. The artist Albrecht Durer painted a rhinoceros covered with scales and a thick shell.

There are a lot of stags
In the zoo and in the forest,
Everyone has horns on their heads,
And it’s only on his nose.

It was believed that the rhinoceros horn has magical properties. A cure for all diseases was allegedly obtained from it, and the poisoned drink poured into the horn began to boil. Rhino horns were very expensive, and many poachers went to hunt rhinos. As a result significant number rhinoceroses were destroyed. There are very few rhinoceroses left today. They live mainly in nature reserves and protected national parks.

Despite the fact that the rhinoceros is very strong, it is surprisingly clumsy. You can easily escape from a rhinoceros by simply turning to the side.

The aggressiveness of the rhinoceros is explained simply - it has poor eyesight. Therefore, the rhinoceros rushes at any object unfamiliar to it, sometimes even a tree. Running closer, he sees that there is no danger for him and calms down.

The largest rhinoceroses are African ones. The skin of black and white rhinos is devoid of folds. The length of the front horn reaches 70–80 cm. Adult male white rhinoceros weigh up to 5 tons. Rhinoceroses can run very fast, although only for short distances. If the rhinoceros is calm, then it walks with its head down, and raises its head when it inspects the area or gets angry.

Rhinoceroses living in Asia are smaller than their African counterparts. There are very few of them left, so hunting them is prohibited.

Ten thousand years ago, when our planet was glacial period, in the cold tundras of Northern Eurasia and steppes North Africa lived the ancestors of rhinoceroses - woolly rhinoceroses. They were larger than their own modern descendants, and the body was covered with thick fur.

HYENA

We asked the hyena
What is hygiene?
And she answered:
- I am strong in this matter,
I brush my teeth in the morning
I clean up all the junk!

(V. Moroz)

Although hyenas are similar to dogs, their closest relatives are mongooses. The largest hyena, the spotted hyena, lives in Africa.

Many people think that hyenas are cowardly and stupid animals that feed on carrion and cause harm agriculture. This is not entirely true. Hyenas are smart and brave creatures. By eating dead or sick animals, they play the role of scavengers, waste collectors.

Sometimes hyenas also hunt small antelopes and attack livestock. If they get angry, they can even attack a person. At the same time, a smart hyena will not attack a hunter who is holding firearms. She sees that she is facing a serious opponent and retreats.

Hyenas have very strong and large teeth. They are capable of grinding even large bones.

Spotted hyenas hunt wildebeest. Usually at night, but sometimes without waiting for darkness to set in, several hyenas attack a weakened animal or cub that has strayed from the herd. They can persistently chase their prey for many kilometers, while almost never getting tired.

Hyenas have no friends; all predators are at enmity with them. Hyenas make a living by taking prey from leopards or cheetahs. Leopards, in order to save the caught animal, drag it into a tree where hyenas cannot climb.

Many hyenas live near lions and feed on the remains of their prey. Sometimes the opposite happens - an adult lion takes a dead antelope from successful hyena hunters. But woe to a weak or aged lion - he becomes a victim of younger and stronger hyenas.

CHEETAH

The cheetah has success in this,
What runs the fastest?
And the success of the snail is -
He carries his home on himself.

(Yu. Parfenov)

Very unusual animals are cheetahs. Although they belong to the cat family, they have many characteristics of other predators. Cheetahs cannot retract their claws like all cats do. In appearance, cheetahs are more similar to greyhounds - they have a long, graceful body, and short yellow fur covered with black spots. This coloring helps them hide in the grass.

Cheetahs are the fastest runners on Earth. When chasing prey, they can reach speeds of up to 120 kilometers per hour. Their body is ideally suited for fast running. The head is small and round in shape. The legs are long with well-developed muscles. The fluffy tail serves as a balancer while running, helping to maintain balance.

Cheetahs quietly, hiding in the grass, sneak up on grazing antelopes. Coming closer, they rush to attack. If a cheetah fails to immediately catch up with its prey, it stops pursuing because it cannot run for a long time at great speed. To restore its breathing after a short run, the cheetah rests for about half an hour, then continues hunting again.

Cheetahs usually hunt alone, but sometimes they join in pairs or small groups.

Three thousand years ago, the ancient Egyptians tamed cheetahs and took them with them to hunt. Scientists have found images of hunting cheetahs in Egyptian pyramids.

Cheetahs once lived in Africa and the Asian steppes. Asiatic cheetahs have a small mane growing on their neck and upper back. Today, cheetahs remain only in East and South-West Africa, although there are reports of eyewitnesses who have seen cheetahs in remote areas of Central Asia and India.

