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The nature of this continent was formed in conditions of isolation from other lands. This is due to its unusualness and richness. Vegetable and animal world The continent began its development back in the Cretaceous period. The nature of the region, having ancient history and formation in conditions of isolation, has preserved many unique species, but there is also evidence that on other continents there are ancient representatives of the fauna close to specimens living in the territory South America. This confirms that, after all, the isolation of the continent was incomplete and connections with other continents existed.
It is interesting that among the species of monkeys in South America there are no monkeys similar to humans.
Monkey, living on the mainland, are broad-nosed, and their habitat is limited to tropical forests.
It is noteworthy that South America has three, unique to it, families of edentates. Unique species of animals are found among ungulates, rodents and predators. The fauna in different parts of the continent differs. This is primarily due to unequal natural and climatic conditions.
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Animals tropical forests adapted to life in trees. First of all, these are monkeys of two families: marmosets and capuchins. Toy monkeys smaller and have developed limbs with long claws. Capuchinaceae larger and they have a long, strong tail, almost like a hand.
Sloths, belonging to the family of incomplete teeth, lead a sedentary life, preferring to hang on trees and rarely go down.
Lives in savannas and forests big anteater.
Among the predators, the cat family stands out. Its brightest representatives are large jaguars, ocelots and jaguarundi.
Ungulates are very few in number.
Almost throughout the entire continent you can find numerous rodents, among them marsupial rats and opossums.
Amphibians and reptiles are also widespread. In rivers you can find crocodiles.
Parrots with bright colors, numerous birds also live in the forests of this part of the Earth.
Typical representatives of the mainland birds are hummingbird.
Tropical forests are simply teeming with various insects, among them you can find many unique ones.
The fauna of open and dry spaces, called savanna, differs from the fauna of forests.
Another representative of the partially edentulous species is found here - armadillo. This is the place where they live jaguars, pumas, pampa cats, ocelots, some types foxes. Among the ungulates we can distinguish pampas deer. They live here ostriches rhea. A large number of snakes and lizards.
The mountain fauna is represented by such animals as lama. Some are also common marsupials and spectacled bear.
Of the mountain bird species, it certainly stands out condor.
Endemics of South America Pampa (steppe) SELVA Patagonia Savannah and open forest (campos)
Endemics –
(from Greek éndemos - local), species, genera, families
plants and animals limited in their
spread over a relatively small area
Vegetable world
Animal world
Victoria amazonica
Paraguayan tea
Orchids...
Hummingbird...
Anaconda
Capybara
Armadillo - giant
- The sheet can withstand loads of up to 50 kg.
- Flower diameter 40 cm.
- The color of the petals varies from white to dark purple.
VICTORIA OF THE AMAZON
- Evergreen tree 6-16 tall m.
- It forms thickets that are now significantly exterminated.
- A tonic drink, mate, is prepared from the leaves and young shoots.
PARAGUAYAN TEA (MATE)
Masdevalia Veitcha
Masdevalia purpurea
Dracula vampire
Cinchona tree Hevea tree MONKEY TOY weight – 50-70g and up to 30 cm in length.
- The slowest mammal
- He sleeps, hanging on a branch with his back down.
- The limbs have sickle-shaped claws.
- Can go a long time without food
Lives deep in the Amazon forest
- Lives deep in the Amazon forest
- Up to two meters long.
- It has a shell of horny scutes.
- It feeds on carrion.
GIANT BATTLESHIP
The largest rodent on Earth
CAPIBARA
Distribution area
The water boa is the largest snake on Earth. Reaches a length of 10-11 m
ANACONDA
BLACK CAYMAN
Distribution area
Morfida Elena
Endemic to the upper river. Amazon (Peru).
Sailboat Orellana
Endemic to the upper river. Amazon (Peru). The species was named by the English naturalist Hevitson in honor of the Spanish conquistador Orellana.
