Humanity still has a truly unique corner of the earth, located on the continent called South America. Although the enclave itself raises concerns about the future exclusivity of the enclave a natural phenomenon, which formed a special flora and fauna, and human activity, which makes its own adjustments to the environment.

Animals and plants South America are constantly in a struggle for survival, adapting to an ambiguous climate. The continent is under the constant influence of tropical rainstorms, highlands, savannahs, subequatorial forests, dramatic elevation changes and human progress. It is quite possible that all this variety of climatic zones of the southern part of the New World predetermined the uniqueness of natural world, which must be preserved and increased.

Interference with human nature

However, a recent example of human intervention in the world of nature, which did not bypass even an inhospitable place remote from civilization in the Atacama Desert (northern Chile), where the largest ground-based observatory arose, is indicative. Any traveler, once within sight of this oasis of human progress, can confuse reality with fiction, since such a fantastic landscape no longer exists on earth.

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South America - the territory of contradictions

The territory of the controversial continent, which occupies the fourth place in terms of area on the globe, literally crammed with contrasting natural areas. Indeed, through the countries of Uruguay and Argentina, where the livestock-breeding way of life, the hot steppe of the Pampas stretches. But on the island of Tierra del Fuego, which is under the partial jurisdiction of Chile and Argentina, mostly cold weather prevails with constant storm winds from the Atlantic. Quite a different matter is the west, where there are fertile valleys with a cool climate that arose in the Andean mountain system. The presence on the continent of the most sultry place on the Earth (Atacama Desert) and at the same time the functioning of one of the deepest river basins in the world (Amazon) with impenetrable jungle adds to the picture of contrast.

Fauna of South America

A reasonable question arises: "What animals in South America could have appeared and survived, given such a natural habitat?". First of all, animals of the humid forest tropics and sparse forests, savannahs and, of course, the inhabitants of the real mountain kingdom of the Andes are as inimitable and diverse as the very nature of the southern part of America.

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It makes no sense to consider the animal world of the southern half of the American mainland separately from the longest - about 9000 km - mountains of the Earth. The Andes spread their presence widely in various climatic zones in South America, covering six belts. The vertical division of the mountain range has identified three zones (terra elada, terra fria and terra calente), which are strictly demarcated, and regardless of the climate. Unique nature The Andes allowed mankind to acquire new crops and plant species. Potato tubers, tomatoes, tobacco leaves, cinchona have become valuable and indispensable representatives of the flora of the whole Earth.

Animals living in South America, for the most part, came from the Andes themselves or the surroundings of the mountain range. Here you can meet a large number of(up to 600) species of mammals and even more (900) varieties of amphibians. The nature of the Andes painted many insects with bright colors, especially highlighting the population of butterflies, and among the ants tried to create unique specimens of large individuals. The bird colonies in the Andes include 1,700 species and deserve special attention. In the dense thickets of plants, a constant numerous bird hubbub is heard. The colorful parrots and tiny hummingbirds have a special presence in the Andes.

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Condor is an animal symbol of South America

But the main animal of South America, belonging to the bird kingdom, is the condor, which has not taken an honorable place in the International Red Book. Mainly thanks to man, the condor became an endangered species, as it was considered a dangerous predator, and its habitats were reduced to two relatively small areas of the Andes. Nevertheless, he was awarded the honorary attention of a person, becoming national symbol several states of South America at once - Ecuador, Chile, Peru, Bolivia, Argentina, and the Colombian authorities depicted a condor on the country's national emblem. IN Lately programs began to appear to protect the real cultural heritage of many Andean peoples.

The condor is one of the largest flying birds in the world. and has a rare graceful coloring, and males are often much smaller than females. Among the feathered inhabitants of the planet, the condor rightfully belongs to the centenarians, able to overcome the age threshold of fifty years.

Instruction

South American rainforests are located in the Amazonian lowlands. The fauna of this vast region is very diverse. Some, and its most diverse representatives, are interesting in that they have perfectly adapted to life on trees.

For example, broad-nosed American primates lead an arboreal lifestyle. Some of the most interesting are cybids and marmosets. The main feature of cybids or chain-tailed monkeys is a long and strong tail, which in these primates acts as a fifth limb. With their tail, cybids cling to branches when moving in the crowns of trees. Tiny marmosets or claws have claws on their fingers, thick hair and tassels at 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 come down to the ground. Omnivorous.

The sloth is an animal that lives 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 rarely descends to the ground. Feeds on leaves and shoots of trees.

Tamandua, or four-toed, is an animal that leads mainly a nocturnal lifestyle. It spends most of its time in trees, has long claws and a prehensile tail. On the ground they move slowly. In contrast, a large anteater, also living in the Amazonian forests, lives only on earth.

The arboreal way of life is led by some representatives of raccoons and rodents - nosoha, kinkajou or flower bear, coendu or tree chain-tailed porcupine - as well as certain species of marsupial rats or opossums. The largest representative of the rodent family, the capybara capybara, also lives in the Amazon forests, the body length of which reaches 120 cm.

