Brief message about the animal of Eurasia. The most amazing animals

There are fewer and fewer places in the world where animals can live without being influenced by humans. The European continent is no exception. Many troubles occur due to human activity. For several centuries now, due to human activity, the number of forests has been declining, and with them the animals living there. Pollution zones are spreading more and more - another evil that is the result of human activity. Due to environmental pollution, air, water and soil deteriorate, and plants wither and die. Animals forced to change habitats do not have much choice. Humans pose a particular threat to animals. Both hunting and fishing have already become the reasons for the disappearance of many species of animals from the face of the Earth. Elephants, who were hunted for their tusks, and tigers, who had beautiful skin that attracted hunters, suffered the most. Whales were killed for their meat and fat until an international decision was made in 1986 to stop hunting them. Many animal species are on the verge of extinction. Direct destruction of valuable species of plants and animals (hunting, poaching, illegal trade), and most importantly, changes in their habitats as a result of anthropogenic impact, have led to the fact that many species of Eurasian fauna are in danger of extinction. These are 471 species of mammals, 389 species of birds, 276 species of fish, 85 species of reptiles and 33 species of amphibians. About two-thirds of all Asian wildlife habitats have been destroyed. In China, one of 12 "megabiodiverse" countries in the world, 15-20% of species are threatened with extinction. Of the seven endemic mammal species of West Asia, four (Arabian leopard, striped hyena, Arabian tahr and Arabian wolf) are threatened with extinction. There is little improvement in the loss of species and their habitats in Western Europe.

Below we will consider rare animals of Eurasia, as well as animals that are in danger.

Tour (lat. Bos primigenius) is an artiodactyl animal of the genus of true bulls of the subfamily of bulls of the bovid family, a primitive wild bull, the progenitor of modern cattle (Figure 5). The closest relatives are Watussi and gray Ukrainian cattle. Lived from the second half of the Anthropocene in the forest-steppes and steppes of the Eastern Hemisphere. Now considered extinct as a result economic activity humans and intensive hunting. The last individual was not killed in a hunt, but died in 1627 in the forests near Jaktorov - believed to be due to a disease that affected a small, genetically weak and isolated population of the last animals of this genus. It was a powerful beast with a muscular, slender body, about 170-180 cm high at the withers and weighing up to 800 kg.

Figure 5 - Tour

In historical times, the tour was found throughout almost all of Europe, as well as in North Africa, Asia Minor and the Caucasus. In Africa, this animal was exterminated in the third millennium BC. e., in Mesopotamia - around 600 BC. e. In Central Europe, tours survived much longer. Their disappearance here coincided with intensive deforestation in the 9th-11th centuries. In the 12th century, aurochs were still found in the Dnieper basin. At that time they were actively exterminated. Records of the difficult and dangerous hunt for wild bulls were left by Vladimir Monomakh. By 1400, aurochs lived only in the relatively sparsely populated and inaccessible forests of Poland and Lithuania. Here they were taken under the protection of the law and lived as park animals on royal lands. In 1599, a small herd of aurochs - 24 individuals - still lived in the royal forest 50 km from Warsaw. By 1602, only 4 animals remained in this herd, and in 1627 the last aurochs on Earth died. However, the disappeared aurochs left a good memory of itself: it was these bulls that in ancient times became the ancestors of various breeds of cattle. Currently, there are still enthusiasts who hope to revive the aurochs, using, in particular, Spanish bulls, which more than others have preserved the features of their wild ancestors. The tour is depicted in national coat of arms Republic of Moldova, as well as on the coat of arms of the city of Turka in the Lviv region of Ukraine.

The Siberian Crane, or white crane (lat. Grus leucogeranus) is a species of crane endemic to the northern territories of Russia (Figure 6). For a long time, the biology of this bird was practically unstudied, and only relatively recently, with the founding of the International Crane Conservation Fund in 1973, ornithologists paid close attention to this bird.

Siberian cranes are endangered and are included in the international Red Book lists of the World Conservation Union and the Convention on international trade SITES, as well as the Red Book of Russia. The current population of the species (in the wild) is estimated at approximately 2900-3000 individuals. Large bird: height about 140 cm, wingspan 210-230 cm, weight 5-8.6 kg. There are no feathers in the front of the head around the eyes and beak; the skin in this place in adult birds is painted bright red. The cornea of ​​the eyes is reddish or pale yellow. The beak is long (the longest among all cranes), red, and saw-toothed at the end. The plumage of most of the body is white, with the exception of black primary flight feathers on the wings. The legs are long, reddish-pink.

Figure 6 - Siberian Crane

The Siberian Crane nests exclusively in Russia. Two populations of this bird isolated from each other were noted: the western one in the Arkhangelsk region, the Komi Republic and the Yamalo-Nenets Autonomous Okrug, and eastern in the north of Yakutia. The first population, conventionally called "Ob", is limited in the west by the mouth of the Mezen River south of the peninsula Kanin, in the east of the floodplain of the Kunovat River and downstream Ob in the Yamalo-Nenets Okrug. Among all the cranes, the Siberian Crane is the most demanding in terms of living conditions, which makes the conservation of this species a difficult task. The number of all Siberian Cranes in the wild in the world is only 2900-3000 individuals, which puts them in third place among all crane species. At the same time, their population is gradually declining, which puts them on the brink of complete extinction. Birds are extremely demanding of a certain habitat and are considered the most adapted species to life in water. In order to preserve the Yakut population of the Siberian Crane in China, a national reserve was created in the area of ​​Lake Poyang. In Russia, the Kunovatsky federal reserve was established on the territory of the Yamalo-Nenets Okrug and the Belozersky reserve in the Tyumen region. The Siberian Crane is listed in the International Red Book, Red Book Russian Federation and the Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species of Wild Fauna and Flora.

Amur tiger (Ussuri or Far Eastern, lat. Panthera tigris altaica) - one of the smallest subspecies of tiger, the northernmost tiger (Figure 7). Listed in the Red Book.

