My mother is a biology teacher at school. As a child, instead of fairy tales, she told me about the amazing animals that inhabit our planet. Most of all I remember the stories about the fauna South America.

What is South America famous for?

This continent is located as many as five climatic zones. Because of this, the animal vegetable world varied here. South America can be called a champion, because here:

• the most long river in the world - the Amazon;
• the largest mountain lake;
• the most precipitation falls;
• the longest mountains.

Many cannot imagine their life without potatoes, and in fact it was found in South America. Even on the continent, tomatoes, a chocolate tree, and corn were discovered.

What animals can be found in South America

The fauna in South America is very rich. On the continent you can find species that do not live anywhere else. There are freshwater dolphins in the Amazon. They live only three years in captivity and do not breed, so they are not found in zoos.

In America, you can meet the world's largest rodent. Its weight can reach up to sixty kilograms. They are called capybaras and at first they were mistaken for pigs.

The continent is also home to the largest species of turtles and crocodiles. The Orinoco crocodile can reach up to five meters in length. An elephant tortoise can weigh up to two hundred kilograms and live up to a hundred years. There were cases when in captivity the turtle lived up to 170 years of age.

What animals should be afraid

In addition to completely harmless animals, dangerous predators live in South America. The most famous is the anaconda. There are many legends about this species. First, they say that anacondas can reach 20 meters in length. Secondly, among the locals there are rumors about man-eating anacondas.

There are piranhas in the Amazon. This fish is considered very dangerous for humans. Because of her subtle sense of smell, she can smell blood from a great distance.

Dangerous cats are also found on the continent. Cougars and cheetahs often instill fear in the locals.

The largest tarantulas live in South America.

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. In the Amazon basin, you can find at least 44,000 different plant species, 2,500 river fish and 1,500 bird species. 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. On the Galapagos Islands, lying in the 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 flora of the 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 cover 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 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 ​​\u200b\u200bthe 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, the 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 the Parana in the south, in Mexico, Central America, Venezuela, Guyana, Colombia, Brazil, Bolivia, Paraguay , Argentina. On this vast territory, the caiman forms 3-5 subspecies. It is tolerant of brackish water, which allowed it 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 considerable 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 will 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 swim in the 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 a 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 ends on each feather. When a bird soars skyward 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 (near 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. Vicuña is common only in the highlands of the Andes. 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 corrals 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 tropical rainforest, these animals are really completely invisible, which is facilitated by the greenish tint of their long, coarse hair. 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. Though 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. .

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

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

The climate of South America is extremely diverse, because this continent stretches across six climatic zones: from subequatorial to moderate. Along with areas of fertile nature, there are areas known for mild winters and cool summers, but famous for frequent rains and winds.

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

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

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

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

The fauna of this continent is amazing. Here are just some of its representatives, the diversity of which can be seen on photos of South American animals.

Sloths

Interesting mammals - the inhabitants of the forests are known to the whole world as very slow creatures. Peculiar animals are closely related to armadillos and anteaters, but outwardly they have little resemblance to them.

The number of sloth species included in the number animals endemic to South America, only about five. They unite in two families: two-toed and three-toed sloths, quite similar to each other. They are half a meter tall and weigh about 5 kg.

They resemble an awkward monkey in external features, and their thick shaggy hair looks like a haystack. It is curious that the internal organs of these animals differ in structure from other mammals. They lack hearing and vision acuity, teeth are underdeveloped, and the brain is rather primitive.

Pictured is an animal sloth

armadillos

Animal world South America would be greatly impoverished without mammals. These are the most unusual animals of the edentulous - a detachment to which sloths are also ranked.

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

Their eyesight is not well developed, but their sense of smell and hearing are quite sharp. When feeding, such animals capture food with a sticky tongue, and are able to dig into loose earth in the blink of an eye.

Pictured is an armadillo

Ant-eater

Scroll animal names of south america would not be complete without such an amazing creation as . This is an ancient outlandish mammal that existed in the early Miocene.

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

Representatives of the genus of giants have a mass of up to 40 kg. They, as well as members of the genus of large anteaters, spend their lives on the ground and cannot climb trees. Unlike relatives, pygmy anteaters skillfully move along trunks and branches with the help of clawed paws and a tenacious tail.

Anteaters do not have teeth, and they spend their lives in search of termite mounds and anthills, absorbing their inhabitants with a sticky tongue, sticking their long nose into the dwelling of insects. Anteater is able to eat several tens of thousands of termites per day.