And the forests are inhabited by a large number of amphibians and reptiles - the anaconda water boa, the tree dog-headed boa, many poisonous snakes and lizards, reptiles live in the rivers. The Orinoco crocodile is the largest South American animal. The body length of individual individuals reaches 5 m. But perhaps the most famous river dweller is the bloodthirsty predator piranha. Interesting representatives of amphibians are tree frogs.

A lot of birds live in the forests - hotians, harpies, black-billed herons, sun herons, a large number of parrots, among which the largest species is the macaw. A characteristic representative of birds is the hummingbird. One of the species of these birds, the hummingbird, is the smallest bird in the world. In addition, the South American rainforests are home to a huge number of insects - ants, beetles, butterflies.

In the South American savannah and subtropical steppes, there are no such large herbivores as in Africa. Here you can see small pampas deer, several types of llamas, armadillos, anteaters, wild pigs-peccaries. Coypu and marsh beavers live on the banks of reservoirs. In addition to the same predators as in the rain forests, here you can find cougars, cats and pampa foxes, Magellanic foxes, maned wolves.

In remote mountainous regions of the continent, 2 species of llamas live - vicuña and guanaco - a spectacled bear, some species of marsupials. Of the birds in the Andes, the condor is ubiquitous - the largest bird of prey in the world.

The fauna of the Galapagos Islands is peculiar. 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 not numerous - seals, some species of rodents, bats.

Ministry of Education of Ukraine

on the theme "Animals of South America"

Performed:

7th grade student

Shostak A.I.

Checked:

Donetsk 2004

PLANTS AND ANIMALS The natural world of South America is one of the richest on the planet. At least 44,000 can be found in the Amazon Basin different types plants, 2.500 species river fish and 1,500 species of birds. In the jungle there are huge sciences that feed on birds, and mammals such as armadillos and sloths. The rivers of South America are home to sea cows, freshwater dolphins, giant catfish and electric eels. Thousands of species of forest insects have not yet been studied.
Alnacas and vicuñas from the camelid family are found in the Andes. The steppes of Pamna are inhabited by a large running nandu bird, or the American ostrich. In colder areas on the southern fringes of the continent, penguins and seals are common. In the Galapagos Islands, which lie in pacific ocean west of the coast of Ecuador, there are such rare representatives of the animal world as the famous giant tortoises.
Fertile soils nourish the rich vegetable world continent. South America is the birthplace of prickly araucaria, rubber, potatoes and many domestic plants (for example, monstera).
The nature of South America is under threat of destruction. As people cut down forests, many species of forest animals and priceless plants that have not adapted to new living conditions disappear without a trace.

TAPIRLAIN
(Tapirus terrestris)

Mammals / Artiodactyls / Tapirs / Tapirs
Mammalia / Perissodactyla / Tapiridae / Tapirus terrestris

· The species TAPIR PLAIN is listed in the International Red Book

THE PLAIN TAPIR (Tapirus terrestris) is the best known and most widely distributed of other tapir species. He is relatively small in stature, his body length is about 2 m, the height at the withers is about 1 m, and his weight is 200 kg. Dark brown short hair covers the entire body. Starting between the ears, a standing stiff mane stretches along the entire neck. The plain tapir lives in the forests of South America, from the Amazon basin to Paraguay and Northern Argentina. The tapir is a solitary, cautious inhabitant of the rainforest. He avoids open spaces, but is very attached to water. Where he is not disturbed, the tapir feeds at any time of the day, except for the hot midday hours, which he spends in the water. Bathing tapirs are easy to find along the trails and a lot of droppings on the shore and shallow water. In the water, tapirs not only escape the heat, but also get rid of blood-sucking arthropods. They walk along the same paths, which are laid in dense thickets in the form of tunnels, more often along rivers and streams. Along these paths, a mass of ticks and ground leeches accumulate on foliage and grass, lying in wait for the victim, so a person should not use these paths. Fleeing from the attack, the tapir (and its main enemy is the jaguar) abandons the path, breaks through dense thorny bushes with extraordinary speed. The plain tapir feeds on young leaves of shrubs and trees, marsh, water and meadow grasses, as well as fruits and fruits, grabbing the leaves with a moving trunk. If the tapir cannot get a tasty branch, he stands on his hind legs, leaning on the trunk with his front legs. The tapir's trunk is unusually mobile; he is constantly stretching and retracting, feeling all objects. The tip of the trunk with a snout similar to a button is equipped with sensitive hard hair - vibrissae - and serves as an organ of touch. Like all forest animals, the tapir has a good sense of smell and hearing, but poor eyesight. Near human settlements, tapir raids fields and plantations of corn, sugar cane, mango, cocoa. Females become sexually mature at the 3-4th year of life; males, probably a year later. The sexual cycle occurs every 50-60 days throughout the year, and the cub (always one) can be born in any month. Pregnancy lasts 390-400 days, and the female brings offspring, on average every 15 months. Animals are usually excited before mating; the male, looking for a female, makes a short coughing sound or a sharp drawn-out whistle. Like all tapirs, the striped-spotted cub walks with its mother for a long time. He suckles his mother when she lies on her side like a piglet and sleeps lying next to her mother. She does not let the cub go far from her, calling him as soon as he runs two or three steps to the side. With age, the young tapir becomes very mobile, runs around the mother, jumps, shakes his head. Locals hunt the lowland tapir for meat and skin. In case of danger, tapirs try to hide in the water, where the natives catch up with them in boats and, as soon as the animals emerge, kill them with spears or knives. In the villages one can often see tapir cubs taken from dead mothers. They quickly become tame, take a pacifier with milk, and at the age of a few weeks they eat boiled vegetables and porridge well. Later, tapirs feed on leaves and grass, and are especially fond of leaves and young ears of corn. Village kids ride hand tapirs on horseback. It is said that the colonists in the last century successfully plowed by harnessing hand tapirs to the plow. In captivity, tapirs have lived up to 30 years.