Sardanapalus
Rare endemic to the middle Amazon. Named by the famous English naturalist Henry Bates in honor of the last Assyrian king Sardanapalus.
AMAZON BUTTERFLIES
HUMMINGBRI
- The smallest bird on Earth, slightly larger than a bumblebee.
- Makes 500 strokes per minute (like an insect).
- Doesn't sit on a flower.
- Almost does not fly, most of the time it stays in trees.
- chicks have two fingers at the ends of their wings.
- It feeds on leaves and fruits like a ruminant.
- National bird of Guyana
Distribution area
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FOR ATTENTION!
ENDEMICS OF SOUTH AMERICA.
2. Like Australia, South America stands out among the continents for its originality organic world. Long-term isolation from other continents contributed to the formation of a rich and largely endemic organic world in South America.
The flora of South America is represented by a wide variety of endemic plants. Let's get to know some of them.
3. Victoria Amazonian is common in the river basin. Amazon in Brazil and Bolivia, also found in the rivers of Guyana flowing into the Caribbean Sea.
The locals called it aquatic plant"aponoi", which means "bird frying pan" in their language. Yes, this flower really does resemble this kitchen utensil in some way.
The diameter of its sheet can reach 2 meters, while it can withstand a load weighing up to 50 kilograms. Thanks to these achievements, the Victoria regia water lily was listed in the Guinness Book of Records as “the largest flowering plant on earth.”
The underside of the leaf is completely covered with sharp and long spines, which protect the leaf from herbivorous fish and other aquatic animals. The underside of the Victoria Amazonian leaf is dark purple or brownish red.
The plant has small holes through which all excess moisture leaves the surface of the leaf. Victoria herself has long, cord-like roots.
Its flower is located under water and appears on the surface only once a year - during flowering, which lasts only 2-3 days. At this time, a large water lily flower appears in all its glory. The flower blooms only at night, and at dawn it collects all its petals and goes under water. On the first day of flowering, the flower opens pale white petals. The next day they already have a soft pink tint, and on its last evening the flower turns dark crimson or purple. After that, he sinks under water and does not appear again. Underwater, a large fruit begins to form containing small black seeds. Local Indians use them to prepare very unusual dish, which tastes like roasted corn.
4. Paraguayan tea is an evergreen tree 6-16 m high. In the wild, it is distributed in South America between 12 and 33 ° south latitude at an altitude of 500-900 m above sea level, forms thickets that are now significantly exterminated. A tonic drink, mate, is prepared from the leaves and young shoots of Paraguayan tea, for which it is cultivated.
To prepare the drink, crushed mate leaves are poured with hot water. Drinking mate becomes a very solemn ritual.
Paraguayan tea is drunk as follows: in a special round cup made from a small thin-walled pumpkin, beautifully painted, yerba powder is poured, boiling water is poured and a silver tube (bombigje) is inserted with a paddle-shaped strainer (an extended end with small holes through which the powder does not penetrate) . The drink is ready, it is not stirred with a straw, the yerba floats in boiling water in the form of a thick green slurry. They don’t drink mate in sips, but suck it with pleasure. There is a custom to take turns drinking the drink. The pumpkin cup goes around in a circle until someone thanks the owner. It is recommended to drink slowly, but no more than a minute (strain 2-3 sips of a hot drink, such is politeness).
The effect of Paraguayan tea on the body is much more beneficial than Chinese tea. About half of the caffeine in yerba is in a bound state, making its effect mild; Drinking Paraguayan tea improves the functioning of the heart and stomach, dilates blood vessels, strengthens memory and the nervous system.
According to some, drinking mate promotes normal digestion and proper metabolism and serves as a source of mental balance and vital energy. According to others, this is the greatest evil, bad habit, a pointless waste of time, a breeding ground for diseases (please note that a silver drinking straw is recommended).
5. Forests in river valleys that are flooded for a short time are also characterized by a significant number of vines and epiphytic plants, among which the most beautiful are orchids with their bizarre, varied and brightly colored flowers.
