Information about animals and plants. Rare animals from the Red Book of Russia and the whole world

A message about an animal listed in the Red Book will briefly tell about those individuals that are very rare on our planet. Information about rare animals will help you prepare for the lesson.

Report on rare animals

There are many animals on our planet, the population of which is disastrously small. Because of this, they are called rare. The reason for their disappearance is predominantly a human factor.

The list of rare animals on the planet includes:

• Tarantula spider... Dwells in rainforest southwest India. Builds houses in the crowns of trees. Young individuals live at the roots of the tree. They dig burrows, braiding them with cobwebs.
• Madagascar beak-breasted turtle. This land turtle is on the verge of extinction. Today it lives only in the northwestern part of Madagascar.
• Peters' proboscis dog. The mammal lives in the African forests of northeastern Tanzania and southeastern Kenya.
• Angelfish. Inhabits the seas of the northeastern Atlantic. The pectoral and pelvic fins are too enlarged. They live at the bottom of the ocean. They feed on flounder fish.
• Northern longhaired wombat... This is one of the rarest animals on the planet. They are found only in Epping Forest, a national park in Australia. The reason for their decrease is changes in the habitat.
• Tonkin rhinopithecus. Belongs to the monkey family. Representatives live near the river in the Song Koi forest, Vietnam, in the provinces of Vak Tai and Tien Kwang.
• Sumatran rhino. One of a kind, and is also the smallest member of the rhino family. Inhabits mountain secondary and lowland forests, swamps and tropical rainforests.
• Spotted marsupial marten or tiger cat. It is the largest marsupial predator in Australia. One animal population lives on east coast mainland, and the second in northern Queensland. Prefers wet rain forests and coastal thickets.
• Filipino sika deer. It has a reddish-golden color with small white spots. It lives in tropical forests on the islands of the Philippine archipelago. Massively destroyed by wolves.
• Florida cougar. It is the rarest subspecies of cougar. Dwells in forests and swamps South Florida in USA. The reason for the decrease in the population: sport hunting, drainage of swamps, poisoning.
• White Lion. Suffers from leukism, a genetic disorder that leads to a light colored coat. The animals were first discovered in 1975. Inhabits the mountain ranges of Central Asia.

We hope that the message about the rare animal helped you prepare for the lesson, and you learned a lot. useful information... And you can leave your story about a rare animal through the comments form below.

Russia occupies one sixth of the land. Therefore, the number of vertebrates inhabiting Russia is enormous and exceeds 1500 species. Among them:

• more than 700 bird species;
• more than 300 species of mammals;
• over 85 reptiles;
• more than 35 types of amphibians;
• more than 350 species of freshwater fish.

Mammals of Russia

Bear

The bear is a large animal; it is considered one of the symbols of Russia.

Bear.

Brown bear is a forest animal. Very often this beast can be found in Kamchatka. The brown bear is a fairly large animal, the maximum recorded weight of a male bear caught in Kamchatka was more than 600 kg.

She-bear with cubs.

The brown bear can eat both plant foods and hunt other animals. More than half of his diet is plant food: various berries, nuts, roots and so on. Since the bear is clumsy and cannot run fast, it rarely manages to catch a deer or roe deer. But such a giant can feed on insects and their larvae, fish, lizards

In winter, bears hibernate until spring. To do this, they equip dens in pits or caves.

Wolf

Wolf - beautiful predator, similar in appearance and size to a German shepherd. Wolves are gregarious predators, with their devotion to the pack, they can set an example for people.

Wolf.

The main prey of the wolf is large ungulates. A pack of wolves drives a weak deer, a strong pack can even attack an elk weighing about half a ton. The leader starts the meal first, only after him do the rest eat.

Fox

Fox - has the fame of a very cunning beast.

Fox.

Foxes are small animals. An adult fox weighs no more than 10 kilograms. They feed on small rodents, so they can often be found near human settlements, where there are more rodents.

But not only rodents make up her diet, she can hunt small birds, try to catch a hare, but it is difficult for her to do it, since hares are faster than foxes. In the hunt, the fox often uses cunning, for example, it can pretend to be sleeping near a flock of partridges, and when the birds lose their vigilance, they can unexpectedly attack.

The fox is a very curious creature. She is interested in everything new and unusual, and this often causes problems. For example, a fox can get caught in a hunter's trap.