The tiger's habitat is concentrated in a protected zone in southeast Russia, along the banks of the Amur and Ussuri rivers in the Khabarovsk and Primorsky Territories. In total, in Russia in 1996 there were about 415-476 individuals. About 10% (40-50 individuals) of the Amur tiger population lives in China (Manchuria). Amur tigers are most common in the foothills of the Sikhote-Alin in the Lazovsky district of Primorsky Krai, where every sixth wild Amur tiger lives in a relatively small area (2003). It is planned to resettle Amur tigers on the territory of the Pleistocene Park in Yakutia.

In the languages ​​of the peoples of the Amur region, instead of its direct definition, the tiger is “Taskhu” ( tiger) is often called "Amba" ( big), so as not to cause trouble.

As of February 20, 2007, more than 450 individuals were kept in zoos around the world (844 individuals as of January 1, 1979).

Figure 7 - Amur tiger

According to modern data, the Amur tiger is one of the largest subspecies; its fur is thicker than that of tigers living in warm areas, and its color is lighter. The main coat color in winter is yellow, the belly is white. This is the only tiger that has a five-centimeter layer of fat on its belly, protecting it from freezing winds at extremely low temperatures. The body is elongated, flexible, the head is round, the legs are short, and the tail is long. The ears are very short, as it lives in cold areas. The Amur tiger distinguishes colors. At night he sees five times better than a human.

The Amur tiger is the ruler of vast territories, the area of ​​which for the female is 300-500 km². If there is enough food within its territory, the tiger does not leave its territory.

The Amur tiger is listed in the Red Book of Russia. In April 2007, experts from the World Wide Fund wildlife(WWF) announced that the Amur tiger population has reached a century high and that the tiger is no longer on the brink of extinction.

In 2008-2009, a comprehensive expedition of employees of the Institute of Ecological Ecology of the Russian Academy of Sciences took place within the framework of the Amur Tiger Program on the territory of the Ussuri Nature Reserve of the Far Eastern Branch of the Russian Academy of Sciences in the Primorsky Territory of the Russian Far East. It was possible to find out that six individuals of Amur tigers live in this territory. Using satellite collars, scientists track their routes, and for the first tagged female tiger, they were able to obtain 1,222 locations over the course of a year. According to published studies, the animal uses an area of ​​almost 900 km² - despite the fact that the area of ​​the reserve is only 400 km². This means that tigers go far beyond the protected zone, being exposed to increased danger. These data, according to the publication, give reason to talk about the need to create a protective zone of the reserve and regulate human activities outside its borders.

Far Eastern leopard or Amur leopard(lat. Panthera pardus orientalis or Panthera pardus amurensis) is a predatory mammal from the cat family, one of the subspecies of leopard (Figure 8). The body length is 107-136 cm. The weight of females is up to 50 kg, males - up to 70 kg. Distributed in the mountain taiga forests of the Far East, near the border of three countries - Russia, China and North Korea.

Figure 8 - Far Eastern leopard

Currently, the Far Eastern leopard is on the verge of extinction. This is the rarest of the subspecies: no more than 30-35 individuals have survived in nature. Specimens kept in zoos and nurseries are closely related and their offspring degenerate. In the 20th century, the species was included in the IUCN Red Book, the Red Book of Russia, as well as in a number of other protection documents. Leopard hunting has been prohibited in the USSR and Russia since 1956. According to a study conducted in 2000-2008, the population has stabilized, although at a very low level. Genetic analysis allowed us to individually identify 18 males and 19 females. The Far Eastern leopard is listed in Appendix I of CITES (Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species of Wild Fauna and Flora), the Russian Red Book and the International Red Book. In China, killing an Amur leopard carries the death penalty. By Decree of the Government of the Russian Federation (04.2012) it was created in Primorye national park"Land of the Leopard" This national park with an area of ​​262 thousand hectares covers 60% of the entire habitat of the Far Eastern leopard. The main problem of leopard conservation is habitat destruction and poaching. The main factor is the lack of food supply - everywhere between the villages there are large tracts of land used for agricultural work; territories not directly involved in agricultural production are subject to greater or lesser degree of human influence (regular burning, uncontrolled hunting). The number of ungulates, the leopard's main prey, is extremely low everywhere. During 2002-2003, inspectors of anti-poaching teams confiscated 7 leopard skins.

Imrbis, or snow leopard, or snow leopard (lat. Uncia uncia, according to another classification - lat. Panthera uncia) is a large predatory mammal from the cat family that lives in mountain ranges Central Asia (Figure 9).

Figure 9 - Snow leopard

The snow leopard is distinguished by a thin, long, flexible body, relatively short legs, a small head and a very long tail. Currently, the number of snow leopards is catastrophically small; in the 20th century, it was included in the IUCN Red Book, the Red Book of Russia, as well as in the protection documents of other countries. As of 2010, hunting snow leopards is prohibited. The snow leopard is an exclusively Asian species. The snow leopard's range in central and southern Asia covers approximately 1,230,000 km² of mountainous regions and extends through the following countries: Afghanistan, Myanmar, Bhutan, China, India, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Mongolia, Nepal, Pakistan, Russia, Tajikistan, and Uzbekistan. The geographical distribution extends from the Hindu Kush in eastern Afghanistan and the Syr Darya through the Pamir, Tien Shan, Karakoram, Kashmir, Kunlun, and Himalaya mountains, to Southern Siberia, where the range covers the Altai, Sayan, and Tannu-Ola mountains. In Mongolia, it was found in the Mongolian Altai and Gobi Altai and in the Khangai Mountains. In Tibet it is found as far as Altun Shan in the north.

Currently, the number of snow leopards is catastrophically low. Illegal but financially lucrative hunting for snow leopard fur has significantly reduced its population. In all countries where the range is located, the snow leopard is under state protection, but poaching still threatens it. The snow leopard is a rare, small and endangered species. Listed on the IUCN Red List (2000) as “endangered” (highest conservation category EN C2A). In the Red Book of Mongolia (1997) the species was assigned the status of “very rare”, in the Red Book of the Russian Federation (2001) - “endangered species at the limit of its range” (category 1). The snow leopard is also listed in Appendix I of the Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species of Fauna and Flora (CITES). It is worth noting, however, that all these environmental acts and documents create only a legal framework, which is poorly implemented locally, as evidenced by the increasing level of poaching and smuggling. At the same time, there are no programs aimed at long-term conservation of the snow leopard. In the Red Book of the USSR, published in 1984, the snow leopard was given the status of " rare view with a relatively small range" (category 3). In the Red Book of the RSFSR, 1983 edition and the Red Book of the Russian Federation, published in 2001, the snow leopard is assigned the status of "endangered species at the limit of its range" (category 1).