2. The very rich and unique fauna of South America is distinguished by a large number of endemics: sloths, anteaters, armadillos, broad-nosed monkeys, puma, jaguar, peccary, nutria, capybara - capybara, chinchillas, “grain-tailed bear”, etc.
6. Perhaps the most striking example of the influence of the environment on an animal is sloths - representatives of one of the three families of the order of edentates endemic and characteristic of South America. Like many monkeys, sloths very rarely descend to the ground and constantly hang, clinging to a tree branch with all four paws, belly up and back down. In their coarse, long, dirty, ash-colored fur, directed from the belly to the back, humid air Giles are inhabited by algae, which gives the animals a greenish color. Sloths feed on leaves and fruits, moving extremely slowly from branch to branch and for a long time, going completely without food.
7. Another representative of incomplete edentates also leads a terrestrial lifestyle - the giant armadillo, reaching a length of almost two meters with a tail. Usually, these are the only owners of a bony shell on Earth who prefer open spaces, but the giant armadillo lives precisely in the thicket of the Amazonian Giles.
8. Capybara is the largest rodent on Earth. Body length 1 – 1.8 m, weighing up to 70 kg. Always stays close to water; lives in swamps and on the banks of flowing water bodies. At the first sign of danger, the animal immediately dives under water. It may remain there for about a minute. It is found in the northern regions of South America, mainly in the Amazon basin and the Andes.
9. Creature, intending to hide from being pursued by predators in the water, an unpleasant encounter with an anaconda awaits.
10. Among the trunks carried by Amazonian rivers, it is not always possible to quickly distinguish the backs of caimans, unique to South America, or alligators.
11. Perhaps more dangerous than crocodiles is a small (up to 30-40 cm) fish - piranha (or piranha). A school of these voracious, toothy fish is capable, no worse than an anatomist, of dissecting any body (including a human) to the skeleton in a very short time.
12. The fauna of reptiles, fish and insects is diverse.
And there are a great many birds here. It’s not for nothing that South America is called the “bird continent.” About a quarter of all known bird species live here. Half of the local bird species are endemic. These are rheas, hoatzins, toucans, hummingbirds, parrots, etc.
13. Hummingbirds - "living gems" (or "flying jewels") weighing 2-3 g - hummingbirds are just some of the exceptionally diverse birds of the Amazon. Hummingbirds live only in the New World, with the vast majority of species—233—living in tropical parts of South and Central America.
Buffon characterizes these birds as follows: “Of all living creatures, the hummingbird is the most beautiful in form, the most magnificent in color. Gems and metals artificially given their luster cannot compare with these living jewels. These little birds are an exemplary work of nature. She showered him with all the gifts she had given to the other birds individually. Lightness, speed, dexterity, grace - everything became the lot of these little favorites of hers. Emeralds, rubies, topazes sparkle on their clothes, which never get dirty or dusty, because throughout their aerial life they never touch the ground for a moment. They are always in the air, fluttering from flower to flower, the brilliance and freshness of which they are endowed with and the nectar of which they drink.
Hummingbirds live only in those zones of the earth where flowers are eternally renewed, and those species of this family that penetrate into temperate zone, remain there only for a short time. It seems as if they follow the sun in its forward and backward movement and march on the wings of zephyr in the retinue of eternal spring.”
Hummingbirds are the smallest of birds. The largest species are no larger than a sparrow, the smallest are the size of a bumblebee. The beak of all species is thin, sometimes curved. With its help, birds get nectar from flowers and catch small insects. Only males are brightly colored; females and young ones have duller greenish or brownish plumage. Only females build the nest and feed the chicks; males do not take any part in this. The nest is a dense, deep cup made of plant fibers, plant fluff, wool, moss, braided with cobwebs. There are 2 or, in small species, 1 egg in the clutch.