Boar

Wild boar are wild pigs. Boars are large enough animals, the weight of an adult wild boar can reach 250 kilograms. With such a mass, they can run at speeds up to 40 km / h.

Boar.

Boars feed on everything they find in the ground. These can be different roots, worms and insect larvae, fallen fruits, acorns, chestnuts, and so on. A boar can eat a lizard or a toad if it catches it.

Wild boar piglets.

If the boar feels threatened, then it becomes very dangerous. His fangs can reach 20 centimeters in length, he does not hesitate to use them.

In search of food, the wild boar performs the function of a tiller, it loosens the soil and the seeds of plants go deeper, while their chance of germination increases.

Elk

Elk is a large herbivore. This animal gained fame thanks to its shovel-shaped horns, they look like a plow - a tool of farmers. Therefore, since ancient times, the elk has a nickname - elk.

Elk.
Elk with large antlers.

Only male moose have antlers, while females do not have them. Every year, until December, moose shed their antlers, then these antlers can be found in the forest.

Elks live in northern latitudes ah Russia, because these animals do not like the heat.

Hare

The hare is a small herbivore that is considered to be cowardly. But this is fundamentally wrong, having fallen into the paws of a predator, the hare fights back with strong hind legs. On these paws, in addition, he has large claws with which he can seriously injure the attacker, or even kill him.

Hare.

But hares avoid the fight with predators, and they have only one way to do this - to quickly escape. They are capable of speeds up to 75 km / h if their lives are in danger. Who just doesn't try to hunt hares! The fox is a danger to young hares; it cannot keep up with adults. Wolves often kill older hares. Lynxes and large eagles, ermines, wolverines and martens can attack hares.

Hare with a hare.

Wolverine is a predatory animal northern forests Russia. Wolverine is a relative of martens, although outwardly it resembles a bear.

A wolverine can weigh up to 30 kilograms. Females are slightly smaller than males, this is their external differences end.

It is believed that the basis of the wolverine's diet consists of carrion, which it picks up after bears and wolves. In addition, the wolverine hunts everything that it can catch. Great luck for a wolverine - to catch a wounded and weakened deer of a small size.

Beaver - belongs to the rodent family. He is the most large rodent on the territory of Russia and Europe. There is only one representative of rodents larger than a beaver in the world - this is the South American capybara. The weight of a beaver can reach 30 kilograms.

Often the beaver is called "beaver", but this name is not accurate, since in the dictionary of SI Ozhegov's dictionary, this word is called rodent fur.

The beaver leads a semi-aquatic lifestyle, spending most of the time in the water. Beavers are famous for building dams on small rivers. Beavers live in holes, if there is no way to dig a hole, a beaver builds a hut.

Beavers are active at night, and during the day they sleep in their homes. Beavers feed on plant food, they make supplies for the winter and do not leave their shelters throughout the winter.

Stoat - little predator, no more than 40 centimeters in length. But a very aggressive and bloodthirsty animal. It lives in bushes, on the banks of water bodies, including bogs. The ermine swims well and deftly climbs trees.

The ermine preys on small rodents, but it is also capable of killing the prey of the largest, for example, a squirrel or a rabbit.

In winter, ermines change their coat color to white in order to have a better chance of remaining undetected while hunting.

Stoat in winter.

The sable is a predator, similar in shape to an ermine, but large. The main habitat of the sable is the coniferous taiga.

Sable on a branch.

Sable mainly preys on small rodents, but can attack squirrels and hares. He also hunts small birds such as wood grouse or hazel grouse.

Sable fur is very valuable, which led to its mass extermination.

Birds of Russia

As stated above, more than 700 bird species can be found in Russia.

Bullfinches are birds slightly larger than a sparrow, the males of which are painted bright red. The female bullfinches are not at all bright in color.

Bullfinch in winter
Bullfinch in may

The diet of bullfinches consists mainly of seeds and buds of trees and shrubs; bullfinches are especially fond of mountain ash and bird cherry. Bullfinches can also eat small insects, mostly they manage to catch spiders.

In winter, bullfinches do not fly away, but hibernate in Russia. If the winter is very cold and there is little food, then many bullfinches die. Under favorable conditions, a bullfinch can live up to 15 years.

The titmouse is a sparrow-sized bird. It is distinguished by a yellow breast and a blue tint on the back.