Pictured is an anteater animal

Jaguar

Among animal forests of south america, a dangerous predator that kills in one jump is . It is in his dexterous, lightning-fast ability to kill his victims that the meaning of the name of this beast, translated from the language of the indigenous inhabitants of the continent, lies.

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

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

Pictured is a jaguar

Mirikin monkey

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

Mirikina, otherwise called durukuli, belongs to this type of creatures inhabiting mountain forests. These creatures, having a height of about 30 cm, are notable for the fact that, unlike others, they lead an owl lifestyle: they hunt at night, seeing perfectly and orienting themselves in the dark, and sleep during the day.

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

Mirikin monkey

titi monkey

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

Titi resemble mirikin in appearance, but have long claws. During the hunt, they guard their prey on the bough of a tree, picking up their arms and legs together, lowering their long tail down. But at the right moment, in the blink of an eye, they deftly grab their victims, whether it be a bird flying in the air or a living creature running along the ground.

Pictured is a titi monkey

saki

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

They jump on the branches very dexterously and far, and walk on the ground on their hind legs, helping themselves to maintain balance with their front legs. Zookeepers, watching these, noticed their habit of rubbing their own wool with pieces of lemon. And they drink, licking water from their hands.

white-faced saki

wakari monkey

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

However, appearances are deceiving, because the nature of these creatures is cheerful and cheerful. But when they get nervous, they smack their lips noisily and shake with all their might the bough they are on.

uakari monkey

Howler

South American harpy bird

Titicaca whistler frog

Otherwise, this creature is called the scrotum because of the flabbiness of its skin, hanging in folds. She uses her bizarre skin for breathing, as her lungs are small in volume.

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

Titicaca whistler frog

American manatee

A large mammal that inhabits the shallow waters of the Atlantic coast. Able to live also in fresh water. The average length is three or more meters, the weight in some cases reaches 600 kg.

These creatures are painted in a rough gray color, and their forelimbs resemble flippers. They eat plant foods. They have poor eyesight, and communicate by touching their muzzles.

American manatee

Amazonian inia dolphin

The largest of. His body weight can be estimated at 200 kg. These creatures are painted in dark tones, and sometimes have a reddish skin tone.

They have small eyes and a curved beak covered with tin bristles. Live in captivity no more three years and are difficult to train. They have poor eyesight, but a developed system of echolocation.

river dolphin inia

piranha fish

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

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

Pictured is a piranha fish

Giant arapaima fish

According to scientists, the appearance of this ancient fish, a living fossil, has remained unchanged for millions of centuries. Individual individuals, as the locals of the continent assure, reach four meters in length, and their weight is estimated at 200 kg. True, ordinary specimens are more modest in size, but it is a valuable commercial one.

Giant arapaima fish

electric eel

most dangerous big fish, having a mass of up to 40 kg, found in the shallow rivers of the continent and having enough human victims on its account.

Capable of emitting an electric charge of high power, but feeds only on small fish. It has an elongated body and smooth, scaly skin. The color of the fish is orange or brown.

Electric eel fish

Agrias claudina butterfly

The most beautiful tropical forest with a span, saturated with colors, bright wings of 8 cm. The shape and combination of shades depends on the subspecies of the described insects, of which there are about ten. It is not easy to see a butterfly, as they are rare. Even harder to capture such beauty.

Agrias claudina butterfly

Butterfly nymphalida

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

Butterfly nymphalida

Home to hundreds of thousands of species of fauna and the largest rainforest in the world, South America is a continent with diverse natural and climatic zones - from glaciers to deserts. Animal and consists of a huge variety of unique animals, some of which have evolved in relative isolation. Only a few million years ago, the Isthmus of Panama was formed, providing a small migration corridor for South and North American animals. Below is a list and a brief description of bright representatives of the fauna of South America, sorted into the following groups: mammals, amphibians, reptiles, birds, insects and fish.

These animals have a shell, which consists of stripes. The number of stripes depends on the type of animal. Although the stripes are as hard as fingernails, the carapace is flexible, with softer skin that expands and contracts between the stripes. Armadillos also have long claws for digging and searching for food. Their favorite food is termites and ants.

otters

Otters are the only serious swimmers in the mustelid family. They spend most of their lives in the water, so well adapted for this. Their sleek, streamlined bodies are ideal for diving and swimming. Otters also have long, slightly flattened tails that move from side to side to help them swim. The hind legs are used as a rudder to steer the body in the water.

giant anteater

The name is associated with the favorite food of this animal - ants. It has an elongated muzzle that resembles a pipe. This unique animal of South America is the largest of the edentulous order. A giant anteater is similar in size to a golden retriever, but thick and bushy hair makes it appearance more massive.