The flight of hummingbirds is fast, maneuverable, they can flutter in place near a flower for a long time, like a hawk moth, while a peculiar buzz is heard.
Most species live in open, bright places among forests, along forest edges, thickets of bushes and in meadows, even alpine ones; they are less common in steppes and semi-deserts.
A number of species are associated with specific plants on whose flowers they feed, and their distribution is limited. There are species that are found only on one mountain (for example, the Chimborazo hummingbird, which lives only on Mount Chimborazo at an altitude of 4500 - 5000 m).
14. Of particular interest are the rare hoatzins; their featherless chicks deftly climb tree trunks, recreating the image of Archeopteryx. Hoatzins hardly fly; most of the time they stay in trees and rarely descend to the ground.
Vegetable food: eats leaves and fruits, which it digests through fermentation, like ruminants. This gives hoatzin an unusually nasty, unpleasant, manure-like odor. Hoatzin meat has a sharp musty smell, is inedible and is never eaten even by the natives. European settlers therefore called the hoatzin the “stinking bird.” The word "hoatzin" is borrowed from the Aztec language. The hoatzin is the national bird of Guyana.
Endemics of South America
Alpaca
Amazonian dolphin
Amazonian manatee
Andean cat
Giant anaconda
Giant anteater
Mountain viscacha
Mountain tapir
Two-toed sloth
Degu
Dinoponera gigantea
Imperial tamarin
Capybara
Pygmy marmoset
Brown-breasted Myrmothera
cat otter
Geoffroy's cat
Bald uakari
Marys (rodents)
Mirikina
Leafcutter ants
Common nose
Pampas cat
Striped bushy opossum
Sekuran fox
Cenolestaceae
Chilean cat
Chiloe possum
Chinchillas
Extoxicon
South American fur seal
Andean fauna
The animals of South America are astonishingly diverse, as are its landscapes.
The longest mountains on the planet are the Andes; they are about 9 thousand kilometers long. These mountains are located in different zones: temperate, two subequatorial, equatorial, subtropical and tropical, so in the Andes a larger number of plants grow and a variety of animals are found.
In the lower tier equatorial forests Deciduous and evergreen trees grow, and at an altitude of 2500 meters there are cinchona trees and coca bushes. Cacti and vines grow in subtropical zones. In the Andes there are many valuable plants such as potatoes, tomatoes, tobacco, coca, and cinchona trees.
The Andes are home to more than 900 species of amphibians, 1,700 species of birds and 600 species of mammals, which are not found in large flocks because they are separated by densely growing trees. The forests are home to bright, large butterflies and large ants. Nests in dense forests a large number of birds, the most common being parrots, and there are also many hummingbirds.
To the fauna of the Andes Negative influence had the activity of people. Many condors used to live here, but today they are preserved in only two places: Sierra Nevada de Santa Marta and Nudo de Pasto.
The condor is the largest flying bird on the West Coast. It has shiny black plumage and a collar of white feathers around its neck. A white border runs along the wings.
Female condors are much larger than males. Sexual maturity in these birds occurs at 5-6 months. They build nests on rocky cliffs at an altitude of 3-5 thousand meters. A clutch most often contains 1-2 eggs. Among birds, condors are long-lived, as they can live for about 50 years.
The Andean condor has simultaneously become a symbol of several states Latin America: Bolivia, Argentina, Colombia, Peru, Chile and Ecuador. In the culture of the Andean peoples, these birds play an important role.
But, despite this, in the twentieth century the number of these big birds decreased significantly, so they were included in the International Red Book. Today, condors are classified as a threatened species.
It is believed that the main reason for the degradation of condors was anthropological factors, that is, the landscapes in which these birds lived changed. They are also poisoned by the carcasses of animals that people shoot. Among other things, until recently, condors were deliberately shot because there was a misconception that they pose a threat to domestic animals.
Today, several countries have organized programs for breeding condors in captivity, with their subsequent release into the wild.