JAGUAR
(Panthera onca)

Mammals / Carnivores / Felines / JAGUAR
Mammalia / Carnivora / Felidae / Panthera onca

· The Jaguar species is listed in the International Red Book

JAGUAR (Panthera onca) is a representative of a group of large cats in the fauna of North and South America. It is somewhat larger than a leopard: the body is 150-180 cm, the tail is 70-91 cm, and the weight is 68-136 kg. The body of the jaguar is more stocky, massive, the tail and legs are relatively shorter than those of the leopard, and it looks more like a tiger. The jaguar is distributed throughout almost all of South and Central America and in the south of North America. For him, dense tropical forests are most characteristic, to a lesser extent - arid thickets of shrubs. Sometimes jaguars appear even in the pampas. They lead a wandering life and often overcome wide rivers, as they swim excellently, and most importantly, willingly. Jaguars prey on deer, peccaries, agoutis, and capybaras. He attacks large tapirs when they come to drink, kidnaps dogs and livestock, catches alligators, turtles, fish, and small animals. Jaguars breed all year round. Pregnancy lasts 100 - 110 days. There are up to 4 cubs in a brood. They grow quickly, but reach sexual maturity at three years.

armadillo white-bristled
(Euphractus sexcinctus)

Mammals / Teethless / Armadillos / ARMADRATE
Mammalia / Edentata / Dasypodidae / Euphractus sexcinctus

BATTLESHEETS (Euphractus sexcinctus) is distributed farthest to the north from Central Argentina to the lower reaches of the Amazon; the second inhabits Northern and Central Argertina. The white-bristle, in addition to the color of the bristles, is distinguished by a slightly larger size (its body length is 40-50 cm, tail -20-25 cm, weight - 3.5-4.5 kg) and relatively poorly developed bristly cover. These armadillos, called peludos (hairy) in Argentina, are best known because they dig numerous temporary burrows in the savannah and often emerge from their burrows during the day, even in bright sunshine. If the ground is soft and there is no hole nearby, then in case of danger, the peludos quickly burrows in front of the pursuer. The course of an ordinary burrow does not exceed 2 m and ends with a chamber. In addition, there are many small burrows or, more precisely, deep ridges dug by the animal in search of food. Because of its burrows, peludos are a “thorn in the eye” for local gauchos (riders), as horses often fall into its burrows and break their legs. In addition, armadillos spoil crops by digging holes. In some areas, there are even bonuses for the destruction of peludos, and hunters kill hundreds of these animals in a few days. They hunt them by moonlight with dogs and kill them with a stick or fill their holes with water. Bristly armadillos feed on insects, worms and other invertebrates, as well as carrion. At the corpse of an animal, you can meet several animals at the same time, usually living alone. They breed twice a year. Pregnancy lasts 62-74 days. They usually bring two cubs, which the female feeds in a hole for a month.

CAIMAN CROCODILE
(Caiman crocodilus)

Reptiles or Reptiles / Crocodiles / Alligators / CAIMAN CROCODILE
Reptilia / Crocodylia / Alligatoridae / Caiman crocodilus

