Almost all children adore encyclopedias about animals; they easily remember information about the habits of exotic animals, and can show the point on the map where unusual animals live. This is how they enrich their horizons with truly broad biological knowledge. Over time, this interest subsides, but the natural world is still amazing and diverse. This means that at any age you can get carried away by the story called “in the animal world.” You can bet that you have not only never seen some of the heroes of this article, but you didn’t even suspect that such specimens were found in nature. And these are not just birds of strange colors or scary insects, the sight of which alone can make you lose consciousness; among the unique animals of our planet are the cutest primates, dolphins with long “noses” and simply gothic crocodiles. And if you organize a hunt for these animals, then only with the prefix “photo”.
So, a selection - The most interesting animals in the world
Proboscis
Photo: The most interesting animals in the world. Proboscis
This beast is not entirely inglorious: it is very photogenic because it has a really significant advantage - its remarkable nose. Such a huge nose does not spoil the monkey: the cute creature makes everyone smile. Proboscis monkeys live on the island of Barneo, which belongs to the Malay archipelago. The potato nose decorates not only males, but also females.
Primates live in forest areas. Their favorite time is the afternoon and evening; during this period they organize a real “movement”, but in the dark and early in the morning they prefer to rest.
Proboscis monkeys do not grow higher than 75 cm; adult individuals weigh about 22 kg. The monkeys' fur is yellowish-brown, sometimes turning white. There is no hair on the reddish-brown muzzle.
Proboscis monkeys, by the way, are excellent swimmers. Not every monkey, to put it mildly, can boast that it can swim 20 m underwater. Moreover, these are the best swimmers among primates. They can also walk vertically: only people, gibbons and, in fact, proboscis monkeys do this. Scientists have not yet understood why they have such a big nose; they agreed that it is simply a symbol of attractiveness. Unfortunately, such charming monkeys are in danger: this is due to active deforestation.
Tarsier
They say about such people: “Haven’t you acted in cartoons?” Indeed, the appearance of this animal literally begs to be shown on the screen. This is also a primate, but very small and completely different from its relatives. The eyeball's body weight is about 160 g. Females are slightly larger than females, their height reaches a maximum of 16 cm (and these are giants). The tarsier fits perfectly in the hand.
What is very big about the tarsier is its long tail - about 30 cm. The animal also has long paws, with which it pushes off. The animal has long fingers on all its paws; they help it quickly and deftly climb branches and trunks.
The tarsier can also turn its head virtually 360 degrees. The animal has large ears compared to its head, which are capable of detecting sounds with a frequency of up to 90 kHz. There are special facial muscles on the tarsier’s face, thanks to which it changes its “facial” expression. This is the oldest animal in the Philippine Islands; they used to be seen in Europe and North America, but the tarsier population is rapidly declining.
Star-nosed
Photo: The most interesting animals in the world. Star-nosed
The name is quite cute, but the beast itself certainly cannot be called handsome. This is a mole that often comes to the surface of the earth. But, of course, this is not its main difference. His pride is his outstanding nose. Actually, it’s not even a nose, but tentacles that grow around a bare oval stigma. This is all shaped like an asterisk.
Only two out of twenty-two rays are motionless, the rest are constantly exploring the world. By the way, thanks to these tentacles, the starfish immediately determines whether the food is fit for consumption.
His life is a constant digging of underground passages, some of them lead to the so-called “rest chambers”, some to a reservoir. In general, one can call the starfish an excellent logistician.
Tasmanian devil
Photo: The most interesting animals in the world. Tasmanian devil
Sometimes it is also called the marsupial devil. The mammal received such an outrageous nickname for the heartbreaking screams it makes at night. The Tasmanian devil also has a mouth with large teeth; it loves to tear meat with its sharp fangs, which also does not add to its cuteness.
The marsupial devil itself is like a dog or a small bear: if you don’t open your mouth, then there’s nothing terrible, in general. Males are larger than females, the former weighing about 12 kg. In reality, the Tasmanian devil is scary. Its appearance is deceptive for the time being: one bite and the victim’s skull and spine are bitten.