Unusual islands of Lake Titicaca
Unique animals live not only in the Andes, but also in the areas of Lake Titicaca. Only here you can meet the Titicaca whistler and the wingless great grebe.
The Titicaca whistler is a frog endemic to Lake Titicaca. Lake Titicaca is unusual for its floating Uros islands. According to legend, small tribes of Uros Indians settled on floating islands several thousand years ago in order to separate themselves from other peoples. These Indians themselves learned to build islands out of straw.
Each Uros island is formed from several layers of dry reeds, with the lower layers being washed away over time by the current, but the upper layers are constantly renewed. The islands are springy and soft, and water seeps through the reeds in some places. The Indians build their huts and make balsa de totora boats, also from reeds.
The Great Great Grebe is a bird that visits Lake Titicaca from time to time. Today there are approximately 40 floating Uros islands on Lake Titicaca. Moreover, some islands have observation towers and even solar panels to generate energy. Excursions to these islands are very popular among tourists.
Animals endemic to South America
Pudu deer are found exclusively in South America. These deer are small in height - only 30-40 centimeters, body length reaches 95 centimeters, and weight does not exceed 10 kg. These deer have little in common with their relatives: they have short straight horns, small oval-shaped ears with fur, and a gray-brown body color with fuzzy white spots.
Pudu deer live in impenetrable thickets, and on open spaces They only come out at night to feed. They mainly graze on the seashore, where there is a large amount of fuchsia algae, which forms the basis of the deer’s diet.
In the summer, these deer are extremely cautious, but in snowy winters They approach villages, where they are often attacked by dogs. Pudu deer were previously found in abundance in Chile, Argentina and the Andes. But today only small populations are found in the coastal areas of Chile and on the Island of Chilos. Pudus are in the Red Book.
The fauna of South America has learned to survive in tropical rainstorms, close proximity to people, and in the high Andes. Thanks to the diversity climatic zones South America, a unique fauna has formed here, which people are obliged to preserve and increase.
Instructions
South American rain forests located in the Amazonian lowland. The fauna of this vast region is very diverse. Some, and a wide variety of its representatives, are interesting because they are perfectly adapted to life in trees.
For example, broad-nosed American primates lead an arboreal lifestyle. Some of the most interesting are cybids and marmosets. Main feature Cybid or prehensile-tailed monkeys have a long and strong tail, which serves as the fifth limb in these primates. With their tail, cybids cling to branches when moving in the crowns of trees. Tiny marmosets or clawed marmosets have claws on their toes, thick hair, and tufts on the tips of their ears. The body length of the marmoset monkey is 13-37 cm. At the same time, the length of the tail, which they use as a counterweight when moving, is from 15 to 42 cm. They live in the upper tier of rain forests. They rarely descend to the ground. Omnivorous.
The sloth is an animal found only in South America, another representative of the fauna that prefers life in the crowns of trees. Inactive, spends most of the time in a hanging position. It comes down to the ground extremely rarely. It feeds on leaves and shoots of trees.
Tamandua, or four-toed, is an animal that is mainly nocturnal. Spends most of its time in trees, has long claws and a prehensile tail. They move slowly on the ground. In contrast, the great anteater, also found in the Amazon forests, lives only on the ground.
Some representatives of raccoons and rodents lead an arboreal lifestyle - nosuha, kinkajou or flower bear, koendu or arboreal prehensile-tailed porcupine - as well as certain species of marsupial rats or opossums. The Amazon forests are also home to the largest representative of the rodent family, the copybara capybara, whose body length reaches 120 cm.
And the forests are home to a large number of amphibians and reptiles - the anaconda water boa, the tree dog-headed boa, many poisonous snakes and lizards; reptiles live in rivers. The Orinoco crocodile is the largest South American animal. The body length of some individuals reaches 5 m. But perhaps the most famous river inhabitant is the bloodthirsty predator piranha. Interesting representatives amphibians are tree frogs.