CAIMAN CROCODILU (Caiman crocodilus) has a relatively long muzzle narrowed in front. In adults, to accommodate large - the first and fourth - teeth of the lower jaw (in the premaxillary bone in front of the nostrils and in the area of ​​​​the seam between the premaxillary and maxillary bones), through holes are formed. Often, on one or both sides of the skull, the outer wall of the hole at the suture of the premaxillary and maxillary bones is destroyed, forming not pits, but cuts in the edges of the upper jaw to accommodate the fourth teeth of the lower. This gives the skull an appearance common to the skulls of real crocodiles, which led to the specific name of this species. In length, animals reach 2.4-2.6 m. The crocodile caiman is common in Central and South America: from Chiapas in the north to the mouth of Parana in the south, in Mexico, countries Central America, Venezuela, Guiana, Colombia, Brazil, Bolivia, Paraguay, Argentina. On this vast territory, the caiman forms 3-5 subspecies. TO brackish water is tolerant, which allowed him to settle from the continent of America to some islands close to the mainland: Trinidad, the small islands of Gorgon and Gorgonilla off the western coast of Colombia. Crocodile caimans were sometimes found in the sea near the coast. An important role in the distribution of these animals is played by floating islands formed from water hyacinths (Eichhornia) and other plants, sometimes reaching significant sizes (over 900 m²) and often floating downstream. These floating islands ("mats") provide shelter for young caimans and can carry them over long distances and into the open sea. Animals prefer calm waters and are more common in swamps and small rivers. Juveniles feed mainly on aquatic insects. Adults attack any prey they can handle. The main food consists of large water snails, freshwater crabs and fish. They reproduce during all year round, but especially intense from January to March (Colombia). For laying eggs, females build nests from rotting plants among thickets near water. The clutch consists of 15-30 eggs. Adult males occupy a certain territory and fight with males that have violated the boundaries of individual sites. The number of crocodile caimans is now greatly reduced due to intensive hunting for their skin.

Dwarf marmoset
(Cebuella pygmaea)

Mammals / Primates / Marmosets / Pygmy Marmoset
Mammalia / Primates / Callitrichidae / Cebuella pygmaea

Dwarf marmoset (Cebuella pygmaea) lives in the upper reaches of the Amazon River - from the western bank of the Purus River to the foot of the Andes, it is also found on the banks of the Putumayo River in Colombia. Their fur is thick, brownish, with yellowish and greenish marks on the hair, the lower parts of the body are whitish, the tail has indistinct stripes. The face is covered. The ears are small, naked and hidden in a thick mantle. They sleep in the hollows of trees. They feed on insects, fruits, small birds and their eggs. They are difficult to observe in the wild. At the slightest approach of danger, they instantly hide in the thick of foliage. Judging by the observations, in captivity, pygmy marmosets give birth to two cubs, which stay on the body of their father for up to 6 weeks. From 8 weeks they gradually become independent and independently look for their own food. By 24 weeks they reach the size of adults.

ANACONDA
(Eunectes murinus)

Reptiles/Reptiles / Scaled / Snake-footed / ANACONDA
Reptilia / Squamata / Boidae / Eunectes murinus

ANACONDA (Eunectes murinus) the world's largest snake - inhabits the entire tropical South America east of the Cordillera and the island of Trinidad. The average size of an adult anaconda is 5-6 m, but occasionally there are individuals up to 10 m long. A unique, authentically measured specimen from Eastern Colombia reached 11 m 43 cm (we mention, however, that this specimen could not be preserved). The main color of the body of the anaconda is grayish-green with large dark brown spots of a rounded or oblong shape, alternating in a checkerboard pattern. On the sides of the body there is a row of small light spots surrounded by a black stripe. This coloring perfectly hides the anaconda when it lurks, lying in a quiet backwater, where brown leaves and tufts of algae float on gray-green water. Anaconda's favorite places are low-flowing branches and backwaters, oxbow lakes and lakes, swampy lowlands in the Amazon and Orinoco river basins. In such secluded corners, the anaconda, lying in the water, guards its prey of various mammals that come to the watering place (agouti, paca, peccaries), waterfowl, sometimes turtles and young caimans. Domestic pigs, dogs, chickens, ducks also fall prey to the anaconda when they approach the water. Anaconda often crawls ashore and takes sunbaths, but does not move far from the water. She swims well, dives and can stay under water for a long time, while her nostrils are closed with special valves. When the reservoir dries up, the anaconda moves to the neighboring ones or goes downstream the river. During the dry period, which may occur in some areas, the anaconda burrows into the bottom silt and falls into a stupor, in which it remains until the rains resume. The process of molting at the anaconda also often takes place under water: in captivity, it was necessary to observe how the snake, having plunged into the pool, rubs its belly against its bottom and gradually pulls the crawl out from itself. Anaconda is ovoviviparous, and the female brings from 28 to 42 cubs 50-80 cm long, but occasionally she can lay eggs. They do not live long in captivity - 5-6 years, the maximum life expectancy in captivity is 28 years. Rabbits are the main food for anacondas. Guinea pigs, rats, but she also eats various reptiles, fish and sometimes swallows snakes. Once a 5-meter anaconda strangled and ate a 2.5-meter dark python, which took her only 45 minutes. Contrary to the numerous "terrible" stories of "eyewitnesses", the anaconda cannot be considered dangerous for an adult. Single attacks on people are made by the anaconda, apparently by mistake, when the snake sees only part of the human body under water, or if it seems to her that they want to attack her or take away her prey. Only the case of the death of a thirteen-year-old boy swallowed by an anaconda, cited by R. Blomberg, is quite reliable. Local hunters, as a rule, are not afraid of the anaconda and kill it whenever possible. A number of myths and superstitions that exist among Indian tribes are associated with this snake.