In the warm season, tits prefer to feed on insects, at this time they are real predators. But in winter they are forced to switch to plant foods.

Tits on a sunflower

With the onset of cold weather, tits move to cities, since it is easier for them to find food here. In the spring they fly away to the woods again.

Woodpecker - famous for hammering trees with its beak in search of insects and their larvae. The knock from his "work" is heard for a hundred meters.

Like titmice, woodpeckers have a seasonal diet. In the warm season, they eat more insects, although they can destroy the nests of small birds by eating eggs and chicks. In winter, woodpeckers switch to plant food.

The photo shows the tongue of a woodpecker.

Woodpeckers, instead of nests on branches, gouge hollows in trees with soft wood (alder or larch, for example). This work is done mainly by the male and takes about two weeks.

The life span of a woodpecker very rarely exceeds nine years.

The body length of an adult cuckoo is just over 30 cm with a mass of 190 grams, the maximum wingspan of a cuckoo reaches 65 centimeters.

Cuckoo with prey.

Cuckoos are migratory birds and for the winter they migrate to Africa and the tropical latitudes of Asia.

Cuckoo chick in the nest of the forest pipit.

Fish of Russia

There are more than 350 species of freshwater fish in water bodies of Russia. Let's take a look at some of them.

Catfish is a real predator, not a scavenger, as is commonly believed. One of the largest freshwater fish in Russia, which is common in many bodies of water.

Catfish can hunt not only fish and crayfish. He can also attack birds, for example, here is a video about how a catfish hunts pigeons.

Catfish in the Dnieper River.

Catfish usually reach a mass of 20 kilograms and a length of 1.5 meters. But under favorable conditions, catfish can grow to the size of real giants and weigh 400 kilograms with a length of up to five meters. It's just a monstrous fish!

Pike - predatory freshwater fish, the heroine of folk tales.

Usually pike grows up to one meter long and weighs no more than 10 kg, but some individuals reach a weight of up to 35 kg.

Pike hunt from ambush. They can hide in thickets for a very long time, waiting for prey. Then with a lightning lunge they grab the victim with their powerful jaws... A fish caught in the mouth of a pike has no chance of freeing itself, since the teeth of a pike grow towards the inside of the jaw.

Zander

Pike perch is another predatory freshwater fish widespread in the European part of Russia. It lives only in flowing water bodies, the water of which is rich in oxygen.

Zander can grow up to 120-130 centimeters, while its weight can reach 18 kg.

Zander is a very aggressive predator, but the diameter of its pharynx is small, so it does not attack large fish like catfish and pike do. Its prey: bleak, small ruffs, and so on.

Beluga is the largest freshwater fish, it can grow over four meters in length, while weighing more than one and a half tons.

Belugas live most of their lives in the waters of the Azov, Black and Caspian Seas. Belugas rise into rivers only during the breeding season.

Belugas lead a solitary lifestyle. For the winter, they hibernate, before that their body is covered with a thick layer of mucus, which serves as a warm clothing.

The main food of belugas is small fish such as gobies and a variety of cyprinids, herring and other similar fish.

Crucian carp is a very careful fish. Crucian carps are almost omnivorous and survive well in the most difficult conditions.

Two species of crucian carp live on the territory of Russia: gold and silver.

Crayfish

Crayfish is an aquatic animal, reaching a length of 30 centimeters. Although crayfish are usually much smaller, most often they are 15 centimeters in size.

Cancer has powerful claws, and outside it is protected by a shell.

Crayfish are nocturnal predators. During the day they hide in their shelters, it can be a burrow or a secluded den in the roots of a coastal tree. At night they feed. The basis of the diet of cancer is plant food, from animal food they can get mollusks, worms, they also do not disdain carrion.

Arctic animals of Russia

Polar bear- the lord of the northern latitudes of Russia.

The main prey for polar bears is different kinds seals such as bearded hares and seals.

Having a huge mass, the polar bear has no natural enemies. In terms of mass, only walruses are not inferior to it, and polar bears try to bypass them.

Polar bear and walruses.

Polar bears spend almost their entire life on drifting ice floes. Only pregnant females go to land to give birth to cubs.

Arctic fox is a fox-like animal. Lives in the arctic tundra.

Arctic fox, photo: August 2014.

In winter, the color of the Arctic fox is white. But in summer it sheds and its color becomes brown.

Arctic fox in summer.