The forests are home to many birds - gocyans, harpies, black-billed herons, sun herons, a large number of parrots, among which the most close-up view- Macaw A typical representative of birds is the hummingbird. One of the species of these birds, hummingbirds, is the smallest bird in the world. In addition, the South American tropical forests are home to a huge number of insects - ants, beetles, butterflies.
In the South American savanna and subtropical steppes there are no such large herbivores as in Africa. Here you can see small Pampas deer, several species of llamas, armadillos, anteaters, and wild peccary pigs. Nutria and swamp beavers live on the banks of reservoirs. In addition to the same predators as in the rain forests, here you can find pumas, cats and pampa foxes, Magellanic foxes, and maned wolves.
In the hard-to-reach mountainous regions of the continent, two types of llamas live - the vicuña and the guanaco - the spectacled bear, and some species of marsupials. The most common bird in the Andes is the condor, the largest bird of prey in the world.
The fauna of the Galapagos Islands is unique. There are many large reptiles here - land turtles, iguanas. Among the birds, there are representatives of both tropical and Antarctic fauna - parrots, cormorants, penguins. Mammals are few in number - seals, some species of rodents, bats.
The continent of South America is located six climatic zones. Tropical and subequatorial zones predominate, the average annual temperature on the mainland is about thirty degrees Celsius, the climate is quite humid. All this contributes to the development of the unique flora and fauna of South America.
The flora and fauna of the South American continent is amazing and diverse
During the Cretaceous period, when the continent of Gondwanaland broke up, South America became an island for some time and a special fauna was formed here, dominated by notoungulates. Notoungulates translated from Latin language - southern ungulates. When the isthmus formed between South and North America, the influx of North American animals led to the partial extinction of the local fauna. Paleontologists called this mixing of the fauna of both Americas the “Great American Interchange.”
Modern South America is home to a large number of animal species:
- Mammals.
- Reptiles.
- Birds.
- Amphibians.
- Insects.
- Fish.
Some representatives of these species exist only in South America.
The fauna of South America contains a wide variety of felines.
The leopard belongs to the big cat family. The leopard is a large and graceful cat. The Leopard's body is light, slim and muscular with a very long tail. The weight of a leopard reaches sixty kilograms, the body length without a tail reaches up to two meters, while the tail reaches a length of up to one hundred and ten centimeters.
The leopard's fur color is yellow with black spots forming a rosette with a yellow core. Each leopard has its own individual arrangement of spots, akin to human fingerprints. Leopard hunting, alone sneaking up on the victim or waiting for her in ambush. Usually hunts antelope, but can use rodents and monkeys as food. May attack livestock. The female carries the cubs for three months and gives birth to two or three kittens; upon reaching two and a half years, the kittens become independent.
Outwardly, the ocelot resembles a leopard, but is much smaller in size, more likely comparable to a leopard cub. The ocelot prefers to live in the tropical jungle. During the day, ocelots prefer to sleep in trees, hiding in hollows, and at night they go out hunting. The ocelot's prey is birds and small mammals, sometimes ocelots catch snakes. They live and hunt alone. The female ocelot carries the cubs for 2.5 months and gives birth to one or two kittens, which feed on their mother’s milk for about seven weeks, and at two years the ocelots will begin an independent life.
Pampas cat.
The Pampas cat, unlike the ocelot, prefers to live on plains and in sparse forests, among bushes, grasses and deserts. This cat is sometimes called the "Grass Cat". In size, this is a relatively large animal, weighing from five to twelve kilograms and a length of about eighty centimeters.
As a rule, it hunts at night. The prey of the Pampas cat is small rodents, large insects and birds. By appearance reminds me of domestic cats quite a dense beast with short legs, dense gray-yellow hair. The cat's color is complemented by brown spots all over its body and brown or red rings on its bushy tail. Sometimes there are cats with a single color.