On July 22, 2002, at a meeting of the working group with the participation of representatives of the Ministry natural resources Russian Federation, representatives of environmental authorities of the republics Mountain Altai, Khakassia, Tyva, and Krasnoyarsk Territory, Institute of Problems of Ecology and Evolution named after. A. N. Severtsov RAS, the Commission on Large Carnivorous Mammals of the Theriological Society of the Russian Academy of Sciences, the Russian Representative Office of the World Wildlife Fund (WWF) adopted and approved the “Strategy for the conservation of the snow leopard (irbis) in Russia.”

Bison, or European bison (lat. Bison bonasus) - a type of bull from the bison genus (Figure 10).

Figure 10 - European bison

The original range of the bison extended from the Iberian Peninsula to Western Siberia and also included England and southern Scandinavia. In this large range, bison inhabited not only forests, but also open areas. Only because of intense human hunting did the bison become an animal found only in dense forests. Even in the Middle Ages, people highly valued bison and protected them from poachers, but over the years the population has steadily declined. Soon the bison could only be found in Belovezhskaya Pushcha and in the Caucasus. The first disaster was a disaster for bison. World War and years of devastation. The last free-living bison was killed by poachers in Poland in 1921, and the last three bison in the Caucasus were killed in 1926 in the vicinity of Mount Alous. Only 66 animals are preserved in zoos and private holdings around the world. On the initiative of the Polish zoologist Jan Stolzman, the International Society for the Conservation of the Bison was created in Frankfurt am Main in 1923. Today, bison populations evicted from zoos to nature under special programs live in Poland, Belarus, Lithuania, Moldova, Ukraine and the Caucasus in the Caucasian, Teberdinsky and North Ossetian reserves, and the Tseysky reserve. On the territory of the Spassky district of the Ryazan region there is the Oka Biosphere State Reserve with a bison nursery (the nursery has been operating since 1959). Bison were also brought to Vologda region. Currently, the number of this rare species of Red Book animals in the region numbers 40 individuals. In 2011, it is planned to import 13 more animals, and by the end of the target program, the number of bison should be about 90 individuals. From 1996 to the present, 65 bison have been brought into the Oryol Polesie National Park. Today, three groups of bison have been created with a total number of more than 120 animals. Currently, bison have also been introduced into the Polesie State Radiation-Ecological Reserve (Republic of Belarus).

The first bison nursery, which appeared in Russia in 1948, is located in the Serpukhov district of the Moscow region in the Prioksko-Terrasny reserve.

In 2011, bison were brought to the Pleistocene Park (Yakutia) from the Prioksko-Terrasny Nature Reserve.

Vymkhukhol, or Russian muskrat (lat. Desmana moschata) - a mammal of the mole family of the order Soricomorpha (Figure 11).

Figure 11 - Muskrat

The desman is a relict species, endemic in Russia. In prehistoric times it was found in Europe until British Isles. Its modern natural range is fragmented and is mainly limited to the basins of the Dnieper, Volga, Don and Ural. It is also found in Kazakhstan; in Ukraine, Lithuania and Belarus occasionally.

In the Dnieper basin (in the European part of Russia), the muskrat is found along the rivers Iput, Vyazma, Oster, Seim, Svapa in the Smolensk, Bryansk and Kursk regions. The habitat of the muskrat is small, since there are few bodies of water favorable for it. Natural factors that negatively affect its numbers include long-term winter floods and high water levels. When water rises in winter, muskrat burrows are flooded and they drown. During the dry summer, floodplain reservoirs become shallow and dry up, and muskrats have to look for a new place to live. On land, muskrats are practically defenseless due to their poor eyesight and slowness, although predators rarely eat them due to their strong musky odor. They are sometimes attacked by stoats, ferrets, otters, foxes, stray dogs and cats; among birds - marsh harrier, black kite, osprey, golden eagle, great spotted eagle, eagle owl, gray owl, even hooded crow and magpie. Underwater they are hunted by pike and large catfish. Wild boars tearing up the ground and even grazing livestock also harm muskrats. But the greatest pressure on them comes from introduced species - American mink and muskrat; the latter actively displaces the muskrat, occupying its burrows. However, the main reduction in the range and number of muskrats occurs due to anthropogenic factors: net fishing, economic transformation of floodplains (drainage, water withdrawal for irrigation, deforestation), livestock grazing, and pollution of water bodies. The desman is a rare endemic species, listed in the Red Book of Russia with category 2: a rare relict species declining in numbers. The following factors have led to such a deplorable situation for the muskrat in Russia: deforestation of floodplain forests, pollution of water bodies where animals live, drainage of floodplain lands, which worsens conditions for food production and protection, construction of dams and dikes, as well as development on the banks of reservoirs, creation of reservoirs , grazing near water bodies. Currently, the muskrat can be preserved thanks to methods and non-traditional organizational forms. Namely, the creation of specialized hunting farms, the main principle of which is the rational use and protection of these animals.

David's deer, or milu (lat. Elaphurus davidianus) is a rare species of deer, currently known only in captivity, where it slowly breeds in various zoos around the world and was introduced into a nature reserve in China (Figure 12).

Figure 12 - David's Deer

Zoologists suggest that this species originally lived in marshy places northeast China.