The main prey of the Arctic fox in summer is the rodent lemmings. Although the arctic fox is not picky about food and can eat more than 120 species of small animals (including fish and shellfish) and more than 20 species of plants. Arctic foxes have a hard time in winter, especially if the winter is cold.

The snowy owl is the largest of all species of owls. This bird is also called the snowy owl, because of its color. The wingspan of a large individual can reach 175 centimeters.

Snowy owls spend their summer in arctic zones, and for the winter they fly to the zones of deciduous forests. Their main prey is lemmings, these are small rodents that live in the north in the tundra zone.

The snowy owl tries to nest far from people.

Our huge planet includes a significant variety of living forms. And how many of them have become extinct, and it's hard to count. Usually attention is paid to beautiful animals. They are shown in the zoo and on TV, children love them, you can read about them in a textbook and find them in nature. But on Earth there are such creatures of nature, which are very difficult to meet. These rare species are hidden from human eyes, many of us have not heard anything about them at all. And the information that reaches us says that these creatures are either on the verge of extinction or will disappear altogether in the near future. Who are they, the rarest animals on the planet?

River dolphin Baiji. This river mammal lives only in the Yangtze, for which it received such a nickname. Many people confuse this dolphin with a Chinese white, but in fact it is different types... Today, Baiji is officially considered dead two years ago. The rapid industrialization of China led to the extinction of the rare species. In 2006, researchers tried to find at least one such dolphin in the river, but they failed. But on next year a Chinese photographer was able to capture a beautiful animal. How many living dolphins are left - no one can say. If they did not die out, then there are no more than 13 of them.

The Pinta Island turtle. The island of Pinta had a unique population of Galapagos tortoises. It is safe to say that this species has died. Unless scientists will be able to resort to full-fledged cloning and transfer the genes of the last surviving turtle to the offspring. Now you can only admire the huge turtles in the photo. The last surviving representative of this species is named Lonely George. This turtle is more than 100 years old, it has become a kind of living symbol of the struggle for the safety of the Galapagos Islands. Finding a female for George is so important that a reward of 10 thousand dollars has been announced for this. However, searches have been going on for several years and have not yet yielded results. So Lonely George will most likely remain lonely, and with him will be interrupted by the unique and ancient genus of Galapagos turtles from the island of Pinta.

Golden tiger. Today this unique species can be found exclusively in captivity. The dangerous predator has acquired a golden color thanks to a recessive gene. For the first time, people met such a tiger at the beginning of the 20th century. At first, the unusual color was due to the fact that it developed in a small group of animals. They lived on land with a high clay content, and the golden color helped when hunting. But this theory remained unproven. Scientists have found that in the conditions of keeping a small group in captivity, the appearance of such a color could occur. Carriers of the recessive gene of golden color had to interbreed with their offspring, which happened in captivity. This tiger is native to Bengal and is a close relative of the Amur species. Like white tigers, these creatures are genetically contaminated with Amur genes. white tiger Tony. He is generally common ancestor for all white tigers in North America. A common mistake is that golden tigers appeared thanks to the crossing of Amur tigers with Bengal tigers. In total, today in captivity in various zoos around the world there are about 30 animals with this color.

Rhinoceros Javan. Only five species of rhino survived today. Among them, Javan stands out for its rarity. He is a close relative of the Indian, but only much smaller in size. The Javan species was once widespread in South-East Asia... But man's thoughtless hunt for this animal put the species on the brink of extinction. Today there are less than 60 individuals left on the island of Java. Interestingly, it is difficult for humans to maintain a population. After all, the Javans die in captivity, which means it will not be possible to artificially increase the number. It looks like the Vietnam War inflicted great damage. Since then, the number of rhino individuals has been steadily decreasing.

Seychelles white-tailed bat. As the name suggests, these rare the bats live on Seychelles, which lie just north of Madagascar. Once the population of these winged mammals was quite large, but human change natural environment noticeably affected the mice. Today there are only about a hundred of them left, while this number is constantly decreasing.

A northern wombat with a hairy nose. This animal is very cute, yet funny. appearance did not save him from extinction. This is the most large mammal, which is threatened with imminent extinction. The northern wombat is about a meter long. His nose is really covered in hair. This fur is brown or White color, and it is very soft to the touch. The nose itself is short and resembles a pig's patch. The wombat's fur is short, thin and silky. It is much softer than that of common wombats. And the undercoat is very well developed. These qualities served as the reason for the constant hunt of man for a poor animal. The animal with a hairy nose lives in only two colonies in the northern United States. And the total population is only 130 individuals.

