Why do animals in the desert have big ears? Animals of the Arctic. "Form compound words"
Thermoregulation in mammals
Keeping warm is very important for those animals that live in cold climatic zones, so many of them are noted for their physique adapted to such conditions.
Basic data:
Changing body shape. Many inhabitants of cold areas have a different body shape, size and proportions from the shape, size and body proportions of animals of the same species inhabiting warm areas. This body structure is a sign of better adaptability to the regulation of heat exchange. This fact is explained by the example of two rules.
Bergman's rule. It is obvious that animals that live in cold climates have round bodies. According to Bergaman's rule, a round body shape helps retain heat better. An excellent example illustrating this rule is the cylindrical bodies of mammals living in cold water, in particular seals.
Bergaman's rule says that among animals of the same species living over a large range, the largest individuals are found in cold regions. The closer to the south, the smaller their sizes. For example, the most active tiger is the Amur tiger. Smaller - Bengali. And a very small one - a Javan tiger. So, according to the rules, large wolves must live in the Arctic.
Allen's rule. According to Allen's rule, animals inhabiting cold areas of their range have smaller protruding body parts (limbs, tail, ears) than representatives of the same family living in warm areas. The body size is reduced in order to reduce heat transfer and prevent unnecessary heat loss. Thus, the ordinary Arctic fox has a short body, limbs and tail, a convex forehead, and short ears and mouth. The red fox has a more elongated body, a long tail and the muzzle, as well as the ears, protrude strongly. And the steppe fox has long limbs and huge ears. Animals need large ears to improve heat transfer and to prevent their bodies from overheating.
Preference is given to birds, reptiles and small mammals. The gestation period is 78 days and 1-3 kittens are born. Especially in the Drakensberg and on the Cape they are often visible. Their food is purely vegetable, consisting of leaves, bark, grass and wild fruits. They live in colonies of 20 to 50 people. Like the meerkats, they set up guard posts while the rest of the group searched for food.
In some places, such as Table Mountain in Cape Town, they are so accustomed to people that you can get within a few meters of them. Noodleshamaleon is a funny reptile. It can move the large protruding lugs independently of each other in different directions, and the short neck is almost motionless. The chameleon's long, sticky tongue shoots out like an arrow when it catches insects. Its tail can curl into a snail shape, and the reptile's toes are clearly visible: on the front three toes on the inside and two toes on the outside, and vice versa on the hind feet.
OR DID YOU KNOW THAT...
Chinchillas have very thick fur because up to 40 hairs grow from one hair follicle.
During the winter thaw, it rains in Arctic latitudes, after which the wet wool of musk oxen often freezes, forming an ice shell that prevents the animal from moving.
1 cm2 of northern fur seal skin is covered with up to 50,000 hairs.
Reindeer often make long journeys in search of shelter from cold winds; they try to warm themselves by pressing their bodies against each other.
Thanks to this distribution, animals can cling to branches. Their color changes when they feel threatened or anxious, and of course by light and temperature. At night they turn white when heated, black and red, yellow or dark when irritated. Males also have three horns, which are used in combat. The chameleon is a solitary animal and lives in trees. You can see it across the street from time to time.
False dogs are unmistakably recognizable by their overly large ears. They look like a jackal from above, but they are smaller with silky gray, thick fur. Their habitat is drier bushes and meadows. Animals are up to 90 cm long, 5 kg heavy and live about 6 years. Pairs remain together for life and form small family units. Their food consists of insects, termites, reptiles, small rodents, beetles and fruits. The gestation period is 60 days and 4-6 young.
Mammals living in cold areas maintain a constant body temperature, thanks, first of all, to the air layer present in their fur. Many animal species have a thick layer of fat under their skin. Some species escape the cold with the help of a special body structure.
North of the Arctic Circle
The coldest part of the mammals' range is the Arctic. With the exception of polar bear, which lives even at the North Pole, most species living in the southern regions. Many Arctic residents have thick, long, and usually white fur. Their fur coats are designed on the principle of double window frames, between which there is air - a thermal protective layer. In the summer, the fur of most species thins out. The polar bear wears a white outfit with shades of yellow throughout the year. The sun's rays penetrate through the white hairs to the bear's skin and heat it. Bear fur consists of a thick undercoat, so the bear's skin remains dry even while swimming in icy water. In addition, a thick layer of subcutaneous fat protects it from the cold.