HUMMINGBRI-SAPFO
(Sappho sparganura)

Birds / Long-winged / Hummingbird / Hummingbird-Sappho
Aves / Macrochires / Trochilidae / Sappho sparganura

Hummingbird Sappho (Sappho sparganura) is native to southern Bolivia and northwestern Argentina. It adheres to the dry, open landscape of the foothills and high plateaus of the Bolivian Andes. The head and front of her body are brilliant green, her back is purple-violet, her long forked tail is red with black tips on each feather. When a bird flies up with great ease, its "burning" tail gives the impression of a comet's trail. Due to excessive persecution, this bird has now become very rare.

CONDOR
(Vultur gryphus)

Birds / Birds of prey diurnal / American vultures / CONDOR
Aves / Falconiformes / Cathartidae / Vultur gryphus

· The species CONDOR is listed in the International Red Book

CONDOR (Vultur gryphus) is a huge bird: the length of the male is about 1.15 m, the wingspan is up to 2.75 m. The female condor is somewhat smaller. The color of adult condor birds is black with a white collar of leaf-shaped feathers. Secondary feathers with wide white edges, humerals white with black bases. The bare skin of the head and throat is blackish-gray, the neck and goiter are red. The legs of the condor are dark grey. The rainbow is red. The beak is black with a yellow tip. Males have a comb on the cere (females do not have it). Young condors are brown in color, their heads are covered with down. The condor is distributed in South America from Venezuela and Colombia to the southern tip of the mainland (Patagonia, Tierra del Fuego) and the Falkland Islands. In the northern part of the breeding range, the condor inhabits a high belt of mountains at an altitude of 3000-5000 m, sometimes flies even higher (in Chimborazo it was noted at an altitude of more than 7000 m). In the southern part of the nesting area, the condor is found both in the foothills and on the plains. During nesting time, the condor keeps in separate pairs, at other times of the year it leads a flock of life. The condor nests on the rocks, sometimes arranging a small litter of twigs. There are 2 eggs in the clutch. The female incubates for 54-55 days. The development of young condors is slow, they apparently reach sexual maturity (full dress) only at the age of six. Condor feeds mainly on carrion, decomposed to varying degrees. Occasionally, condors also attack live animals (newborn or weakened vigonians, calves and lambs).

VICUNA
(Lama vicugna)

Mammals / Calluses / Camelids / VICUNA
Mammalia / Tylopoda / Camelidae / Lama vicugna

· The VICUNA species is listed in the International Red Book

Vicuña (Lama vicugna) is a species of wild llamas. It is smaller than a guanaco: body length 125-190 food, height - 70-110 cm and weight - 40-50 kg. Her head is shorter, but her ears are longer. The coat is brighter, reddish; it is longer than that of the guanaco; it forms a dewlap 20-35 cm long on the neck and chest. The chestnuts on the legs are hidden by hair. The border between dark and light coat color is not pronounced. Vicuna is common only in the Andean highlands. Like the guanaco, it keeps in family herds of 5-15 females with young ones, led by an adult male. Single males form temporary, easily disintegrating groups of 20-30 animals. The rut of the vicuña is from April to June. Pregnancy lasts 10-11 months. Previously, the Incas annually drove a large number of vicunas into corrals, sheared their wool and then released them into the wild. Now the Indians also sometimes drive a herd of vicunas into pens near rocky cliffs, shear them and release them, but the number of vicunas has drastically decreased, and such cases are now rare. At a research farm in Cusco, Peru, at an altitude of 4,000 meters above sea level, work is underway to domesticate and breed vicuñas. Currently, no more than 5,000 vicuñas have survived in Peru, and about 1,000 heads in Bolivia, and this species is under protection. All types of wild and domestic humpless camels live well in zoos up to 20-25 years old, breed and produce fertile hybrids. The vicuña is more difficult to keep than others and rarely crosses with other forms.

Sloth family
(Bradypodidae)

Mammals / Teeth / Sloths /
Mammalia / Edentata / Bradypodidae /

Sloth family (Bradypodidae) Sloths are purely arboreal animals that feed on leaves and spend their entire lives in trees in a suspended position with their backs down. In this regard, 3 fingers on the hind and 2 or 3 fingers on the front paws, together with powerful curved claws, form, as it were, hooks with which animals hang or move slowly. Unlike all other animals, their hair has a pile directed not to the belly, but to the ridge, so that rainwater easily rolls off the body. The only way these harmless animals protect themselves is to go unnoticed, which is the reason for their extreme slowness. Among the foliage of trees in the rain tropical forest these animals are indeed quite invisible, aided by the greenish hue of their long coarse coat. This green coloration of gray-brown wool depends on blue-green microscopic algae (Trichophilus and Cyanoderma) that settle in the longitudinal and transverse grooves of sloths' hair. On the body of these animals, another cohabitant spends almost all his life - a special kind of moth butterfly, which lays its eggs in the sloth's fur.