Red Wolf. Have gray wolf has its own unusual close relative - the Red Wolf. True, it has been considered extinct since 1980. But man managed to keep 20 individuals in captivity. Since then, the predator population has increased to 207 wolves. When the red wolves were released into the wild, they were able to successfully take root there. Now about 100 of these predators live in nature. It is strictly forbidden to hunt them. This variety differs from ordinary wolves in its color, fluffy coat and more. long tail that practically touches the ground. The red wolf lives in Asia from the Tien Shan and Altai to China, India and Malaysia. This animal prefers to live in the mountains, rising to heights of up to 4000 meters.

Shrews of Sao Tome. These animals are also known as shrews. They live on the island of Sao Tome and have almost completely disappeared. And in this case people are to blame. They changed so much natural conditions animal life, that they simply have nowhere to go. Shrews are about 9 centimeters long and have small bellies and white teeth. Their population is so rapidly declining that, according to scientists, in 10 years there will be no such shrews on the planet at all. Another reason for the disappearance of shrews is rats, monkeys and feral pigs brought by humans to the island.

Okapi. What is okapi really? A giraffe? Zebra? Or a cross between them zeraf? In fact, this species is one of a kind. The animal is quite ancient, it was mentioned in the writings of the ancient Egyptians. A hundred years ago, in Europe and Africa, there was a legend about the mysterious African unicorn. Today the version is accepted that the okapi was taken for this animal. With its constitution, it is more like that of a horse, especially since the limbs are painted in stripes, like that of a zebra. Wool in animals is brown with reddish tints. At the same time, the legs and neck are long, but not as long as that of a giraffe. Okapi are found only on the territory of only one state - Democratic Republic Congo. They live in dense tropical forests. It is not known how to accurately calculate the number of okapi, because they are quite fearful and shun humans. However, deforestation and Civil War in the country brought the view to the brink of extinction. It is believed that between 10 and 20 thousand animals remain free.

Tarsiers. Tarsiers can be found on the islands of Southeast Asia. The population is distributed in Thailand, Cambodia, Indonesia and the Philippines. However, you should not assume that these small primates are found in large quantities... Most of them are concentrated in Borneo, and in other places they are concentrated in scanty numbers. These rare primates are only 9 to 16 centimeters tall. Moreover, their hind legs are twice as long as the body. Tarsiers have unique eyes that are the size of their brains. Interestingly, these babies are carnivores. They kill small birds, insects, lizards, bats and snakes. Small animals are very jumpy. They swiftly attack their prey and bite through its skull with sharp teeth. Tarsiers live in dense foliage, going out to hunt at night. But the tarsier population is in an extremely deplorable state. A man can have little influence on this situation, since tarsiers do not breed in captivity.

“Our world is as complex and vulnerable as a spider's web. Touch one spider web and all the rest will tremble. And we do not just touch the web, we leave gaping holes in it ”- the words of the great English scientist J. Durrell, who lived in the 20th century. In the 21st century, a person is already openly waging a biological battle with the outside world.

Nature is unique. Extinct animal species are unique, and future generations will never see them with their own eyes. What will we leave to our descendants? Scarecrows in museums and bones in the ground? You shouldn't think that animal world exterminated only with guns and traps. Various changes are constantly taking place on our planet, from insignificant to global ones. Soviet Union he also made efforts in this black business: one has only to remember the loud calls: “let's turn the Siberian rivers backwards”, which replenished the Red Book with several species of extinct animals, and put others on the brink of extinction. Deforestation, blockage environment waste, climate change as a result of the life process of people - all this has a detrimental and destructive effect on the animal world. Man unwittingly takes away from animals and birds their natural habitats and forage areas. And if we add to this irrational hunting for animals and poaching, then the situation is simply catastrophic. Some animals are on the verge of extinction. While we can still see them in zoos, reserves and national parks... I would like to believe that through the efforts of conscious, active participants in the struggle to save our planet, we will preserve a unique and peculiar animal world.