The wolverine also has very thick fur. Since ice crystals never form on the wolverine's fur, the Eskimos sew its skins into a backing for clothing. Other “frost-resistant” animals, musk oxen, have hair 50-70 cm long growing from their thick undercoat. Both layers have excellent heat retention properties and protect the animal even in the most severe frosts. The musk ox sheds during the short arctic summer.
Thermoregulation IN THE MOUNTAINS
In mountainous areas, night temperatures are usually much lower than daytime temperatures. Mammals living high in the mountains must adapt not only to seasonal temperature fluctuations, but also to daily ones. Wind, rain and snow in winter are not very pleasant phenomena, which is why most highland inhabitants, like those living in the Arctic, have thick fur. Chinchillas, Vicunas, guanacos, llamas and alpacas living in the Andes have very warm fur. People shear guanacos, llamas, Vicunas and alpacas for warm wool. In forested mountains, the difference between day and night temperatures is not so great. This is used by many species of mountain goats and sheep, which descend to these places from a higher altitude for the winter.
Thermoregulation IN WATER
Mango is a family of mammals in the order Carnivora and belongs to the Felidae. These include many species found in South Africa. Characteristic features include reddish fur and a thick tail with a white tip. Active animals live in loose associations, with an average of 5 to 10 animals. Forest mangroves excavate underground buildings, but are also often found along with gophers and meerkats. Their food mainly consists of insects and worms, they also prey on small rodents, amphibians and reptiles.
Water bastards are confused with otters rather than other types of mangoes. With a length of 80 to 100 cm, a shoulder height of 22 cm and a weight of up to 5 kg, these are large animals with an elongated head. Her monochrome black and brown coat looks shaggy. Water entanglements are typically found along running water, lakes, or dams. Like their cousins, they have established passages along the shores of the waters where they live. They can swim and feed on crabs and fish, as well as on rodents, birds and reptiles.
Some marine mammals live near the Arctic and Southern Arctic Circles, while walruses are found only in the Arctic. Certain species of pinnipeds live off the coast of Antarctica, constantly being in icy water. The narwhal and beluga spend their entire lives here, and the gray, humpback and blue whales appear in these regions in the summer. In cold water, heat transfer is much more intense than in cold water. airspace. A person who finds himself in such conditions can only live for a few minutes. The cylindrical shape of whales and seals prevents them from generating excessive heat, and their thick layer of blubber helps them maintain a constant body temperature when they are in icy water. The thickness of the fat layer, depending on the type of animal, ranges from several centimeters to half a meter. In addition, pinnipeds have a special circulatory system - it acts as a heat exchanger. The principle of its operation is based on the fact that the vessel through which blood enters the limb is intertwined with a network of small vessels that carry blood from the limb. With established heat exchange between oppositely directed blood flows, minimal cooling of the blood that circulates inside the animal’s body is achieved.
COLD PROTECTION
With the onset of severe frosts, a layer of snow for many animals becomes an excellent shelter that retains heat. Small mammals such as lemmings dig complex underground corridors, topped with a thick layer of snow. The ermine also hides underground in winter. The giant brown bear living in Alaska sleeps in a den in winter, and male polar bears hide under the snow only during snow storms, while pregnant females hibernate in a snowy den. A female polar bear climbs into a den and curls up into a ball. The den is covered with snow. In this case, the snow forms a kind of insulating layer. Wolves, reindeer and moose are not afraid of frost. Moose do not go into hibernation, but take energy from fat reserves that they fattened up in the summer and fall. They move very little and only in the very frost do they seek shelter in thickets of plants and other sheltered places. Chipmunks and many other small mammals hibernate during the winter.
Often their buildings are located in abandoned territe hills. During the day, active and sociable animals are found in groups of about 20, sometimes even 50 people. It is often possible to observe how the whole group, Mongoose behind Mongoose, winds like a streak through the grass. Dwarf clams are about 40 cm long and are the smallest species of mongoose. They are brown and have a shiny coat. The animals live in groups of 10 to 30 members, mostly in dry savannas. They are not very timid and take popular photos because they are patient.
Hippopods lived in almost all waters of Africa. Today their population in South Africa is largely limited to wildlife and game reserves, although there is growing evidence that their emergence in wildlife, especially at dams, is increasing again. As aquatic animals with very sun-sensitive and bare skin, hippos not only need shallow waters, but also ones that are deep enough to completely cover them from overheating. That's why they come ashore only after sunset.
And the inhabitants of this northernmost region are quite happy with this state of affairs. We are not talking about Eskimos, but about animals that call the Arctic their home. While sub-zero temperatures and bleak boreal forests may seem bleak and unforgiving, many animals thrive in the frozen tundra of the Arctic Circle.