The internal organs of the sloth, due to the constant position of the animal with its back down, are also located unusually for mammals. The liver is turned to the back, covered by the stomach and does not come into contact with the abdominal wall; the spleen and pancreas do not lie on the left, but on the right. The bladder is very large and almost touches the diaphragm, the trachea makes two bends, etc. Sloths feed on leaves, young shoots, flowers and fruits of trees, which they cut off with hard lips covered with keratinized skin. In exceptional cases, when there is no food, sloths move to neighboring trees along the ground. But on earth they are completely helpless. Lying with their limbs stretched out to the sides, they look for something to catch on with their claws, and move several meters with difficulty.

Sloths sleep for 15 hours a day, sometimes gathering several animals together in a fork of branches, and then they surprisingly resemble an armful of hay. Their breathing and blood circulation are very slow, and the body temperature can drop to 24-33 °. They defecate very rarely, about once a week, usually after rain, and for this they go down to the base of the tree in a group. Sloths are resistant to hunger and suffer such injuries from which other animals die. Although heavily hunted for their lamb-like meat, their skins for saddles, and their curved claws for necklaces, sloths have survived in many areas of South and Central America where other mammals have long been extirpated. .

South America… Plants and animals of this region have attracted increased attention for centuries. It is here that a huge number of unique animals live, and the flora is represented by truly unusual plants. Hardly in modern world you can meet a person who would not agree to visit this continent at least once in his life.

General geographical description

In fact, the continent called South America is huge. Plants and animals are also diverse here, however, according to experts, all of them are largely due to the geographical location and features of the formation of the earth's surface.

The continent is washed on both sides by the waters of the Pacific and Atlantic oceans. The main part of its territory is located in southern hemisphere planets. The connection of the mainland with North America occurred in the Pliocene era during the formation of the Isthmus of Panama.

The Andes are a seismically active mountain system that stretches along the western border of the continent. To the east of the ridge flows the largest and almost the entire area is covered by South America.

Among other continents, this occupies the 4th place in terms of area and the 5th place in terms of population. There are two versions of the appearance of people in this territory. Perhaps the settlement occurred through the Bering Isthmus, or the first people came from the South Pacific.

Unusual features of the local climate

South America is the wettest continent on the planet with six climatic zones. In the north there is a subequatorial belt, and in the south there are belts of subequatorial, tropical, subtropical and temperate climate. The northwest coast and lowlands of the Amazon have high humidity and an equatorial climate.

Jaguarundi

This small feline predator resembles a weasel or a cat. Jaguarundi has a long body (about 60 cm) with short legs, a small round head with triangular ears. The height at the withers reaches 30 cm, weight - up to 9 kg.

Wool of uniform color of gray, red or reddish-brown colors, not representing commercial value. Found in forests, savannahs or wetlands.

Feeds on insects, small animals and fruits. The jaguarundi lives and hunts alone, meets with other individuals only for breeding.

Here it is, unusual, amazing, alluring and bewitching South America, whose plants and animals are especially popular not only among scientists who connect their lives with the study of the continent, but also among curious tourists who seek to discover something new.

Endemics of South America Pampa (steppe) SELVA patagonia Savannah and woodlands (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 maintains loading to 50 kg.
• Flower diameter 40 cm.
• The color of the petals varies from white to purple-dark.

VICTORIA AMAZONIAN

• Evergreen tree height 6-16 m.
• Forms thickets, which are now significantly exterminated.
• A tonic drink, mate, is prepared from leaves and young shoots.

PARAGUAN TEA (MATE)

Masdevalia Veycha

Masdevalia crimson

Dracula vampire

cinchona tree hevea tree MONKEY TOY weight - 50-70g and up to 30 cm in length.

• The slowest mammal
• Sleeps, hanging on a branch upside down.
• On the limbs are sickle-shaped claws.
• Can go a long time without food

Lives in the Amazon rainforest

• Lives in the Amazon rainforest
• Up to two meters long.
• It has a shell of horny shields.
• Feeds on carrion.

BATTLESHIP GIANT

The largest rodent on earth

CAPIBARA

Distribution area

Water boa, the largest snake on Earth. Reaches a length of 10-11 m

ANACONDA

BLACK CAIMAN

Distribution area

Morfida Elena

Endemic upper river. Amazons (Peru).

Sailboat Orellana

Endemic upper river. Amazons (Peru). The species was named by the English naturalist Hewitson in honor of the Spanish conquistador Orellana.

Sardanapalus

Rare endemic of the middle Amazon. Named by the famous English naturalist Henry Bates in honor of the last Assyrian king Sardanapal.

AMAZON BUTTERFLIES

hummingbird

• The smallest bird on Earth, slightly larger than a bumblebee.
• Makes 500 swings per minute (like an insect).
• Doesn't sit on a flower.

• Almost does not fly, most of the time keeps on the trees.
• chicks have two fingers at the ends of the wings.
• It feeds on leaves and fruits like a ruminant.
• National bird of Guyana

Distribution area

Reflection

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D / Z P. 34 retelling, designate PZ on a contour map. Know the software name.

FOR ATTENTION!