The marsupial devil lives in Tasmania. Tasmanian devils used to live in Australia, but it seems that dingoes exterminated these animals. In front it has a fold of skin where the animal can carry its young. It is interesting that the female has only 4 nipples, and the offspring is huge - 30 babies, so nature itself adjusts the number of scavenger animals.
Red panda
Photo: The most interesting animals in the world. Red panda
Otherwise known as a fire cat or a bear cat. Actually, the rare animal does not particularly resemble a cat: it is larger, the head is large, the tail is wide, the paws are strong and powerful. What the red panda can rightfully boast of is its unusual color. The coat is unevenly colored, darker underneath, red or hazel on top. The paws are black, the head is light with a white border along the edges.
It is also interesting that absolutely every panda has its own muzzle color. It is impossible to find two identical pandas - and in this they are undoubtedly unique beauties.
In the photo, these are absolute cuties whose fluffy fur just makes you want to stroke them. In life they are quite peaceful, however, if they need to fight for their place in the sun, pandas can behave aggressively. Animals are nocturnal: during the day they prefer to relax and soak up the sun. They like to sleep in a hollow, curled up into a ball, covered with a gorgeous tail. These are very interesting animals: they even have their own language, somewhat reminiscent of the chirping of birds.
Sloth
Photo: The most interesting animals in the world. Sloth
If there was a competition on planet Earth for the cutest animal, the sloth would definitely be on the list of finalists. This charming animal from the order of incomplete teeth will probably make even the most serious person in the world smile.
A distinctive feature of the sloth, in addition to its attractive face, is two (or three, depending on who you choose) hook-shaped fingers. The animal reaches half a meter and weighs very little - 4-6 kg. The fur is brown-gray. The sloth's limbs are long, but its head is simply tiny. Thanks to his tenacious fingers, he attaches himself anywhere, hangs, swings, crawls, jumps.
Animals are truly unique: for example, their teeth do not have roots or enamel, but are so smooth that it is surprising where nature gets such precise patterns. True, two-toed sloths have two separate fangs. Its organs are arranged in a mirror image, and all because the sloth often hangs with its back down. They are very clean, mobile, active, tenacious. Sloths also have the strongest immunity.
Aardvark
Photo: The most interesting animals in the world. Aardvark
From a cute sloth to a not so cute aardvark. This beast is very strange, if you have read the Moomin saga by Tove Janson, you probably remember the character Sniff. So the aardvark is the spitting image of Sniff. Just absolutely smooth.
Nature played a joke on the poor fellow: the aardvark does not look very cute, but by nature it is a peace-loving, calm animal. His head looks like a gas mask with a pig snout, his ears are very large, reminiscent of a donkey. In some ways, the aardvark is similar to the anteater, but they are not related at all. He has 20 teeth, without enamel and roots, they grow throughout his life. In Africa, the animal was nicknamed the earth pig.
The aardvark is timid: when it sees a large animal or person, it immediately buries itself in the ground. During the day they are passive - they simply bask in the sun or sleep in their burrows. They get their food at night, they have a good sense of smell, and aardvarks are capable of moving over long distances.
Leafy Sea Dragon
Photo: The most interesting animals in the world. Leafy Sea Dragon
It is also more poetically called the sea pegasus. This animal has truly fantastic plumage. Greenish transparent fins cover its body and sway under the influence of water. Its amazing structure is only a practical necessity, as the animal disguises itself as algae in order to survive.
For all its apparent defenselessness, the sea dragon is a true predator. He loves to eat shrimp and small fish. The dragon has no teeth, and therefore simply sucks its prey. At the same time, in a literal sense without fish, a dragon can suck in garbage and even algae.
It is also a very “advanced” animal. The cubs are carried by males in a special pouch. That is, the female simply lays eggs in this bag, and everything else is the responsibility of the father. Fair distribution family responsibilities, what can we say.
Rhinopithecus
Photo: The most interesting animals in the world. Rhinopithecus
It is a prominent member of the marmoset family. And prominent is a word that vividly defines the animal. This is a large monkey, females of which can reach 35 kg. Otherwise, the animal is called the Chinese snub-nosed monkey.