1. Snow leopard or irbis

The snow leopard, an inhabitant of the highlands, is sometimes called an icon of the wasteland or a mystical beast. Few people manage to observe the snow leopard in nature, only traces of vital activity indicate its invisible presence in the mountains. Nobody knows how many snow leopards are actually left on the planet. The numbers range from 4 to 7 thousand, however, these are very rough estimates. The World Red Data Book has ranked the snow leopard as an endangered species. In Russia, there are no more than a hundred snow leopards. The snow leopard is usually found at an altitude of 2000 to 4000 m above sea level. Several times he was seen in the Himalayas, at an altitude of more than five and a half kilometers. Harsh winters in the mountains, dangerous rocks and stony placers are not terrible for the animal - here the snow leopard feels at home. Its body is well adapted for walking on mountain steeps, and its excellent fur protects perfectly from frost. The wonderful fur of the animal was the reason increased attention poachers to him. The increased demand for skins and their high prices have led to constant harassment by humans, which has significantly reduced the snow leopard population.

2. Ussuri tiger

Feline representative - Ussurian tiger, is listed in the Red Book due to its small number. According to various sources, there are from 450 to 500 individuals in Russia. A certain number of the Ussuri tiger, sometimes called the Altai, Siberian, Amur, North Chinese or Manchurian, lives in China - no more than 40-50 individuals. The Ussuri tiger is the only subspecies of tigers that have adapted to the difficult living conditions in the north. The weight of this large cat reaches 200 - 220 kg, and its length (including the tail) reaches 3 - 3.8 m. Soft and wide pads on its paws prevent the animal from falling into the snow, and in summer they help to move silently on the grass. The main blame for the extinction of an animal, as is often the case, lies with humans: tiger skin has always been valued dearly, and the animal was thoughtlessly destroyed because of its beautiful fur. The cutting down of the taiga, which deprived the animal of its usual habitat, also brought considerable harm. Currently, the Ussuri tiger is under protection. By the way, in Russia, a ridiculous fine is imposed for his murder, and in China, killing a tiger is punishable by death.

3. Burmese snub-nosed monkey

Previously, this species of monkeys did not have a law enforcement status, since it was discovered quite recently - in 2010. The monkey got its name because of the unusual structure of the nose, the nostrils of which are turned up. Sometimes the animal is called a sneezing monkey: when it rains, water enters the nostrils, and the monkey constantly sneezes. In 2012, the Burmese snub-nosed monkey was included in the list of endangered mammals in the Red Book. The updated version of the publication immediately ranked it in the category of the species with the greatest threat of extinction, because the number of monkeys is only about 300 individuals. This small population is in danger of disappearing - people are actively destroying their habitat. Hunters also make their contribution - monkey meat is quite tasty, and macaques can also be sold for needs chinese medicine... The following fact is encouraging: in those rare moments when scientists managed to see snub-nosed monkeys, with the last were their numerous cubs. Thus, there is the likelihood of reproducing the population.

4. Orangutan

Another representative of monkeys is the orangutan, in wildlife also endangered. Incredible strength, smartest eyes and outstanding abilities - in ancient times, people inhabiting Southeast Asia even considered them a kind of tribe - “ forest people". Huge primates (the weight of an adult male often reaches 150 kg) live on tall trees in the rainforests of Sumatra and Borneo. They are excellent tree climbers. Strong legs and arms grasp the vines tenaciously, helping to easily move through the forest. main reason extinction of great apes - continued disappearance of habitats and poaching. The creation of national parks helps to some extent to support the endangered species.

5. Caspian seal

At the beginning of the twentieth century, the population of the Caspian seal was large and totaled one million individuals. A little more than a hundred years have passed, and the number of marine mammals has decreased by 10 times - to 100 thousand. Scientists predict a further decline in the population due to a number of factors: environmental pollution, climate change, habitat destruction and disease. Most urgent problem- mortality of young animals as a result of hunting. Since hunting for a grown animal is not an easy task, poachers prefer to hunt a defenseless puppy (baby seal). According to some reports, the shooting reaches 6-7 thousand individuals per year. This figure is comparable to the permitted shooting volume. Thus, a decline in the population is guaranteed even with a low level of hunting. Scientists believe that seal hunting should be banned for several years.

6. Sumatran rhino

On the peninsulas of Indochina and Malacca, the islands of Sumatra and Kalimantan, as well as on the territory of Assam and Burma, the smallest of the entire family of rhinos lives - the Sumatran one. Its length does not exceed 280 cm, and its height at the withers is 100 - 150 cm. Sumatran rhinos are excellently developed physically. They are excellent swimmers, and in terms of running speed they are not inferior to other representatives of the rhino families. Rhinos are guided by smell, since their vision is rather weak.