The Pampas cat bears kittens for two and a half months and gives birth to two or three cubs. The cubs become independent at the age of six months, and mature by two years.
Chilean cat.
The Chilean cat prefers to live in mixed and coniferous forests. This is a small animal the size of a domestic cat. By color these sand colored cats with black spots that merge into dark stripes. This color camouflages a cat well in the forest, which leads to a successful hunt. The Chilean cat hunts small rodents, birds, lizards and insects.
Animals of South America
There are a lot of unusual animals in the flora and fauna of South America.
Alpaca is a cloven-hoofed domestic animal. Alpaca breeding has been practiced since ancient times. They are mainly grown for cutting wool, which is highly valued in the world. Alpaca wool is similar to sheep wool, but lighter. Alpaca wool is used to make clothes, bedspreads, warm blankets and blankets. These are peaceful, friendly animals. They are inquisitive and fearful.
Capybara.
Another name for the capybara is the capybara. The capybara is a rodent, and the largest in the world. The capybara has a large, heavy body, height at the withers is approximately sixty centimeters, and weight can reach up to sixty kilograms. By appearance capybara is very similar on guinea pig, only significantly exceeds it in size. The capybara has hard, shaggy, long fur of a reddish-brown color on its body. The back is darker in color than the light belly. The paws are short with webbed toes and powerful, short claws. The capybara is quite good-natured and phlegmatic. Feeds on plant foods.
Armadillo.
Perhaps the most amazing animal in the world is the armadillo. The entire body of the armadillo is covered with a shell made of hard bone plates. The weight of the armadillo reaches sixty kilograms, the body length is about one meter. They usually live alone, feed on termites and ants. The armadillo's stomach, like its shell, is lined with bone plates, which improves the digestion of food. The female carries the pregnancy from several weeks to several months; the cubs are born sighted and always of the same sex.
The slowest animal on the planet, therefore it fully lives up to its name. It lives mainly in trees and occasionally descends to the ground to perform its natural needs. Since it is easy prey for predators, the main life time spends in the treetops. Swims well. The coat is thick and long, gray-brown in color with a green tint. Outwardly similar to a monkey, the sloth has long limbs and a relatively small head. Sloths feed on plant foods, lizards and insects. They live alone. The female carries the pregnancy for six to twelve months. The weight of an adult can reach nine kilograms and height up to sixty centimeters.
A cheerful, smart and playful monkey. The Capuchin owes its name to the monks of the Capuchin Order, since the color of its coat is surprisingly similar to the colors of the clothes of the monks of this order. Capuchins are small, weigh up to five kilograms and about fifty centimeters tall. These monkeys are very emotional, quickly change their mood and even know how to cry. They feed on fruits and can prey on lizards and insects. Capuchins live in groups, however, capuchins can be kept at home.
Fish and birds of South America
There are a lot of exotic birds in South America, here are some of them:
- Ara parrot.
- Andean condor.
- Frigate and other birds.
Ara parrot.
Red Macaw is the most beautiful bird. It has bright, contrasting plumage. Lives in the tropics wet forests South America. Macaw parrots have a good memory and capable of imitating human speech. They feed on plants and sometimes raid farmers' plantations. They are hunted by Indians. They are caught for their bright feathers and tasty meat. Female parrots lay two to three eggs and incubate them for about a month.
Andean condor.
From the name it is clear that this bird lives in the Andes, comes from the vulture family and feeds on carrion. Is on the verge of destruction.
Frigates are inhabitants of the sky. They spend most of their lives in flight. On land they are clumsy and cannot swim at all, but they fly over bodies of water and feed on fish. The frigate can only take off from trees.
The predatory fish piranha lives in the waters of the Amazon River and other rivers. May be a threat to humans. The body length of a piranha is about thirty centimeters, in rare cases it reaches eighty centimeters. Males have dark blue scales, females dark purple. Piranha loves warm, fresh, plant-rich water. They are always looking for food. They attack fish, animals and even their relatives. The sharp teeth when closed resemble a closed zipper. The piranha itself can be prey for turtles, caimans, snakes and birds.