Cheetahs are easily tamed and tolerate captivity well. Although there are many of them in zoos around the world, they very rarely give birth to young in captivity. Newborn kittens have gray-blue fur, which has no spots at all, and a fluffy mane on their necks.

A LION

Terrible lion with a huge mane
He drinks water slowly.
The maned lion is the king of beasts,
There are no braver beasts in the jungle.

(V. Stepanov)

It is not for nothing that Leo is called the king of beasts. An adult male is a huge, majestic animal with a powerful, muscular body. His big eyes, seem to radiate wisdom, and the head is framed by a thick, lush mane. Lioness do not have such a lush mane as males. A lion can make a very loud roar, letting the animals around know that this is his territory.

IN Ancient Egypt The lion was a symbol of divine and royal power; among the ancient Assyrians and Greeks, lions accompanied the gods. The image of lions adorns the coats of arms of many states.

Lions live in large families called prides. Usually a pride has one male, several females and cubs. The family protects and takes care of their babies, but no one needs old and sick lions. They are expelled from the pride, and they become easy prey for hyenas.

Young lions, when they grow up, leave the pride and go to independent travel across the savannah. Having met a flock of several females, they organize their own pride. It happens that a young lion captures someone else's pride, expelling the weakened and aged leader.

Lions have a clear division of responsibilities - males protect the territory, and females hunt. Adult lions need to eat about 18 kilograms of meat per day, so lionesses are forced to hunt a lot. They sit patiently in ambush and then attack their prey - a gazelle or antelope. The lioness jumps on the antelope's back and sinks her fangs into its neck.

The male is the first to approach the caught prey. He can eat as much as he wants - “the lion's share”, often leaving very little food for the females and cubs.

MYSTERY

A menacing roar suddenly rang out,
Scared away all the birds around.
Walks around in a cage, brutalized,
The king of beasts, in short...

(A lion)

GORILLA

Gorilla is the largest ape. The height of adult males reaches two meters, and their weight is more than 300 kilograms. Gorillas have a large head with a low forehead and very long forelimbs - gorillas rely on them when moving.

Gorillas live in tropical forests and mountains Equatorial Africa. Despite their rather ferocious appearance, these huge monkeys feed mainly on plant foods. They eat not only fruits, berries and nuts, but also do not disdain roots, plant stems, even tree bark, which they chew with their strong, strong teeth.

European scientists first learned about gorillas at the end of the 16th century. The English sailor Andrew Batt, who lived in captivity in Africa for several years, spoke about huge black monkeys.

Mountain gorillas, which live on the slopes of extinct volcanoes in East Africa, were discovered at the beginning of the 20th century. These are very rare animals. Currently, there are very few of them left in the wild.

Gorillas live in family groups, which are led by an adult male who has reached the age of 10 years. Gray hair appears on the back of the leader, while young males are completely black.

In a herd, everyone obeys the leader. He chooses places for feeding and sleeping. Having found a secluded corner, gorillas tilt the trunks of young trees to the ground and throw leaves on them - they make a soft rookery.

I once told my son
Mom, wise gorilla:
- Feel free to escape from the rain
Under a wide leaf, son.
But hold it in your hand skillfully -
He will be your umbrella.

(S. Chertkov)

Gorillas are peaceful animals. Despite the huge physical strength, they almost never fight each other. Even if there is a dispute between two males, the matter never ends in “assault”. Males defeat each other by the power of their gaze - they gaze intently into the eyes of the enemy. The one who cannot stand the gaze and moves aside is the one who lost.

MYSTERY

Oh look, man!
And on the body there is black fur.
We made a mistake, looks cute
From the bushes towards us...

(Gorilla)

ELEPHANT

Elephant weighs
Three hundred tons:
Ton - ear,
Ton - leg,
That's it, baby!

(G. Tsyferov)

Elephants are the largest land animals. Today, there are two species of elephants living on Earth: African and Indian. Male African elephants weigh up to seven tons. The Indian elephant is slightly smaller.

The elephant has a wonderful trunk:
He tears bananas from palm trees himself,
He pours water like from a shower,
Sings trumpet songs.

(N. Migunova)

The upper lip and nose of elephants seem to have grown together, forming a movable organ - the trunk. At the end of the trunk there are nostrils and “fingers” - sensitive processes with which the elephant can pick up even small objects, such as coins or nails, from the ground. The elephant uses its trunk to bring food to its mouth, draw water into it, and then pour it into its mouth. The trunk is very important for an elephant; if it is cut off, the elephant will die from exhaustion.