The number of individuals around the world is from 170 to 270 pieces. It is known that only one female of this rhinoceros species lives in captivity in the Copenhagen zoo, which was caught back in 1959. Since then, more than once attempts have been made to find her a partner, but they have not brought success. The animal is mercilessly shot by poachers - after all, just for one kilogram of its horns they give tens of thousands of dollars. Hunters are not stopped even by hard-to-reach places where rhinos live. Hunting for Sumatran rhinos is currently prohibited.

7. Bison

The last European wild bull, the European bison, is the largest and heaviest land mammal in Europe. Its weight reaches 1000 kg, the length of an adult animal reaches 330 cm, and the height at the withers is equal to two meters. The reasons for the decrease in the bison population are still the same: intensive hunting, the growing density of human settlements, and deforestation. In the International Red Data Book, bison falls under the category of vulnerable species, and the Russian Red Data Book gives it a place in the first category of endangered species.

The fauna of planet Earth is not a random accumulation of all kinds of animals, but a harmonious functioning system. The loss of any, at first glance, even the most insignificant link, necessarily leads to irreversible serious changes. The trouble is that nature is unlikely to be able to repeat again what was once created. It is very important to preserve and preserve each type of animal, because any of them is unique, inimitable and necessary for man and nature.

World Animal Day, which aims to unite the efforts of people in preserving the fauna of our planet and in protecting the rights of pets, is celebrated on October 4. Dozens of flora and fauna disappear on Earth every day. One of the ways to fight for the conservation of biodiversity on our planet is to protect rare and endangered species of plants and animals.

Snow leopard (irbis)- a rare, scanty species. In the Red Data Book of the Russian Federation, it was assigned the first category - "a species endangered at the limit of its range." The total number of snow leopards in Russia, according to WWF (World Wildlife Fund) experts, is no more than 80-100 individuals.

Amur tiger - one of the rarest predators on the planet, the largest tiger in the world, the only representative of the species living in the snow. The Amur tiger is listed in the International Red Book; in Russia, these animals live only in the Primorsky and Khabarovsk Territories. According to the latest census, the population rare beast in the Russian Federation there are about 450 individuals.

Far Eastern leopard- a subspecies of leopards of the mammalian class, the order of carnivores, the cat family. This is one of the most rare representatives of the cat family in the world. Many experts consider the Far Eastern leopard to be the most beautiful subspecies of leopards and often compare it with snow leopard... The south of Primorsky Krai is the only habitat of the Far Eastern leopard in Russia. According to the latest census, about 50 leopards currently live in the Ussuri taiga. Scientists from many countries and WWF are concerned about the preservation of an endangered species.

Pallas' cat- a rare predator of the steppes and semi-steppes of Eurasia - listed in the international and Russian Red Data Books. This wild cat has a status close to threatened. According to scientists, the number of the animal is declining. In addition, it is threatened by poachers, there is a threat of extinction of suitable habitats. The northernmost habitat of this animal is located in Russia, here the Pallas' cat is found mainly in the mountain-steppe and desert-steppe landscapes of the southeast of the Altai Republic, in the republics of Tuva, Buryatia, as well as in the southeastern part of the Trans-Baikal Territory.

Komodo dragon- a species of lizards from the monitor lizard family, largest lizard world fauna. According to one hypothesis, it was the monitor lizards of the Indonesian island of Komodo that served as a prototype chinese dragon: An adult Varanus Komodoensis can exceed three meters in length and weigh over one and a half quintals. This very large lizard on Earth, which kills a deer with one blow of its tail, is found only in Indonesia and is one of the endangered species of animals.

Over the past 20 years, the number sumatran rhinos decreased by about 50% - due to poaching and logging rainforest... Currently, only about 200 representatives of this species live in Southeast Asia. In total, five species of rhinoceros are known in the world: three in South and Southeast Asia and two in Africa. All rhino species are listed in the Red Book of the International Union for Conservation of Nature. WWF reported in October this year that one of the rhino species - Javanese - was completely destroyed in Vietnam.