In Europe, these deer first appeared in the mid-19th century thanks to the French priest, missionary and naturalist Armand David, who traveled to China and saw these deer in a closed and carefully guarded garden near Chinese Emperor. By then, deer had already become extinct in the wild, believed to be the result of uncontrolled hunting during the Ming Dynasty. In 1869, the emperor donated several individuals of these deer to France, Germany and Great Britain. By that time, two events had occurred in China itself, as a result of which the remaining imperial deer completely died. In 1895, there was a flood as a result of the flood of the Yellow River, and the frightened animals escaped through the resulting gap in the wall and then either drowned in the river or were destroyed by people. The remaining animals died during the Boxer Rebellion in 1900. Further reproduction of David's deer comes from the 16 individuals remaining in the UK, which were gradually bred in different zoos around the world, including, starting in 1964, in the zoos of Moscow and St. Petersburg. By the 1930s, the population of the species was about 180 individuals, and currently there are several hundred animals. In November 1985, a group of animals was introduced into the Dafeng Milu Nature Reserve. Dafeng Milu Reserve) near Beijing, where they supposedly once lived.

Red panda (lat. Ailurus fulgens) - a mammal from the panda family of the carnivorous order, which, however, feeds mainly on vegetation; slightly larger than a cat (Figure 13). Although the red panda's range occupies a very large area and it has few natural enemies, this species is included in the International Red List with the status of "Endangered". The species was classified as endangered, as only 2,500 individuals remained (according to other sources, about 10,000). The fact is that the density of animals in nature is very low, and, in addition, the habitats of the red panda can easily be destroyed.

Figure 13 - Red panda

The main danger is the constant deforestation in these regions, as well as poaching and hunting of the red panda in India and southwest China because of its beautiful fur (from which hats are made). Over the past 50 years, the red panda population in the area Himalayan mountains decreased by 40%. Fortunately, the red panda breeds well in captivity. Currently, about 350 of these animals are kept in 85 zoos around the world, and the same number have been born in captivity over the past two decades. However, the number of red panda cubs in one litter is usually no more than two individuals, and they are born only once a year. Therefore, the population of small pandas is still under threat, and in their natural habitat their mortality rate is very high. A red panda runs around a fence at the National Zoological Park (Washington, DC). These cute animals are easily tamed and delight zoo visitors with their charming appearance. Also, in some regions of India and Nepal, red pandas are kept as pets, which is completely unacceptable for this animal. It is very difficult to keep them even in zoos, and at home it is simply impossible: the red panda needs too specific a diet. And if fed improperly, these animals quickly die from intestinal diseases.

Giant panda, or bamboo bear (lat. Ailuropoda melanoleuca) is a mammal of the bear family with a peculiar black and white coat color, which has some characteristics of raccoons (Figure 14). The only one modern look sort of Ailuropus subfamilies Ailuropodinae. Giant pandas live in the mountainous regions of central China: Sichuan and Tibet. Since the second half of the 20th century, the panda has become something of a national emblem of China.

Figure 14 - Giant panda

The Chinese name means "bear-cat". Its Western name comes from the red panda. Previously it was also called the spotted bear ( Ailuropus melanoleucus). The giant panda is an endangered species, characterized by an ever-decreasing population size and low birth rate, both in the wild and in captivity. Scientists estimate that there are about 1,600 individuals left in the wild. The giant panda is the symbol of the World Wildlife Fund (WWF).

The giant panda first became known in the West in 1869 thanks to the French missionary Armand David (1826-1900). Giant pandas soon became a crowd favorite due to their resemblance to teddy bears. Also contributing to the created innocent appearance of a living soft toy was the fact that pandas are practically vegetarians and eat mainly bamboo. The human and panda genomes are 68% identical. Leasing giant pandas to zoos in the United States and Japan was an important part of Chinese diplomacy in the 1970s, one of the first manifestations of cultural exchange between China and the West. However, the first case of a panda being given for diplomatic purposes dates back to the Tang Dynasty, when Empress Wu Zetian gave a pair of pandas to the Japanese monarch. However, starting in 1984, pandas were no longer given as gifts for diplomatic purposes. Instead, China is offering pandas to other countries on a 10-year lease. Standard rental terms include rent 1 million US dollars per year and providing guarantees that all cubs born during the rental period are the property of the PRC. In May 2005, the Chinese government offered to donate a pair of pandas to the Taiwanese authorities, which were later named Tuan-Tuan and Yuan-Yuan (together they make up the word meaning “reunion”). However, Taiwanese President Chen Shui-bian refused to accept the gift, and the pandas arrived on the island only after the Kuomintang returned to power in 2008. It should be noted that in China there is a death penalty for killing a panda, which also plays a role in the protection of this species.

We examined only the most striking representatives of the fauna of Eurasia, which are under threat of extinction. The list of vulnerable animals numbers in the hundreds and, unfortunately, is growing. After all, this list is replenished by human hands, and often measures to protect wild animals are almost equal to cases of poaching.

Our planet is home to several million species of living beings. We could see some in the zoo, some in TV shows. But there are also such amazing animals that the chance of meeting them in a zoo or seeing on a TV screen is extremely small. These most amazing animals, as a rule, live in places where humans rarely set foot. But we have a unique opportunity to get to know these incredible representatives of the fauna better.

- Found in central Argentina. Adults reach 11 - 12 cm in length.

- primate, native to tropical forests Madagascar.

- lives in South America. Reaches 87 cm at the withers.

- lives in southern China.

Grimpoteuthys- octopuses that live on ocean depths up to 7000 m.

Patagonian Mara- a rodent native to South America

Naked mole rat- a rodent common in the deserts of Kenya, Somalia and Ethiopia.

Irrawaddy dolphin- lives in the coastal waters of the Indian Ocean

Giraffe gazelle (Gerenuk)- An antelope native to Africa.

— aquatic mammal, living in the coastal waters of the Pacific and Indian Oceans.

is a pig native to the Indonesian island of Sulawesi.

is a predatory mammal that lives on the island of Madagascar.

is a mole found in North America.

- a mammal native to Indonesia.

Zebra duiker- an artiodactyl native to West Africa. Height at withers up to 50 cm.

Kiwa hirsuta- a crustacean that lives at a depth of over 2000 meters in Pacific Ocean.

- lives in the mountains of Indonesia and Papua.

How a bird of paradise opens its feathers:

- one of nature's worst jokes. Deep sea fish found off the coast of Australia and Tasmania.

- reach a length of more than two meters, weight - about 50 kg. They live in fresh water bodies of India, Thailand, China, Indonesia, Philippines, Vietnam, Cambodia, Malaysia.