For a naturalist, this primate is simply beautiful. The eyes are huge, the nose is upturned, the fur is light and bright. In fact, they have practically no nose, which is why the muzzle looks flat. But since rhinopithecus live in a harsh climate, the lack of a long nose is justified, otherwise they would still freeze it.
Rhinopithecus spends most of its life in trees. The cubs are raised by both parents. Handsome people live in Chinese forests. Looking at them, it seems that the monkeys have bright masks on their faces - blue, bluish, yellowish. It even looks like their lips and eyebrows are painted. But no, this is the natural “face” of a monkey - this is how nature created it. But looking at this imitation of makeup, there is less and less doubt that man descended from a monkey.
Giant salamander
Photo: The most interesting animals in the world. Giant salamander
The Japanese (giant) salamander is, as some joke, a cousin of the chupacabra. An adult reaches 27 kg, which is a huge weight for an amphibian. Its body is covered with mucus, its head is flattened on top. The salamander has warty skin with fringes on the sides. The length of this monster (how else can I say it?) can reach 175 cm. It lives in Japan, in mountain rivers and streams with cool, clean water.
The salamander is nocturnal. Hunts insects, fish, amphibians and crayfish. Their vision is terrible, but their sense of smell is simply phenomenal. The salamander molts several times a year, and it can eat small particles of its own skin.
By the way, salamander meat is a real delicacy. Animals are also used to make medicines, and these drugs treat consumption, diseases of the digestive system, etc. Today, the giant salamander is on the verge of extinction.
Galago
Photo: The most interesting animals in the world. Galago
This is an African primate, which can also be called a cutie. Big eyes, round ears - the nocturnal animal is also quite emotional. His ears can curl into a tube: so if, after your stories, your friend’s ears curl up into a tube, as he himself says, check if he is a galago. In fact, such a rare skill helps the animal keep its ears intact: by making its way through foliage and thorny branches, there is no other way to save them.
Galago has become domesticated today. Yes, although this animal will be expensive, some people would not mind having such a pet. It leaves no fur, no dirt, no noise, and is not aggressive. But, for example, if you accidentally get crushed by the refrigerator door. And if you frighten a galago, it can scratch the weight. But this is not from aggression, but from the desire to protect oneself.
Tibetan fox
Photo: The most interesting animals in the world. Tibetan fox
And this is the smallest fox. It does not grow higher than 70 cm, while the fox’s tail is long – almost half a meter. The animal weighs almost 5 kg. The fox is very small, and only its fluffiness makes it, one might say, more or less like a fox.
Her fur coat is luxurious, warm, even with down. Clothes help her endure both the fierce cold and the unbearable heat.
What you will definitely remember about the Tibetan fox is its unusual head. The fur on it grows so that it seems as if the animal has a square head. And this strange head has very narrow eyes. This portrait is complemented by sharp ears. The fox has an imperturbable, calm appearance, in a word, a true inhabitant of Tibet.
An unusual fox lives for 10 years. But even this age is not allowed to reach her by a person. Foxes are killed mainly for their fur, although it is not particularly valuable. It turns out that, due to the will of the human factor, the fox lives two times shorter than expected: about 5 years.
Amazonian dolphin
Photo: The most interesting animals in the world. Amazonian dolphin
A rare selection that describes Interesting Facts about animals, does without this character - the Amazonian dolphin. By the way, this animal has a brain 40% larger than a human brain. He moves his head 180 degrees perfectly.
What makes it unique? Outwardly, it differs from its brothers. He is even called the big-nosed miracle. The dolphin's muzzle and tail are narrow. The beak is even slightly curved. These nose-nosed whales live only in Latin America.
They are excellent at maneuvering while swimming, and would be offended if you called them slow. There is a stereotype that is unfair for Amazonian dolphins. They are not slow, they just don’t have the need to swim quickly.
Let us remember that dolphins are mammals - the female feeds the dolphin cubs with milk for up to a year (almost like in humans). Nosalises can get used to people, but they cannot be trained. In captivity, these animals are aggressive, so they cannot live in aquariums.