Loggerhead- view sea ​​turtles, the only representative of the genus Loggerheads, or loggerhead sea turtles. This species is widespread in the waters of the Atlantic, Pacific and Indian oceans, in the Mediterranean Sea, the loggerhead can be found at Far East(Peter the Great Bay) and in the Barents Sea (near Murmansk). The meat of this turtle was considered far from the most delicious, only local tribes eat it, but its eggs were a delicacy. Their unlimited collection has led to a very serious decline in the number of this species of turtle over the past 50-100 years. This turtle species is listed under the Convention on international trade species of wild flora and fauna and in the Red Book, protected by the laws of Cyprus, Greece, USA, Italy.

Sea otter, or sea otter, is a predatory marine mammal of the mustelidae family, a species close to otters. Sea otter possesses a number of unique features adaptations to marine environment habitat, and is also one of the few non-apathetic animals that use tools. Sea otters live on the northern shores The Pacific in Russia, Japan, USA and Canada. In the 18th-19th centuries, sea otters, because of their valuable fur, were subjected to predatory extermination, as a result of which the species was on the verge of extinction. In the twentieth century, sea otters were included in the Red Book of the USSR, as well as in the protection documents of other countries. As of 2009, sea otter hunting is practically prohibited in all regions of the world. Sea otters are allowed to hunt only the indigenous population of Alaska - Aleuts and Eskimos, and only to maintain folk crafts and dietary intake historically formed in this region.

Bison is the heaviest and largest land mammal on the European continent and the last European wild bull. Its length is 330 cm, its height at the withers is up to two meters, and its weight reaches one ton. The destruction of forests, the growing density of human settlements and intense hunting in the XVII and XVIII centuries exterminated bison in almost all European countries. V early XIX For centuries, wild bison remained, apparently, only in two regions: in the Caucasus and in Belovezhskaya Pushcha. The number of animals was about 500 and decreased over the century, despite the protection Russian authorities... In 1921, due to anarchy during and after the First World War, bison were finally destroyed by poachers. As a result of the purposeful activity of many specialists, as of December 31, 1997, there were 1,096 bison in captivity (zoos, nurseries and other reserves) in the world, and 1,829 individuals in free populations. The IUCN Red Data Book classifies this species as vulnerable; on the territory of Russia, the Red Data Book (1998) put bison in category 1 - endangered.

African wild dog, or, as it is also called, hyena, was once ubiquitous in African steppes and the savannas south of the Sahara - from southern Algeria and Sudan to the extreme southern tip of the continent. Hyena dog is included in the Red Book International Union Nature Protection as an endangered species.

Florida cougar, along with the rest of its subspecies, is listed in the International Red Book. Hunting for it is prohibited, in addition, the animal is included in Appendix II of the CITES convention, which regulates the trade in rare species of animals. Previously, the cougar inhabited the territory in the south. North America, as well as Central and South America all the way to Chile. At the same time, a separate population existed in Florida. In the 60s of the last century, due to shooting and development natural areas the number of Florida cougars has decreased to 20-30 individuals. Efforts to conserve these medium-sized feral cats with the characteristic long legs the population is currently 100-160 individuals.

California condor- very rare view birds from the family of American vultures. The California condor was once distributed throughout the North American continent. In 1987, when the last free condor was captured, the total number was 27. However, thanks to good breeding in captivity, since 1992 they have been released again. As of November 2010, there were 381 condors, including 192 birds in the wild.

Orangutans- representatives of arboreal apes, one of the close relatives of man. Unfortunately, orangutans are endangered in the wild, mainly due to ongoing habitat destruction. Despite the creation of national parks, deforestation continues. Poaching is another major threat.

The last wild Przewalski's horses disappeared from nature in the 1960s, by that time they were preserved only in the desert regions of Dzungaria - on the border of China and Mongolia. But a thousand or more years ago, these animals were widespread in steppe zone Eurasia. Currently in the world there are only about two thousand individuals kept in zoos. About 300-400 horses also live in the steppes of Mongolia and China, which also originate from animals from zoos.

Gray whale listed in the Red Book Russian Federation... Whales live in the North Pacific Ocean, making regular seasonal migrations. These sea animals are the record holders for the range of movement: a whale swims an average of 16 thousand kilometers per year. At the same time, the whale is quite slow-moving, its usual speed is 7-10 kilometers per hour. According to zoologists, the maximum recorded life span of a gray whale was 67 years.