The gray hairs of the anteater feel like straw to the touch and are especially long on the tail (up to 40 centimeters). It has a stripe of white, tan, or gray that starts on the chest and extends to the middle of the back. Below this stripe is a dark collar. The hairy and fluffy tail is often used as a blanket or umbrella. The elongated head and nose of the giant anteater are excellent for catching ants and termites.

Mountain lion

This wild cat is from the cat family (Felidae), has several names: mountain lion, puma, cougar. But no matter what you call it, it is still the same animal, the largest in the subfamily of small cats. (felinae). So why does the cougar have so many names? The fact is that they have a wide range of habitats, and people from different countries gave them different names.

Early Spanish explorers of the Americas called it Leon(lion) and gato monte(mountain cat), hence the name "mountain lion". "Puma" - this name came from the Incas. The word "cougar" comes from an old South American word cuguacuarana, which was shortened to the name cougar. All of these names are considered correct, but puma is generally preferred by scientists. In Southern California, they are commonly referred to as mountain lions.

Guanaco

Pelicans

Pelicans are fairly easy to identify, as they are the only birds that have a pouch under their beaks used to catch fish. Pelicans are large birds with short legs and are quite clumsy on land. Thanks to their webbed feet, they are excellent swimmers. Birds use their beaks to coat their feathers with waterproof oil from a gland at the base of their tails.

Pelicans are great fliers, however, in the absence of wind, flying can be a challenge for these birds. To get enough speed to take off, the pelican must run through the water, flapping its large wings and swinging its legs.

The species is found in South America Pelecanus thagus, which until 2007 was considered a subspecies of the American brown pelican. It prefers rocky coasts, as opposed to trees. The population size is about 500 thousand individuals.

parrots

Currently, there are up to 350 species of parrots. Despite the fact that the species are very different from each other in many ways, all parrots have a curved beak, special structure fingers, feed on nuts, seeds, fruits and insects. Parrots have thick, strong beaks that are ideal for crushing tough nuts and seeds.

In South America, there are parrots from the subfamily of true parrots. (Psittacinae).

South American harpy

The South American harpy is a legendary bird, although few have seen it in wild nature. This dark gray bird of prey has a very distinctive appearance. When the bird senses a threat, the feathers on the top of its head rise up to form a collar in the form of "horns". Small gray feathers form a disc around the head, which improves the bird's hearing, similar to owls.

Like most species of hawks, the female "harpy" is almost twice as large as the male. The South American harpy's legs can be as thick as a small child's wrist, and the curved back claws are larger than those of a grizzly bear, at around 13 centimeters long. The harpy is not the largest bird of prey on the continent (the title belongs to the Andean condor), but they are still quite heavy and powerful creatures.

Insects

butterflies

There are about 165,000 known species of butterflies found on every continent except Antarctica, and these insects come in a wide variety of colors and sizes. The largest species can reach 30 centimeters in diameter, while the smallest are no larger than a match head.

The best-known butterflies of South America are diurnal butterflies of the genus Morpho ( Morpho), butterflies of the genus Greta (greta).

Hercules beetle

This species is one of the largest beetles on the planet. The body length of an adult varies from 80 to 170 mm. The body is covered with short hairs. The elytra of the beetle is yellow-olive. There are horns on the head and pronotum.

Ants

Ants are one of the most common insects on earth and their contribution to the ecosystem is essential.

One of the brightest inhabitants of the mainland is a large tropical ant paraponera clavata, which has a very strong poison, surpassing in strength the poison of any wasps and bees. Body length 18-25 mm, brown-black color.

arachnids

Spiders

Spiders have a bad reputation and inspire fear in many people. But only a few species are dangerous to humans, and bite if they feel danger. Spiders are not classified as insects due to certain anatomical differences. For example, spiders have two main body parts: the transferred part is called the cephalothorax, and the back is the undivided belly; Insects have three body parts: head, thorax and belly. Spiders have eight legs, while insects have six.

Spiders-tarantulas from the family Theraphosidae are one of the largest spiders in the world. They are found not only in South America, but also on other continents with the exception of Antarctica. Their diet is quite varied and contrary to their name, they do not always eat bird meat. All species have poison, but in varying amounts. The poison is not fatal to an adult and healthy person, which cannot be said about small children and people who are sensitive to it.

scorpions

Scorpions belong to the order of arthropods. They prefer hot climates and lead a terrestrial lifestyle. There are about 1750 species of scorpions, but only 50 are dangerous to humans due to their venom. Six pairs of limbs are attached to the cephalothorax, four of which are designed for locomotion.