Animals use fixed walking paths, characterized by two imprints: one, the other back. At the same time, they also travel to nearby villages. The Colossal Masses of Heaven are completely harmless, but they can run incredibly fast, and they do not hesitate, when threatening themselves or their descendants, to rush towards people. They are most dangerous when they return from their nightly grave and find somewhere between them and water that can threaten them.
Hippos spend most of their time in the water or, if it is cloudy or cooler, on sandbanks. They live in herds of 15 to 20 animals. If the temperature is too high, the animal provides a reddish body fluid that protects against sand. Dominant cops mark their territory by spreading their droppings on rocks and bushes with quick lateral movements of their tail. When diving, hippos can close their nostrils and remain underwater for up to six minutes. The anatomy of her head is designed so that her eyes, ears and nostrils protrude from the water.
Some of these animals you've probably seen before, like the polar bear or polar owl, while others are more exotic, like the "unicorn of the sea" or the lynx. Let's learn more about 13 representatives of the animal kingdom of the ice-covered Arctic Circle.
Wolverine
What comes to mind when you think of wolverine? A ferocious animal similar to a wolf? In fact, these creatures are part of the mustelidae family and are more similar to river otters. Unlike the movie character of the same name, Wolverine does not have retractable metal claws. However, their claws are semi-extendable, but are most often used for digging and climbing.
Hippopotamus dogs are powerful. The large scars that can be clearly seen on almost every bull show what they can do to their relatives. The leading bull's water criterion is protected by loud, grunting or trumpets and fierce fighting. The constant yawning of bulls is an aggressive act, one shows the attacker the size of the teeth and where it lasts for long.
The animals feed almost exclusively on grass, which they tear out with their lips. Up to 30 km at night you can find a hippopotamus. At the same time, it is capable of digging up to 130 kg of plant material. The gestation period is 8 months and the calf is born. The service life is 40 years. By the way, hippos only have four fingers.
Lynx
The lynx is a little-studied feline that is usually small in size. They have long legs and wide paws, which makes it easier to walk in deep snow. Most often they hunt small white hares. In the 1970s, the lynx was considered an extinct species, but later successfully reappeared. Today it is listed as a critically endangered species.
The Nile crocodile lives in many tropical and subtropical areas of South Africa, in river and lake areas and on dams. Since an overgrown crocodile attacks lions, zebras and giraffes, a danger to human life can be inferred. Large crocodiles, about 4 meters long, need prey every 2-3 weeks, smaller specimens, 1.50 meters long, eat once a week. Crocodiles can only move their lower jaw and not chew, so they bite themselves into their prey and rotate on their axis to tear off pieces of meat, which they swallow whole.
little swan
The little swan migrates to Alaska every spring to build a nest and lay eggs. In the fall, this species moves to the northeastern United States along the Atlantic coast.
White hare
Highly corrosive stomach acid and stones, which are ingested by animals as a swim stabilizer up to 5 kg, help in crushing and digesting prey. Although their main hunting time is at dawn or at night, they are dangerous at any time of the day. Your body temperature depends on your environment. To regulate their temperature, crocodiles are often visible with their mouths open. A special membrane in the mouth absorbs the heat of the sun and distributes it through the blood circulation throughout the body. Crocodiles can stay underwater for up to one hour.
Yellow-green eyes have vertical pupils and a special membrane that frees the eyeball from interfering particles. Crocodiles live sociable in large groups. Males have a clearly defined area, while females move between mating and breeding areas. After about 15 years, crocodiles become sexually mature. Up to 80 eggs are usually placed in a 30cm deep cow in October and covered again with sand. A woman protects her eggs from enemies.
These amazing creatures can be found in the northern regions of Alaska, Canada and Greenland. During the winter months, the snowshoe hare's fur turns white, allowing it to camouflage itself against the snow, but in summer it is typically grey-brown in colour.
The mountain hare is not considered a critically endangered species.
Red fox
At this time she did not eat, but only drinks. South Africa's largest terrestrial tortoise that can even swim is the Panther tortoise. She has a parrot-like newborn and is toothless. The anal pouch is constantly filled with water and protects the turtle from dehydration. Therefore, tanks cannot be raised in principle, because in situations of stress and anxiety the water reserve can be depleted. Panther turtles are very free - they are not ashamed to perform a couple of times a day in front of spectators, in which the female eats funny sounds and tears her beak.