- lives in Egypt and Libya

- lives in the Pacific Ocean off the coast of Japan. The body size reaches 45 cm, and the paw span is up to 3 m.

- a species of fish that lives off the coast of the Galapagos Islands.

Goblin shark (goblin shark)- a deep-sea shark found in the Pacific and Atlantic oceans.

Harbour porpoise- lives on the ocean floor, moves with the help of appendages resembling legs.

Moloch- a lizard named after a pagan god, common in the central and western regions of Australia.

Narwhal- a cetacean mammal that lives in the waters of the Arctic Ocean and North Atlantic. They have impressive sizes up to 4.5 m long. A distinctive feature of males is a huge tusk, up to 3 m in length and weighing up to 10 kg, which develops from the left upper tooth.

Okapi- artiodactyls living in the Congo.

Shoebill (king heron)- a large bird with a wingspan of up to 2.3 m. It lives in eastern Africa.

- lives in India and was discovered only in 2003. They have a length of 5-9 cm.

Blue Parrotfish lives in the waters of the Pacific and Indian oceans, most often in the zone of coral reefs.

African tree viper- poisonous snakes common in tropical Africa.

Saiga- antelopes living in the steppes and semi-steppes of Eurasia. Currently, their population is on the verge of extinction.

Giant isopod- a crustacean whose size can reach 50 cm or more in length and lives at great sea and ocean depths.

Paku- a fish, surprising in that its teeth have a great resemblance to human teeth. Lives in rivers and reservoirs of South America.

- the insect was first discovered in 2009 in the southeast of Venezuela, in the territory National Park Canaima.

- crustacean, up to 20 cm in size, distributed in tropical and subtropical seas.

- a gastropod mollusk that lives in the seas near the tropical zone.

- a butterfly with a wingspan of up to 50 mm, which resembles a hummingbird in that it feeds on the nectar of hanging flowers. It is found in warm climate regions in many countries.

- the second name is “bristle hedgehog”. A mammal up to 20 cm in size, living mainly on the island of Madagascar, as well as in East and Central Africa.

- a beetle with a spine on its back, which serves to cut plants or their fruits, the juice of which it feeds on.

- first discovered in Brazil in 2011. Belongs to the class “amphibians”.

Panda ant (Euspinolia militaris)- is actually a wingless wasp native to Latin America.

FAMILY OF EURASIA

The fauna of Eurasia is very diverse. The distribution of modern wild fauna across the territory depends on the characteristics natural conditions and on the results of human activity. The most common large mammal of the tundra is the reindeer. Arctic fox, lemming and mountain hare are also found in the tundra. The most common birds are white and tundra partridges. In the summer, seagulls, loons, eiders, geese, ducks, and swans fly to the tundra. The fauna of the forest zone is best preserved in the taiga. Wolves, brown bears, moose, lynxes, foxes, squirrels, wolverines, and martens live here. Birds include black grouse, wood grouse, hazel grouse, and crossbill. Steppe animals - steppe ferret, gophers, various mice. Of the large animals, the saiga has survived. There are a variety of birds - larks, swallows, falcons. Semi-deserts and deserts are dominated by reptiles, rodents, and ungulates. Bactrian camels and wild donkeys - kulans - live in Central Asia. In the mountain forests of Southern China, a bamboo panda bear, black, has been preserved himalayan bear, leopard Wild elephants still live in Hindustan and on the island of Sri Lanka. India and Indochina are characterized by an abundance of monkeys, a large number of different reptiles, especially poisonous snakes. Many animals living in Eurasia are listed in the Red Book: bison, Ussurian tiger, kulan, etc.

The large, northern part of Eurasia belongs to the Holarctic zoogeographic region; the smaller one, southern, - to the Indo-Malayan and Ethiopian regions (Fig. 20).

Rice. 20. Faunal zoning of Eurasia

The Indo-Malayan region includes the peninsulas of Hindustan and Indochina, together with the adjacent part of the mainland, the islands of Taiwan, the Philippines and Sunda; southern Arabia, together with most of Africa, is included in the Ethiopian region. Some southeastern islands of the Malay Archipelago are classified by most zoogeographers as belonging to the Australian zoogeographic region. This division reflects the peculiarities of the development of the Eurasian fauna in the process of changing natural conditions during the end of the Mesozoic and the entire Cenozoic, as well as connections with other continents. To characterize modern natural conditions, ancient extinct fauna known only in fossil form, fauna that disappeared in historical times as a result of human activity, and modern fauna are of interest.

At the end of the Mesozoic, a diverse fauna formed on the territory of Eurasia, consisting of monotremes and marsupial mammals, snakes, turtles, etc. With the advent of placental mammals, especially carnivores, lower mammals retreated south to Africa and Australia. They were replaced by proboscideans, camels, horses, rhinoceroses, which inhabited the Cenozoic most Eurasia. The cooling of the climate at the end of the Cenozoic led to the extinction of many of them or their retreat to the south. Proboscis, rhinoceroses, etc. in the north of Eurasia are known only in fossil form, and now they live only in the South and South- East Asia. Camels and wild horses were until recently widespread in the arid interior of Eurasia.

The cooling of the climate led to the settlement of Eurasia by animals adapted to harsh climatic conditions (mammoth, aurochs, etc.). This northern fauna, the center of which was formed in the region Bering Sea and was common with North America, gradually pushing the heat-loving fauna to the south. Many of its representatives have become extinct, some have survived as part of the modern fauna of tundras and taiga forests. The drying up of the climate in the interior of the continent was accompanied by the spread of steppe and desert fauna, which survived mainly in the steppes and deserts of Asia, and partially became extinct in Europe.

In eastern Asia, where climatic conditions did not undergo significant changes during the Cenozoic, many animals of pre-glacial times found refuge. In addition, through East Asia there was an exchange of animals between the Holarctic and Indo-Malayan regions. Within its borders, tropical forms such as the tiger, Japanese macaque, and others penetrate far to the north.

The distribution of modern wild fauna across the territory of Eurasia reflects both the history of its development, as well as the characteristics of natural conditions and the results of human activity.