ENDEMICS OF SOUTH AMERICA.

2. Like Australia, South America stands out among the continents with the originality of the 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 acquainted with some of them.

3. Amazonian Victoria is common in the river basin. The Amazon in Brazil and Bolivia is also found in the rivers of Guyana that flow into the Caribbean Sea.

The locals called this aquatic plant "apona", which in their language means "frying pan for birds." Yes, this flower is indeed somewhat reminiscent of this kitchen utensil.

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 water lily Victoria - regia was listed in the Guinness Book of Records as "the largest flowering plant on the ground".

The underside of the leaf is completely covered with sharp and long spines that protect the leaf from herbivorous fish and other aquatic animals. The underside of a Victoria amazonian leaf is dark purple or brownish red.

The plant has small holes through which all excess moisture leaves the leaf surface. Victoria herself has long cord-like roots.

Its flower is placed 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 petals of a pale white color. The next day they already have a soft pink hue, and on their last evening the flower becomes dark crimson or purple. After that, he falls under the water and does not appear again. Under water, a large fruit begins to form, containing small black seeds. Local Indians use them to prepare a very unusual dish that tastes like roasted corn.

4. Paraguayan tea - evergreen tree height 6-16 m. In the wild, distributed in South America between 12 and 33 ° south latitude at an altitude of 500-900 m above sea level, forms thickets, which are now significantly exterminated. From leaves and young shoots Paraguayan tea they prepare a tonic drink - mate, for which it is cultivated.

To prepare the drink, ground mate leaves are poured with hot water. Drinking mate turns into a very solemn ritual.

Paraguayan tea is poured as follows: in a special round cup made of a small thin-walled gourd, beautifully painted, yerba powder is poured, boiling water is poured and a silver tube (bombije) with a spatula-shaped strainer is inserted (widened ending with small holes through which the powder does not penetrate) . The drink is ready, it is not mixed with a straw, the yerba floats in boiling water in the form of a thick green slurry. Mate is not drunk in sips, but sucked with pleasure. There is a custom to drink a drink in turn. The gourd cup goes around in circles until someone thanks the owner. It is recommended to drink slowly, but not more than a minute (squeeze 2-3 sips of a hot drink, such is politeness).

The effect of Paraguayan tea on the body is much more beneficial than that of Chinese tea. About half of the caffeine in yerba is in a bound state, resulting in a mild effect; the use of 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 peace of mind and vitality. According to others, this is the greatest evil, bad habit, a waste of time, a breeding ground for diseases (note that a silver drinking straw is recommended).

5. For forests in river valleys flooded on a short time also characteristic is a significant number of vines and epiphytic plants, among which the most beautiful are orchids with their bizarre, diverse and brightly colored flowers.

2. The very rich and peculiar 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, "tenacious 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 edentulous order, 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-ashy hair, directed from the belly to the back, humid air algae settle in the gilea, giving the animals a greenish color. Sloths feed on leaves and fruits, moving extremely slowly from branch to branch and for a long time, doing without food at all.

7. Another representative of the edentulous is also terrestrial - a giant armadillo, reaching a length with a tail of almost two meters. Usually these only on Earth owners of a bone shell prefer open spaces, but the giant armadillo lives precisely in the thicket of the Amazonian hyla.

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, on the banks of flowing reservoirs. At the first sign of danger, the animal immediately dives under the water. It can stay there for about a minute. It is found in the northern regions of South America, mainly in the Amazon and the Andes.

9. A living creature, intending to hide from the persecution of predators in the water, expects unpleasant encounters with an anaconda.

10. Among the trunks carried by the Amazonian rivers, it is not always possible to quickly distinguish the backs of caimans, characteristic only of South America, or alligators.

11. Perhaps more dangerous than crocodiles is a small (up to 30-40 cm) fish - piranha (or piranha). A flock of these voracious toothy fish is capable of dissecting any body (including a person) to a skeleton in a very short time just as well as an anatomist.

12. The fauna of reptiles, fish and insects is diverse.

And there are a lot of birds here. No wonder South America is called the "bird continent". About a quarter of all bird species known to us live here. Half of the local bird species are endemic. These are nandu, hoatzin, toucans, hummingbirds, parrots, etc.

13. Hummingbirds - "living semi-precious stones" (or "flying jewels") weighing 2-3 g - hummingbirds are just some of the representatives of the exceptionally diverse birds of the Amazon. Hummingbirds live only in the New World, with the vast majority of species - 233 - living in the tropical parts of South and Central America.

Buffon describes these birds as follows: “Of all living creatures, the hummingbird is the most beautiful in shape, the most magnificent in color. Precious stones and metals, which are artificially given their brilliance, cannot be compared with these living jewels. These little birds are exemplary work nature. She showered him with all the gifts that she gave to other birds separately. Ease, 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 in their entire aerial life they do not even 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 forever renewed, and those species of this family that penetrate the temperate zone in summer stay there only a short time. It seems as if they follow the sun in its forward and backward motion and on the wings of a marshmallow they march in a retinue of eternal spring.