The rather bored woman runs out again and again, so the man has to fight pretty hard. The offspring hatches from the eggs. As with crocodiles, incubation temperature determines whether they are female or male. Turtles are known for their long lives. They especially like fruit.
The red fox is by no means unique to the Arctic Circle. In fact, it can be found on every continent in the world except Antarctica. Unfortunately, it is considered dangerous in many ecosystems. In Australia, for example, the red fox was brought by humans in 1855 for the purpose of recreational hunting and quickly took root in the wild. About 150 years later, the species became a threat to large numbers of bird and mammal populations native to Australia.
The jackal is the size of a fox and is found almost everywhere in South Africa, but primarily in the open savannah. The jackal received the double-bite, meaning "saddle", due to the spotted rear color of its brown or black fur. The animals are up to 110 cm long, 38 cm high and heavy - from 6 to 10 kg. Service life - 10 years. Jackals live individually, in pairs or in small groups. The phrase "beaten like a jackal" refers to their intelligence, distinct scent, and cunning hunting behavior. They feed on smaller mammals, carrion, small antelope and plant life.
Belukha
This famous white whale can be found in the icy waters of Alaska, Canada, Greenland and Russia, but the animal's populations in all of these countries are considered endangered.
There are only five populations of this species in Alaska. Cook Inlet's beluga whale population, one of the few resident ones, was recently listed under the U.S. Endangered Species Act.
They often follow the tracks of pursuing lions or other predators. Jackals are native to almost every ecosystem in South Africa. Yours active time after sunset and it is an experience to experience your wolf howling in the African night. The gestation period is 60 days and 1-6 boys.
The striped jackal is distinguished from the Shabrakenchakal mainly by its dark brown fur, which lacks light parts on the neck and belly. The original cover has large brown scales with sharp edges, a small pointed head and powerful hind legs, as well as a long tail. It works on its hind legs and uses its tail as well as its front legs to maintain its balance. Strong claws use it for digging. The teeth are not scaly, but have a long, round and sticky tongue. It can be 140 cm long and live 12 years.
Polar bear
The polar bear is also known as polar bear. These majestic animals are considered an endangered species and are protected by law in many countries. Their diet includes primarily seals, and therefore they live mainly in coastal areas.
The mostly nocturnal animal is a solitary animal and rushes to the ball when danger threatens. The food consists of certain types of ants and termites, whose nests break the scales. The gestation period is 4.5 months, and the young are usually born in winter.
The serval is also a medium-sized cat species that prefers pastures near water. Their light brown fur is covered with black dots and ribbons. There is a white spot on the back of the ears. Cats have a sweet whip and can become very trustworthy in captivity. They reach a length of up to 120 cm and live for about 17 years. Servalians are solitary animals, but are also found in pairs and small families. They are agile but also good climbers. Food consists of small mammals, birds, reptiles and insects.
Caribou
Woodland caribou - a domesticated animal called " reindeer" - can be found in Southern Alaska, Canada, Russia and Greenland. This is the only species of deer in which both males and females have antlers. Caribou are protected under the Endangered Species Act.
Narwhal
Called the “unicorn of the sea” because of the long (sometimes up to 3 meters!) fang protruding from its jaw, this unique Arctic animal can be found in the waters of Greenland and Canada. The hunting and feeding system of narwhals still remains a mystery to scientists, although it is reliably known that the canine is not used for hunting. Their diet consists mainly of squid.
polar owl
Polar owls are the only birds that live year-round in the Arctic and do not migrate. When a snowy owl is fully mature, its feathers are pure white, but owls have gray plumage. The famous Harry Potter animal named Hedwig is a polar owl.
Arctic fox
The Arctic fox can be found in most Arctic ecosystems in the Northern Hemisphere, even in Iceland, where it is the only native land mammal. It appeared in Iceland during the last Ice Age, crossing onto a volcanic island on frozen water. This fox-like species is considered endangered in Scandinavia, where it has been strictly protected for decades.
Great auk
The great auk was a species of penguin and was the first flightless bird of this family. She lived in North Atlantic waters, particularly Canada, and could be found as far away as New England. Hunting of the great auk led to its extinction in the 1800s.
Modern penguins live only in the Southern Hemisphere.
Atlantic deadlock
This memorable creature is related to the extinct great auk described above, but it is alive and well and can be found in Northern Europe, Arctic Circle, parts of Maine, USA, and Newfoundland. This seabird spends most time in the water, diving for fish and squid. On land it can be found in spring and summer during the breeding season.