In the northern islands and far north On the continent, the composition of the fauna remains almost unchanged from west to east. The fauna of tundras and taiga forests has minor internal differences. The further south you go, the differences in latitude within the Holarctic become more and more significant. The fauna of the extreme south of Eurasia is already so specific and so different from the tropical fauna of Africa and even Arabia that they are classified as different zoogeographic regions.

Particularly monotonous throughout Eurasia (as well as North America) tundra fauna.

The most common large mammal of the tundra is the reindeer (Rangifer tarandus). It is almost never found in the wild in Europe; This is the most common and valuable domestic animal in the north of Eurasia. The tundra is characterized by arctic fox, lemming and mountain hare (Fig. 21).

Rice. 21. Distribution of some animals in foreign Europe

Of the land birds, the most common are ptarmigan and tundra partridge (Lagopus lagopus and Lagopus mutus), plantains and horned lark. For a short summer period, numerous migratory waterfowl fly to the tundra to breed their chicks: gulls, guillemots, loons, eiders, geese, ducks, and swans. Guillemots and gulls usually settle on high rocky shores, laying eggs on cornices and in crevices of rocky cliffs. Hundreds of thousands of them gather in such places, and so-called bird colonies are formed. During the nesting period, birds are easy to catch, and the population, taking advantage of this, exterminates them and collects eggs. The most valuable birds of the sea coasts are common eiders (Somateria mollissima), which have light and exceptionally warm down with which they cover their nests. In some countries (Iceland, Norway, Russia), eiders are under surveillance and protection, and the collection of their down, which is highly valued on the world market, is controlled by the state. Ducks, geese and other birds nest on the banks of lakes, rivers and swamps.

The coastal waters, rivers and lakes of northern Eurasia are rich in fish, mainly from the salmon family.

During the Ice Age, mammoths, woolly rhinoceroses, and musk oxen lived in modern tundras. Nowadays their remains are found only in fossil form. In some places (for example, on Spitsbergen), musk ox, exported from Arctic America, are artificially bred.

The fauna of the forests of Eurasia is somewhat more differentiated. The differences in the fauna of the broad-leaved forests of the west and east, separated by vast expanses of steppes and deserts, are especially pronounced. The taiga forests, stretching across the entire continent, are characterized by a comparative uniformity of the animal world.

The most typical representatives of the taiga fauna of Eurasia can be considered elk, brown bear, lynx, wolverine, squirrel, chipmunk, bank voles; of birds - black grouse, wood grouse, hazel grouse, crossbills. These animals are common in the lowland taiga, as well as in the coniferous forests of the mountainous regions of Europe and Asia.

The forests of Europe were once inhabited by numerous large mammals - predators and herbivores, which were hunted for their meat or valuable fur. The most typical representatives of the forest fauna are the brown bear, bison (Bison bonasus), roe deer (Capreolus capreolus), red deer (Cervus elaphus), wolverine, pine marten (Martes martes), forest ferret (Mustela putorius), weasel (Mustela nivalis), wild cat (Felis silvestris), fox, hedgehog, white hare and brown hare. The brown bear (Ursus arctos), which has completely disappeared from the plains, is still found in the mountains, especially in the Carpathians. Endemic mountain species include chamois (Rupicapra rupicapra), mountain goats (Capra ibex, Capra pyrenaica) and marmots (Marmota marmota). Deforestation and plowing of large areas have led to the widespread spread of small rodents - voles, shrews, gophers, which cause great harm to agriculture.

The richness of avifauna is great. Mixed and broad-leaved forests are inhabited by partridges, black grouse, wood grouse, and hazel grouse, which are valuable game; Many songbirds are also common - blackbirds, orioles, warblers, warblers, etc. Owls, eagle owls, pigeons and cuckoos are also common. Waterfowl nest in ponds. Near settlements Swallows, rooks and storks settle in. Most birds are migratory. In the autumn, caravans of geese, ducks, cranes, flocks of rooks and other birds stretch along strictly defined paths to the south in order to return to their nesting places in the spring.

The rivers and lakes are inhabited mainly by carp fish, but salmon are also found.

Some of the large animals that previously lived in European forests are now gone, others have survived only in specially protected areas. Among the first, it is necessary to name the aurochs (Bos primigenius) - a huge wild bull. The last tour died in Europe at the beginning of the 17th century. The bison, which previously lived in vast areas from France and Belgium to the Caucasus, was on the verge of complete extinction. Systematically exterminated during knightly, royal and tsarist hunts, and severely damaged during the First and Second World Wars, the bison was saved from complete extermination by the joint efforts of Soviet and Polish scientists. The largest bison population currently lives in the Belovezhsky Biosphere Reserve on the border of Poland and Belarus. The number of deer, mountain goats, and chamois has greatly decreased. Wolves have been exterminated almost everywhere, and bears have retreated to mountainous areas, and even there they are extremely rare.

The fauna of the forests of eastern Asia, allocated to the Manchurian-Chinese subregion of the Holarctic, has a pronounced mountain-forest character and is distinguished by great species richness. This is due, on the one hand, to the fact that the east of Asia did not experience significant climate fluctuations during the Ice Age and some representatives of the heat-loving ancient fauna found refuge within its borders. On the other hand, the climatic conditions of this part of Asia change gradually from north to south, facilitating the penetration of northern taiga forms to the south, and tropical forms to the north, which creates a mixture of faunas characteristic of East Asia and leads to great species richness.

One of the most characteristic representatives of the mammalian fauna of the mountain forests of China and the Himalayas is the Himalayan black bear (Ursus thibetanus), which lives in the mountains up to an altitude of 4000 m, feeding on plant foods, insects and small animals. The bamboo bear, or giant panda (Ailuropoda melanoleuca), lives in the bamboo thickets of Eastern Tibet and Southeast China. In the dense riverine bamboo and reed thickets and mountain forests, sometimes rising to the upper border of the forest, there is a tiger (Panthera tigris) - the most dangerous predator Asia, leopard (Panthera pardus) and marten (Martes flavigula) are also found. Typical representatives of the fauna of broad-leaved forests are the endemic raccoon dog (Nyctereutes procyonoides) and the Far Eastern forest cat. Along the river valleys of China and the Korean Peninsula, small antlerless water deer (Hydropotes inermis) live; In the north, sika deer (Cervus nippon) is common, whose young antlers - antlers - are valued as medicinal raw materials. Some monkeys (from the genus macaques) come from South Asia. In the Manchurian-Chinese subregion, at 40° N, lies the northern limit of their distribution on the globe. Representatives of the taiga fauna of the neighboring European-Siberian subregion are the flying squirrel and the chipmunk.