Hummingbirds are the smallest of the birds. Most large species no bigger than a sparrow, the smallest ones 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 a duller greenish or brownish plumage. Only females build a 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. Clutch 2 or, in small species, 1 egg.

The flight of a hummingbird is fast, maneuverable, they can long time tremble in place near the flower like a hawk moth, while a peculiar buzzing is heard.

Most species live in open light places in the middle of the forest, along the edges, thickets of shrubs and in meadows, up to alpine ones, they are less common in steppes and semi-deserts.

A number of species are associated with certain plants on whose flowers they feed, and their distribution is limited. There are species that are found only on one mountain (for example, the Chimboras hummingbird, which lives only on Mount Chimborazo at an altitude of 4500 - 5000 m).

14. Of particular interest are rare hoatzins; their featherless chicks deftly climb the trunks, recreating the image of Archeopteryx. Hoatzins almost do not fly, most of the time they stay in trees and rarely descend to the ground.

Vegetable food: eats leaves and fruits, which it digests with the help of fermentation, like ruminants. From this, hoatzin has an unusually nasty, unpleasant, manure smell. Hoatzin meat has a sharp, musty smell, is inedible and is never eaten even by the natives. European settlers called, therefore, the hoatzin "stink bird". The word "hoatzin" is borrowed from the language of the Aztecs. 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 giant
Imperial tamarin
capybara
pygmy marmoset
brown-breasted myrmothera
cat otter
Geoffroy's cat
Bald uakari
Mary (rodents)
Mirikin
leaf cutter ants
ordinary coat
pampas cat
Striped possum
Securan fox
Tsenolestovye
Chilean cat
Chiloes opossum
Chinchillas
Extoxycon
South American fur seal

Animal life of the Andes

The animals of South America are striking in their diversity, as are its landscapes.

The Andes are the longest mountains on the planet, they are about 9 thousand kilometers long. These mountains are located in different zones: in the temperate, two subequatorial, equatorial, subtropical and tropical, therefore, more plants grow in the Andes and a variety of animals are found.

Deciduous and evergreen trees grow in the lower tier of the equatorial forests, and at an altitude of 2500 meters there are cinchona trees and coca bushes. Cacti and creepers grow in subtropical zones. In the Andes, there are many valuable plants such as potatoes, tomatoes, tobacco, coca, cinchona trees.

The Andes are home to over 900 amphibian species, 1700 bird species and 600 mammal species, which are not found in large flocks as they are separated by densely growing trees. Bright large butterflies and large ants live in the forests. In dense forests, a large number of birds nest, the most common are parrots, in addition, there are many hummingbirds.

On the animal world of the Andes Negative influence rendered the activity of people. Previously, many condors lived here, but today they have survived only in two places: the Sierra Nevada de Santa Marta and Nudo de Pasto.

The condor is the largest flying bird on the West Coast. It has black shiny plumage, and a collar of white feathers is folded around the 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. The clutch usually 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 Latin American states: Bolivia, Argentina, Colombia, Peru, Chile and Ecuador. In the culture of the peoples of the Andes, these birds play an important role.

But, despite this, in the twentieth century, the number of these large birds decreased significantly, so they were included in the International Red Book. Today, condors are in the group of threatened species.

It is believed that anthropological factors have become the main reason for the degradation of condors, that is, the landscapes in which these birds lived have changed. They are also poisoned by the carcasses of animals that people shoot. Among other things, until recently, condors were specifically shot, as there was a misconception that they posed a threat to domestic animals.

To date, several countries have organized programs to breed 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 the Uros Indians settled on floating islands several millennia ago in order to separate from other peoples. These Indians themselves learned how to build islands from straw.

Each island of Uros is formed from several layers of dry reeds, while the lower layers are washed away over time, but the upper layers are constantly updated. 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 wingless grebe is a bird that visits Lake Titicaca from time to time.

To date, there are approximately 40 floating Uros islands on Lake Titicaca. Moreover, on some islands there are observation towers and even solar panels for generating energy. Excursions to these islands are very popular among tourists.

Animals endemic to South America

Pudu deer are found exclusively in South America. The growth of these deer is small - only 30-40 centimeters, the body length reaches 95 centimeters, and the 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 hair, and the body color is gray-brown with indistinct white spots.

Pudu deer live in impenetrable thickets, and come out to open places only at night to feed. They mainly graze on the seashore, where there is a large amount of fuchsia algae, which form the basis of the diet of deer.

In summer, these deer are extremely cautious, but in snowy winters they approach villages, where they are often attacked by dogs. Previously, pudu deer were found in abundance in Chile, Argentina and the Andes. But today there are only small populations in the coastal regions of Chile and on the Island of Chilos. Pudu are in the Red Book.

The fauna of South America has learned to survive in conditions of tropical downpours, in proximity to people, and in the high Andes. Due to the diversity of the climatic zones of South America, a unique fauna has formed here, which people are obliged to preserve and increase.