Gavial
Photo: The most interesting animals in the world. Gavial
Another miracle of nature - there’s no other way to say it. They also call him a guest from the past. This is a venerable crocodile that looks like a mythological animal. Gharials live in fast rivers with deep currents. It is difficult for them to move on land - they are not adapted for this.
The gharial's jaw is three times as long as it is wide. There are almost a hundred teeth in the crocodile's mouth. Long-snouts feed mainly on fish, but they do not disdain carrion. They don't attack living people.
The gharial has a soft tissue appendage on its snout. This is a resonator, thanks to which it can make a loud buzzing sound.
purple frog
Photo: The most interesting animals in the world. purple frog
This “beauty” lives in India, and certainly bears little resemblance to her more common relatives. And it's not just about color. It is very round, the head is small compared to the body of the purple frog. She lives only underground. They need a moist environment because housing issue The purple frog decides this way - it digs itself a deep hole, and goes underground one and a half to three meters or even more.
The frog feeds mainly on termites - it simply cannot swallow other insects. But it can be easily reached: its small, sharp muzzle can fit anywhere. The frog's vision is poor, but its sense of touch is amazing: it easily gets its food.
Okapi (forest giraffe)
Photo: The most interesting animals in the world. Okapi
No one can say how many okapi live in the wild. They live in the plains tropical forests. At the same time, okapi resemble both a giraffe and a zebra. The stripes on their legs make them invisible in the forest. The animal leads a diurnal lifestyle.
Forest giraffes feed on leaves, shoots, and buds. Some plants found in the forest are toxic. Therefore, there is an opinion that okapi eat coal from burned forest trees: they say it serves as an antidote for them. Okapi will also not refuse to feast on mushrooms, fruits and ferns.
They do not like to live in groups; even females and males meet together only during the mating season. Forest giraffes live up to 33 years.
Sifaka
Photo: The most interesting animals in the world. Sifaka
A resident of Madagascar, who would be correctly called a prosimian, lives in rain forests, is awake during the day, and lives in family groups. Unlike the same forest giraffe, not a big supporter of family values, Sifaku can be called an excellent family man.
There is an opinion that if you are walking around Madagascar and a sifaka appears on your way, it means good sign. You are going the right way - that’s what the sifaka wants to say. But this is only a belief, but what is known for sure is that this animal is very cute and touching. Local residents also claim that sifaka is an excellent healer. He alone knows how to find unique leaves that miraculously heal wounds.
Cream, white, black, orange - these animals can be different in color. The length of a sifaka's tail is equal to the length of its body. They are also simply outstanding jumpers: he will not even falter from the risky flight, which will impress any spectator. They are surprisingly flexible and photogenic: if you admire the animals in the photo, an association with ballet steps or even beautiful martial arts will clearly come to mind. That's right, what interesting animals!
Herbivore Dracula
Photo: The most interesting animals in the world. Herbivore Dracula
From the adorable sifaka to the not-so-cute herbivore Dracula. This is a South American relative bats. To be honest, he no longer looks like a mouse, but like an angry monkey. The animal has a leathery growth on its muzzle, which does not at all give it any charm. But this seems like a deformity to us, but in the world of relatives, such a growth is assessed as a factor of sexual attractiveness.
During the day they visit dark places, gorges, and hide in ficus trees. They eat berries, seeds, fruits. In principle, there is nothing so terrible that it suggests appearance, you can’t say about the herbivorous Dracula. But those huge bulging eyes and smiling mouth make the animal look terrifying.
Water deer
Photo: The most interesting animals in the world. Water deer
At first glance, this is an ordinary deer - nothing remarkable, nothing unique. Small tail, short hair, sparse undercoat. But this is only at first glance! Sharp saber-shaped fangs of about 6 cm protrude from the animal's mouth. A deer is like a deer, but with such fangs a quite cute animal becomes like a vampire.
Water deer live along the banks of swamps and rivers, feeding on grass, leaves and shoots. In the fight for the female, they organize real duels, and then they literally tear apart the opponent with their fangs. They live in Korea and China, but you can easily see water deer in zoos around the world. Looking at an animal, you wonder how nature manages to combine seemingly incompatible things. But there is nothing accidental about it.