The forests of East Asia are inhabited by a variety of birds. Pheasants (golden, king, etc.) stand out with their bright plumage, the variegated mandarin duck (Aix galericulata) is the most beautiful representative of this family, and the endemic Japanese crane (Grus japonensis). Various passerines are numerous - white-eyes, larvae, thymelia.

Among the reptiles there are many lizards and snakes, which are represented by genera common to the Indo-Malayan region. In addition, there is one species of alligator and a land turtle. Characteristic of amphibians tree frogs and endemic to the Japanese Islands giant salamander(Andrias japonicus).

The fauna of the Mediterranean, the Western Asian highlands and Arabia is unique, which gave rise to the identification of a special Mediterranean subregion of the Holarctic. There are endemic mountain and lowland species, as well as species common to North Africa. The fauna of Southern Europe includes monkeys, primitive predators, birds and a large number of amphibians and reptiles, which are almost completely absent in the more northern parts of Eurasia.

On the Iberian Peninsula and in the south of France lives a representative of the civet family - the common genet (Genetta genetta), a small predator that eats rodents and is therefore considered a useful animal. The south of the Iberian Peninsula is home to the only species of monkey found in the wild in Europe - the macaque macaque, or tailless macaque.

The wild mountain sheep (Ovis ammon), which used to live on the islands of Corsica and Sardinia, living in mountain forests or open areas, has almost completely been exterminated. mountain peaks. On the islands of the Aegean Sea and in the south of the Balkan Peninsula, wild goats are still found in mountainous areas with very sparse vegetation. Goats are generally widespread in the Mediterranean, in some areas they are the only domestic animals. Only in Southern Europe live the Pyrenean muskrat, porcupine, jackal, and wild rabbit.

Birds of the Mediterranean are no less unique than mammals. The most characteristic are the blue magpie, mountain hen, Sardinian warbler, Spanish and rock sparrow and many others. Common birds of prey include the black vulture, the vulture, and the vulture, which attack small livestock.

Reptiles thrive in dry climates. Among them there are endemic forms: gecko lizards, chameleons, Mediterranean viper and some other species of snakes; of land turtles - the Greek tortoise. Arthropods are also numerous - scorpions, freshwater crabs, various beetles, cicadas, brightly colored butterflies.

The fauna of the Western Asian highlands, in addition to typical Mediterranean elements, includes some representatives of the Central Asian subregion, as well as the Ethiopian region of Africa. Ungulates include gazelles, antelopes, wild donkeys, Central Asian mountain sheep and goats. Representatives of the Ethiopian region are peculiar ungulates - hyraxes (Hyracoidea), living in rocky mountainous areas at considerable altitude. Common predators include leopards, lynx, caracal, jackal, hyena, and some types of foxes. Rodents are numerous - hares, jerboas, gerbils, and one species of porcupine. Among the birds of Western Asia there are many representatives of the Central Asian deserts and steppes: bustards, sandgrouses, larks, desert jays, etc. Herons, flamingos, and pelicans are found near reservoirs. The variety of reptiles is also very large, especially lizards and snakes: steppe boa constrictor, viper viper (Vipera lebetina), horned viper (Vipera ammodites), snakes, grass snakes. Characterized by an abundance of arthropods, which often cause great harm to people. Among them are phalanges, scorpions, tarantulas. Agricultural crops are periodically affected by locusts.

Desert plateaus and mountain ranges Central Asia has a unique fauna and is classified as a special Central Asian zoogeographical subregion. It is characterized by a general relative poverty of species composition and a predominance of ungulates and rodents, which are adapted to exist in the vast treeless and waterless spaces of the central regions of Asia.

Some animals are limited in their distribution to certain regions of Central Asia, others are distributed throughout its borders. Thus, only in Tibet and Kunlun is wild yak (Bos mutus) found, and even there it is gradually disappearing. This large animal is content with the meager food of the high desert plateaus and feels great in the harsh continental climate, but does not tolerate high temperatures at all. The yak is one of the most common domestic animals in Central Asia. They are used to carry heavy loads and as riding animals. Locals Their milk and meat are consumed; their skins and wool are used to make clothing.

On the Tibetan Plateau and in the mountains of Central Asia, orongo (Pantholops hodgsoni), addax (Addax nasomaculatus), mountain sheep argali, or argali (Ovis ammon), reaching enormous sizes, and mountain goats are widespread. The steppe and semi-desert plains of Mongolia and Northwestern China are inhabited by gazelle (Procapra gutturosa), wild ass, wild ass (Equus hemmionus) and the extremely rare kiang (Equus kiang), as well as the wild Bactrian camel (Camelus bactrianus) - the ancestor of the domestic camel. This typical animal of deserts and dry steppes does not live in mountains and areas with a humid climate. Camels are used on the plains of Central and Central Asia as a means of transportation and draft power. Local residents eat their milk, fat and meat, and make clothes from their wool.

Predators are not as diverse in Central Asia as ungulates. The mountains are home to the snow leopard, irbis (Uncia uncia), Tibetan subspecies of the brown bear and wolf. Foxes, common wolves, weasels, and jackals are found almost everywhere.

On the plains and in the mountainous regions, both in the number of species and in the number of individuals, rodents are abundantly represented.

Birds are especially diverse in mountainous areas. These are mountain snowcock turkeys, Tibetan sajja (Syrrhaptes tibetanus), Alpine jackdaws, vultures, lambsworts, choughs, wall climbers. Bustards, hazel grouses, and larks (lesser, crested, etc.) are found on the plains.