These are viviparous animals, they pass life cycle without metamorphosis. Scorpions are nocturnal and are able to run fast. The diet consists of insects and arachnids. The poison of most species is harmless, but some individuals are dangerous and can be fatal, especially for children.

In South America, scorpions from the following families are found: Buthidae, Chactidae, Scorpionidae, Euscorpidae, Hemiscorpiidae, Bothriuridae.

Fish

Arapaima

Arapaima is considered one of the largest freshwater fish on the planet, with a body length of about 2 meters. The body of the fish is long and slightly flattened, covered with scales. It is common in the Amazon River. The diet consists of fish, small animals and birds.

common piranha

The common piranha is a species of fish that has gained a reputation as a dangerous predator for humans and animals. The body length varies from 10 to 15 cm, and the weight is within 1 kg. This fish is characterized by flat and sharp teeth with which they bite into their prey. They have a very sensitive sense of smell, thanks to which piranhas can recognize blood from a great distance. Their diet consists of fish and birds.

flathead catfish

The flathead catfish is another species of ray-finned fish found only in the freshwater rivers of South America. It can reach a body length of about 1.8 m and a weight of 80 kg. These colorful catfish have a brownish back and orange-red dorsal and caudal fins. There are antennae on the upper and lower jaws. These fish are capable of making sounds that propagate up to 100 meters.

South America is an amazing continent full of contrasts and mysteries. Located in six climatic zones at once, it has a unique and very diverse nature. Thanks to this, the animal world 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 beings living here. In order to survive in such conditions, all of them, over the long years of evolution, have adapted to an arboreal lifestyle. This is the main feature all animals of the humid forests, not only of South America, but also of Africa and Asia.

A lot of monkeys live in the selva, which are represented by two large families:

• Marmoset monkeys - differ in tiny sizes, the smallest species reach only 15 cm in length. They hold on to trees thanks to prehensile limbs with strong claws.

Rice. 1. Marmosets are the smallest monkeys in the world

• Tsebids - large monkeys, in which the tail is unusually well developed. In fact, it plays the role of the fifth limb - it is so effective when moving monkeys through trees. The brightest representatives of the cebid family are howler monkeys, capable of screaming incredibly loudly, as well as spider monkeys with very long strong limbs.

But not only monkeys climb trees beautifully. In the middle and upper tiers of the equatorial jungle, one can meet sloths slowly moving from tree to tree. They feed on foliage and rarely descend to the ground.

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Even some anteaters are able to climb and move along a tree trunk. In this they are helped by a very strong tenacious tail.

Small predators of the cat family also live in the selva: jaguarundis, ocelots, jaguars. It is also found in the forests as a rare, poorly studied bush dog.

However, the most diverse and numerous in the jungle are the classes of reptiles, amphibians and insects. 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

Moist forests are home to a myriad of birds, among which the most prominent are different kinds parrots and tiny hummingbirds.

Steppes, savannas and woodlands

Animals of South America living in drier and treeless natural areas continent, adapted to life in open spaces.

Local predators are represented by the swift-footed cougar, the agile ocelot, the hardy maned wolf, and the Magellanic fox.

Armadillos are found in the savannas and steppes - amazing creatures that have inhabited our planet since time immemorial. Their features include a body covered with a strong shell. They are nocturnal, and are hermits, rarely forming pairs or small groups.

Of the ungulates, pampas deer, llamas, and baker pigs are common. Many different rodents, lizards, snakes live in the steppes and savannahs.

A distinctive feature of the landscape of these natural areas is a large number of termite mounds. Termites, which are popularly called "white ants", are able to build huge nests several meters high, between which communication is well established using 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 area.

Two types of wild llamas live here: vigon and guanaco. Once upon a time, the locals hunted them because of tasty meat and excellent wool. However, now wild llamas in nature are a rarity.

Only in the Andes you can meet a spectacled bear, wild chinchillas, whose fur is considered one of the most expensive in the world. A large bird of prey, the condor, lives in the mountains, with a wingspan of up to 3 m.

What have we learned?

We learned what animals live in South America, what are their characteristics. We learned who lives in various natural zones of the mainland, as well as a description of the unique features of living beings that were able to adapt to the conditions environment. The considered topic is of great interest not only for high school students, but also for 4th grade students.

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