The plants and animals of South America have great diversity and vibrant colors. Unusual mammals, birds, fish and insects all make up the unique fauna of South America. The favorable climate of this continent supports the breeding of South American animals and a large variety of jungle vegetation.
South America is an amazing continent, full of contrasts and mysteries. Situated on six climatic zones at once, it has a unique and very diverse nature. Thanks to this, the fauna of South America is represented by the most interesting and unusual creatures.
Tropical rainforests
Animals and plants of South America are presented in all their diversity in the natural area equatorial belt- wet tropical forests or selva.
The dense, lush vegetation of the jungle has left its mark on the living creatures that live here. To survive in such conditions, they are all for long years evolved to adapt to an arboreal lifestyle. This is the main one characteristic all animals rain forests not only South America, but also Africa and Asia.
There are a lot of monkeys in the jungle, which are represented by two large families:
- Marmoset monkeys - differ in tiny sizes, the smallest species reach only 15 cm in length. They stay on trees thanks to tenacious limbs with strong claws.
Rice. 1. Marmosets are the smallest monkeys in the world
- Cebids - large monkeys with an unusually well developed tail. In fact, it acts as a fifth limb - it is so effective in moving monkeys through trees. The most prominent representatives the cebid family - howler monkeys, capable of screaming incredibly loudly, as well as spider monkeys with very long, strong limbs.
But not only monkeys are great at climbing trees. In the middle and upper tiers of the equatorial jungle you can find sloths slowly moving from tree to tree. They feed on leaves and rarely descend to the ground.
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Even some anteaters are able to climb and move along a tree trunk. A very strong, prehensile tail helps them in this.
Small predators of the cat family also live in the jungle: jaguarundis, ocelots, jaguars. A rare, poorly studied bush dog is also found in forests.
However, the classes of reptiles, amphibians and insects are the most diverse and numerous in the jungle. Only here lives the largest snake in the world - the anaconda, bright and often deadly poisonous tree frogs, incredibly large butterflies with a wingspan of 30 cm.
Rice. 2. Tree frog
Wet forests are home to a myriad of birds, among which the most notable are different kinds parrots and tiny hummingbirds.
Steppes, savannas and woodlands
Animals of South America that live in drier and treeless areas natural areas continent, adapted to life in open spaces.
Local predators are represented by the fleet-footed puma, the agile ocelot, the hardy maned wolf, and the Magellanic fox.
In the savannahs and steppes there are armadillos - amazing creatures that have inhabited our planet since time immemorial. Their features include a body covered with a durable shell. They are nocturnal and solitary, rarely forming pairs or small groups.
Common ungulates include Pampas deer, llamas, and peccary pigs. The steppes and savannas are home to many different rodents, lizards, and snakes.
A distinctive feature of the landscape of these natural areas is the large number of termite mounds. Termites, which are popularly called “white ants,” are capable of building huge nests several meters high, between which there is excellent communication through underground passages and tunnels.
Rice. 3. Termite mounds
Andes
The flora and fauna of the Andes has its own distinctive features. The mountains of South America are home to many endemic animals that have never crossed the border of their native natural zone.
Two species of wild llamas live here: vigon and guanaco. Once upon a time, local residents hunted them for their tasty meat and excellent wool. However, now wild llamas in nature are very rare.
Only in the Andes can you find spectacled bears and wild chinchillas, whose fur is considered one of the most expensive in the world. The mountains are home to a large bird of prey - the condor, whose wingspan reaches 3 m.
What have we learned?
We learned what animals live in South America, what their characteristics. We found out who lives in various natural areas of the mainland, as well as a description of the unique features of living creatures that were able to adapt to the conditions environment. The topic discussed is of great interest not only for high school students, but also for 4th grade students.
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