The rest of the southern part of Eurasia falls within the Indo-Malayan zoogeographic region and is characterized by particularly great richness, diversity and antiquity of the animal world. The fauna of the region has a pronounced tropical character and features common to other tropical regions of the globe, for example, with the Ethiopian region of Africa and the Neotropics. In addition, past connections with Australia had a significant influence on the fauna. The Malacca Peninsula, the Sunda and Philippine Islands, united in the Malayan subregion, are distinguished by the greatest richness and colorfulness of the animal world. Evenly hot and humid climate and the predominance of tropical rainforests, as well as the island nature of the territory, which since the beginning of the Quaternary period had lost land connections with other parts of Asia, determined the great originality and endemism of the fauna of this subregion.

The most striking representatives of the ungulates of the Malay Archipelago are the black-backed, or two-colored, tapir (Tapirus indicus), which has relatives in South America, the one-horned Indian and two-horned Sumatran rhinoceroses (Rhinoceros unicornis and Dicerorhinus sumatrensis), the wild banteng bull (Bos javanicus), which became the ancestor of the Balinese domestic cattle, Indian buffalo (Bubalus arnee), gaur (Bos gaurus). In the mountains and uplands, in forests little visited by people, the small muntjac deer (Muntiacus muntjak) is common.

Predators include the Malayan short-haired sun bear (Helarctos malayanus) and the tiger. On the islands of Sumatra and Kalimantan there is an ape called the orangutan (“forest man”), which is now extremely rare (Fig. 22).

Rice. 22. Distribution of some animals in foreign Asia

Representatives of the gibbon family, the subfamily of marmosets, and some species of macaques are ubiquitous. Typical animals, close to primates and insectivores, are tupayas and primitive primates, tarsiers.

A feature of the fauna of the islands is the presence of a large number of species of “gliding” animals. Among them are mammals - flying squirrels and woolly wings, which are a form intermediate between insectivores, bats and prosimians; reptiles - flying dragon (Dracovolans) - a lizard whose limbs are equipped with a flying membrane.

Notable among the birds are the bright argus pheasant (Argusianus argus), blue-winged peacock (Pavo muticus) and natives of Australia - birds of paradise and big-footed chickens.

Reptiles amaze with their abundance of species and large size. On the small island of Komodo lives the greatest of modern lizards - the giant Komodo dragon (Varanus Komodensis), reaching 3-4 m in length. A large gharial crocodile lives in the rivers of Kalimantan. There are many poisonous snakes, of which the most dangerous to humans are spectacled snakes, or cobras. Boa constrictors are also common. The largest of them, the reticulated python (Python reticulatus), reaches a length of 8-10 m and a weight of 100 kg. It is dangerous not only for large animals, but also for humans.

Among the various arthropods, large and brightly colored butterflies are especially significant. Scorpions and huge tarantula spiders are also common.

The islands of Sulawesi and the Lesser Sundas occupy a special place in zoological terms. Sulawesi's endemic animals include the wild pig (Babyrossa babyrussa), pygmy buffalo anoa (Bubalus depressicornis) and black macaque, while representatives of the Australian fauna include marsupial cuscus, big-footed chickens and many other birds.

The special Indian subregion includes India, Sri Lanka and Indochina. The fauna of this subregion, along with many typical representatives of the Indo-Malayan region, includes people from the Ethiopian region and the Holarctic. The fauna of the Indian subregion is distinguished by species diversity and a large number of individuals. This is especially true in India, where the killing of any living beings is prohibited by religion, so even harmful animals are very rarely exterminated here.

The fauna of India and Indochina is characterized by the presence of the Indian elephant. Wild elephants are still found in sparsely populated areas of the Himalayan foothills, in the forests of Sri Lanka and other places. The domestic elephant, accustomed to perform difficult and complex work, is one of the most typical animals of India and the countries of Indochina.

The local population also domesticates a wild bull - gaur (gayal). The Indian buffalo is domesticated and widely distributed as draft cattle. Wild Indian boar is often found in the dense riverine thickets. In those areas where significant tracts of forests have been preserved, large nilgai antelope (Boselaphus tragocamelus) and four-horned antelope (Tetracerus quadricornis), muntjac and axis deer (Cervus axis) live - one of the most beautiful representatives of this family, living in forest areas rich in water . Common predators include the tiger, leopard and a special form of leopard, the black panther, which cause significant damage to livestock. Within the Thar Desert, a lion is occasionally found, having penetrated here from the Ethiopian region.

India and Indochina are characterized by an abundance of monkeys, which are distributed everywhere: in forests, savannas, gardens, near populated areas and even in cities. They eat fruits and spoil crops, causing great damage to the population. In India, dog-like monkeys are found, in Indochina - gibbons, macaques, etc. Within the subregion, prosimians, or lemurs, live both in forests and near human habitation. For Indochina, as well as for the islands, woolly wings are characteristic.

A real disaster for the local population is the abundance of various reptiles, especially poisonous snakes, whose bites kill thousands of people every year. In the waters of the Ganges and other large rivers there are giant crocodiles (Gavialis gangeticus), reaching 6 m in length.

The brightness of plumage and variety of shapes amazes the world of birds. Among them are the common peacock (Pavo cristatus), pheasant, species of wild chickens from which domestic breeds originate, various thrushes, etc. Of the insects, there are especially many different motley-colored butterflies and giant tarantula spiders that feed on small birds. In India there is a wild bee - the ancestor of the domestic bee.

Direct destruction of valuable species of plants and animals (hunting, poaching, illegal trade), and most importantly, changes in their habitats as a result of anthropogenic impact, have led to the fact that many species of Eurasian fauna are in danger of extinction. These are 471 species of mammals, 389 species of birds, 276 species of fish, 85 species of reptiles and 33 species of amphibians. About two-thirds of all Asian wildlife habitats have been destroyed. In China, one of 12 "megabiodiverse" countries in the world, 15-20% of species are at risk of extinction. Of the seven endemic mammal species of West Asia, four (Arabian leopard, striped hyena, Arabian tahr and Arabian wolf) are threatened with extinction. There is little improvement in the loss of species and their habitats in Western Europe.