In addition to the unusual nose-trunk, elephants have unusual teeth- tusks into which the incisors of the upper jaw turned. The tusks serve both for obtaining food and for protection from enemies. Males have especially large tusks African elephants– their length is over three meters. Tusks are highly valued, which is why elephants are hunted by poachers.

Large ears protect elephants from overheating. Indian elephants have smaller ears than African elephants. Elephants have thick and wrinkled skin.

The elephant laughs
In the heat of the moment:
"Nice shower
Always with me!"

Elephants feed on tree branches, leaves, grass, roots, and fruits. One elephant eats up to 150 kilograms of green food per day.

Elephants live in herds, only older males live alone. The herd usually contains from 5 to 20 animals. A wise old elephant becomes the leader of the herd. Little elephant calves need not be afraid of predators - the entire herd comes to their protection.

People have domesticated Indian elephants. They often live near villages. Elephants are used in logging work; they can easily carry large logs or lift other heavy objects.

Elephants live 60–70 years. The female carries the cub for almost two years. A newborn elephant weighs 100 kilograms. For two years of life, the elephant calf feeds on its mother’s milk, and becomes independent only at the age of five.

PANGOLIN

Cunning pangolin lizard
The leopard was surprised -
He bent in an arc,
Curled up in front of him.
Leopard, no matter how hard he tried,
Didn't get to the pangolin.

(V. Moroz)

In Equatorial and South Africa Deep burrows can often be found. They were dug strange creatures- pangolins. The body of pangolins is similar in color and shape to fir cone– it is covered with large overlapping horny scales. For this cover, similar to the scales of reptiles, these animals are also called lizards.

The areas of the body that are free from scales - the muzzle, belly, lower body and inner surface of the legs - are covered with short, stiff hair. Pangolins have no teeth, but they have a long (up to 25 cm), thin and sticky tongue. With its help, the pangolin removes termites and ants from nests. Pangolins hide in burrows, hollows or treetops during the day, and go out hunting at night. With strong paws, which are armed with sharp long claws, they break apart termite mounds and anthills.

Some species of lizards can run quickly and deftly climb trees.

If the pangolin is in danger, it curls up into a ball. Only very strong animals, such as a lion or leopard, can turn a pangolin around.

African tribes came up with many legends about lizards. Representatives of the Bantu tribe believe that a rainbow is hidden in the termite mound. The pangolin, tearing apart the termite mound, releases the rainbow into the wild, and thus ends the rainy season. According to another belief, if you jump through a hole made by a pangolin in a termite mound, you will have good luck.

Baby pangolins are born without scales and live in burrows until they grow up. He travels sitting on his mother's tail.

KANGAROO

Worn by mother kangaroo
Baby in your pocket.
The kangaroo is fine
And it’s convenient for mom.

(N. Migunova)

They live only in Australia and America marsupial mammals. They were named so because they carry their newborn babies in a pouch. The kangaroo is the largest marsupial and a symbol of Australia.

The origin of the name of this beast is funny. When English sailors under the command of Captain James Cook first landed on the Australian coast, they saw strange animals that jumped along the shore like huge grasshoppers. "Who is this?" - the British asked the local residents - the aborigines. They shook their heads and answered: “Ken-gu-ru,” which meant: “I don’t understand.” Like this unusual name preserved for the kangaroo.

The largest of the marsupials is the red kangaroo: its body length reaches 160 centimeters and its weight is 80 kilograms. Smaller ones are gray kangaroos and wallabies.

Kangaroos move by jumping on long and strong legs. The thick and powerful tail serves as a support when the kangaroo sits and as a balance when it jumps. A kangaroo can jump 13 meters in length and 3.5 meters in height.

The front legs of a kangaroo are very short. Animals use them to hold food and bring it to their mouth. Sometimes they rely on them when jumping.

Kangaroos are peaceful herbivores. They gather in large flocks that number several hundred kangaroos.

Kangaroo jumps quickly
Both in the cool and in the heat,
He carries a bag with him,
His baby lives in it!

The bag is soft and warm,
There's a baby drinking milk,
And like a jumper
Australian kangaroo!

(M. Lvovsky)

Kangaroos give birth to one baby no larger than walnut. He crawls along his mother's belly and into her pouch. He lives there for about six months, eating only milk. Grown-up kangaroos get out of the pouch and travel with their mother. But in case of danger, they can jump back into the bag.

True, kangaroos in Australia have almost no enemies. With a blow from a strong leg, they can throw back both a dog and even a person. And they gallop at such a speed that even in a car it can be difficult to catch up with them.

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The main area of ​​the vast continental territory South America It extends in equatorial-tropical latitudes, so it does not feel a lack of sunlight, although the climate of this part of the world is not at all as hot as Africa.

This is the most wet continent on the planet, and there are many natural reasons for this. The difference in pressure between warm land and the ocean environment, currents off the coast of the continent; The Andes mountain range extends across a huge part of its territory, blocking the path of westerly winds and contributing to increased humidity and significant amounts of precipitation.

The climate of South America is extremely diverse, because the continent extends through six climatic zones: from subequatorial to temperate. Along with areas of fertile nature, there are areas known for mild winters and cool summers, but famous for frequent rain and winds.

In the center of the continent there is much less precipitation. And the highlands are distinguished by clean, dry air, but a harsh climate, where the bulk of the heavenly moisture falls, even in the summer months, in the form of snow, and the weather is capricious, constantly changing throughout the day.

A person does not survive well in such places. Naturally, the vicissitudes of the weather also affect other organisms living there.

It is not surprising that given the data natural features, the world of fauna is incredibly diverse and rich. List of animals of South America is very extensive and impressive with its individual bright features of organic life that has taken root in this territory. It includes many beautiful and rare species of creatures that amaze with their fantastic originality.

What animals are in South America live? Most have perfectly adapted to existence in harsh conditions, because some of them have to endure the discomfort of tropical downpours and survive in the highlands, getting used to the characteristics of savannas and subequatorial forests.

The fauna of this continent is amazing. Here are just some of its representatives, the diversity of which can be seen at photo of animals of South America.

Sloths

Interesting mammals– the inhabitants of forests are known throughout the world as very slow creatures. The peculiar animals are closely related to armadillos and anteaters, but purely outwardly they have little resemblance to them.

Number of sloth species included animals endemic to South America, only about five. They are united into two families: two-toed and three-toed sloths, which are quite similar to each other. They are half a meter tall and weigh about 5 kg.

Remind external features the appearance of an awkward monkey, and their thick, shaggy hair looks like a haystack. It's interesting that internal organs These animals differ in structure from other mammals. They lack hearing and visual acuity, their teeth are underdeveloped, and their brain is quite primitive.

The animal in the photo is a sloth

Armadillos

Animal world South America would be significantly poorer without mammals. These are the most unusual animals among the edentates, a group that includes sloths.

The animals are dressed by nature in something similar to chain mail, as if clad in armor, girded with hoops consisting of bone plates. They have teeth, but very small size.

Their vision is not well developed, but their sense of smell and hearing are quite acute. When feeding, such animals grab food with their sticky tongue, and are able to bury themselves in loose soil in the blink of an eye.

Pictured is an armadillo

Ant-eater

Scroll South American animal names would not be complete without such an amazing creation as. This is an ancient, outlandish mammal that existed in the early Miocene era.

These representatives of the fauna inhabit the territories of savannah and rain forests, also live in swampy areas. They are divided by scientists into three genera, differing in weight and size.

Representatives of the genus of giants weigh up to 40 kg. They, like members of the genus of large anteaters, spend their lives on the ground and cannot climb trees. Unlike relatives, pygmy anteaters, skillfully moving along trunks and branches with the help of clawed paws and a prehensile tail.

Anteaters do not have teeth, and spend their lives searching for termite mounds and anthills, absorbing their inhabitants with the help of a sticky tongue, sticking their long nose into the insects' habitat. An anteater can eat several tens of thousands of termites per day.

The animal in the photo is an anteater

Jaguar

Among South American forest animals, a dangerous predator that kills in one leap, is. It is precisely in his dexterous, lightning-fast ability to kill his victims that the meaning of the name of this beast, translated from the language of the indigenous inhabitants of the continent, lies.

The predator is also found in shrouds and belongs to the panther genus, reaches a weight of just under 100 kg, has a spotted color like a leopard, and has a long tail.

Such animals live in the north and central parts of America, but are found in Argentina and Brazil. And in El Salvador and Uruguay some time ago they were completely exterminated.

In the photo there is a jaguar

Mirikina monkey

American monkeys are endemic, and differ from their relatives living on other continents by a wide partition separating the nostrils of these animals, for which many zoologists call them broad-nosed monkeys.

This type of creature inhabiting mountain forests includes the Mirikina, otherwise called durukuli. These creatures, which are about 30 cm tall, are notable for the fact that, unlike others, they lead owl image life: they hunt at night, seeing perfectly and orienting themselves in the dark, and sleep during the day.

They jump like acrobats and eat small birds, insects, frogs, fruits and drink nectar. They can make a huge number of interesting sounds: they bark and meow like a dog; roar like jaguars; chirping and chirping like birds, filling the darkness of the night with devilish concerts.

Monkey Mirikina

Titi monkey

It is not known exactly how many species of such monkeys exist in South America, since they have taken root in impenetrable forests, whose wilds cannot be fully explored.

In appearance, titi resemble mirikin, but have long claws. During the hunt, they guard their prey on the branch of a tree, tucking their arms and legs together and lowering their long tail down. But at the right moment, in the blink of an eye, they deftly grab their victims, be it a bird flying in the air or running along the ground. Living being.

Pictured is a titi monkey

Saki

These monkeys live in the forests of the interior regions of the continent. They spend their lives on the tops of trees, especially in areas of the Amazon that are flooded with water for a long time, as they cannot tolerate dampness.

They jump on branches very deftly and far, and walk on the ground on their hind legs, helping themselves to maintain balance with their front legs. Zoo workers, observing these animals, noticed their habit of rubbing their own fur with pieces of lemon. And they drink by licking the water from their hands.

White-faced saki

Uakari monkey

Close relatives of the saki, living in the Amazon and Orinoco river basins, are known for the shortest tail among the continent's monkeys. These peculiar creatures, classified as endangered species and rare animals of South America, have red faces and a bald forehead, and with their lost and sad expression on their faces they look like an old person, confused in life.

However, appearances are deceptive, because the character of these creatures is cheerful and cheerful. But when they are nervous, they smack their lips noisily and shake the branch they are on with all their might.

Uakari monkey

Howler

South American harpy bird

Titicaca whistler frog

Otherwise, this creature is called a scrotum due to the flabbiness of its skin, hanging in folds. She uses her fancy skin for breathing, since her lungs are small in volume.

This is the largest frog in the world, found in the reservoirs of the Andes and Lake Titicaca. Some specimens grow up to half a meter and weigh about a kilogram. The color of the back of such creatures is dark brown or olive, often with light spots, the belly is lighter, creamy-gray.

Titicaca whistler frog

American manatee

Large mammal, inhabiting the shallow waters of the Atlantic coast. Capable of living also in fresh water bodies. Average length is three or more meters, weight in some cases reaches 600 kg.

These creatures are colored a rough gray and have flipper-like forelimbs. They feed on plant foods. They have poor eyesight and communicate by touching their muzzles.

American manatee

Amazonian inia dolphin

The largest of the. His body weight can be 200 kg. These creatures are dark in color and sometimes have a reddish skin tone.

They have small eyes and a curved beak covered with tinny bristles. In captivity they live no more than three years and are difficult to train. They have poor eyesight, but a developed echolocation system.

river dolphin inia

Piranha fish

This aquatic creature, famous for its lightning-fast attacks, received the title of the most voracious fish on the continent. Having a height of no more than 30 cm, she mercilessly and brazenly attacks animals and does not hesitate to feast on carrion.

The body shape is like a rhombus, laterally compressed. Usually the color is silver-gray. There are also herbivorous species of these fish that feed on vegetation, seeds and nuts.

Pictured is a piranha fish

Giant arapaima fish

According to scientists, the appearance of this ancient fish, a living fossil, has remained unchanged for millions of centuries. Some individuals, as local residents of the continent say, reach four meters in length and weigh 200 kg. True, ordinary specimens are more modest in size, but they are valuable commercial fish.

Giant arapaima fish

Electric eel

The most dangerous big fish, having a mass of up to 40 kg, found in the shallow rivers of the continent and having a fair share of human casualties.

Capable of emitting a high-power electrical charge, but is only powered by small fish. It has an elongated body and smooth, scaly skin. The color of the fish is orange or brown.

Electric eel fish

Agrias claudina butterfly

The most beautiful of tropical forests with a scope, rich colors, bright wings of 8 cm. The shape and combination of shades depends on the subspecies of the described insects, of which there are about ten. It is not easy to see the butterfly, as they are rare. It's even harder to catch such beauty.

Agrias claudina butterfly

Nymphalid butterfly

With wide, medium-sized wings, bright and variegated colors. Its lower part usually merges with environment against the background of dry leaves. These insects actively pollinate flowering plants. Their caterpillars feed on grass and leaves.

Nymphalid butterfly