Belttail
Photo: The most interesting animals in the world. Belttail
Another animal that seems to have come straight out of an illustration for fairy tales and myths. The reptile is distinguished by the fact that its entire body is covered with large scales, and on its back it is especially hard, like a shell. But on the belly the scales are thin, so this place on the belt-tail is really vulnerable. Towards the end of the tail, the scales run in circles along the rim of the body, thus creating peculiar belts with spikes.
Yes, the belt-tail is very reminiscent of a fairy-tale dragon. Animals live in groups, with two or three females for each male. They protect themselves from predators in a very unique way: small belt-tailed fish can curl up into a ring and bite their tail with such force that it is impossible to unhook it. The predator is simply unable to cope with this spiked ring.
sun bear
Photo: The most interesting animals in the world. sun bear
Otherwise, this bear is also called a honey bear. This animal does not hibernate, and therefore reproduces at any time of the year. They live for 30 years; a female can give birth to two babies per year. But this is not even what makes the sun bear interesting: it is not fluffy, not shaggy, but smooth. The dark bear with a yellow muzzle in the photo is just charming, unless it growls.
This is a real bear: in the sense that it loves honey very much. He has the most powerful jaws - with them the bear can even break coconuts. The animal has long and powerful claws, thanks to which it climbs trees well. And to extract honey and termites, the bear uses a long, agile tongue. The sun bear cannot boast of good eyesight, but his keen sense of smell does not let him down.
Mandarin duck
Photo: The most interesting animals in the world. Mandarin duck
Interesting animals of Russia are a special chapter of the world encyclopedia of animals. And how can one not remember the picturesque Mandarin duck? Green, red, orange, beige feathers – this duck is just so beautiful. It can be seen on the Amur, on Sakhalin, in the Khabarovsk Territory. True, these beauties fly to warmer climes for the winter.
This duck is a great teacher in the animal world. Her cubs become independent very early. No matter how high the nest is, they will jump out of there themselves. In this case there are no injuries. But what, or rather, from whom they suffer, is from wild animals. Because of the latter, the population of mandarin ducks is declining.
Amur leopard
Photo: The most interesting animals in the world. Amur leopard
If you think that leopards are only an African heritage, you are mistaken. A beautiful Amur leopard lives in the Russian Far East. It is also often called the Amur leopard.
This is a solitary animal that prefers a nocturnal lifestyle. In summer, his coat is bright, juicy, rich, and lighter in winter. In summer, the leopard's fur is no more than 2.5 cm, and in winter the fur coat becomes thicker - 7 cm. In captivity, the Amur leopard's belly is about 20 years old, in the wild - about 5 years less.
The animal is constantly hunted illegally. It is destroyed for the sake of valuable, beautiful fur. The leopard also feeds on deer. And since humans exterminate deer, this also affects the quality of the leopard’s diet and its survival. The animal is also on the verge of extinction.
Panda Ant
Photo: The most interesting animals in the world. Panda Ant
I would like to finish the list of unique inhabitants of the planet that are truly worthy of immortalization in the animated genre of the panda-ant. This insect is distinguished by its black and white color, which is why they resemble a panda. The insect is also called the velvet ant, since its body is covered with hairs.
But the cute ant is not so pleasant to deal with: it has a powerful toxin in its arsenal, which can kill even a cow in a few bites. They can resist their enemies; over the course of their evolution, panda ants have learned to defend themselves.
And this is only a small part of the amazing creatures that inhabit the planet. Studying them, examining them, getting to know them is a fascinating activity that can become a hobby for both children and adults.
The concept of animals includes the totality of all multicellular, eukaryotic organisms of the Animal Kingdom living on our planet. The animal world includes both wild and domesticated animals. Man is also in the natural taxonomy of fauna.
Animals can be divided into and. Vertebrates have a vertebra or spinal column, and they number less than 3% of all described faunal species. They include: fish, amphibians, reptiles, birds and mammals. The remaining animals are invertebrates, which are characterized by the absence of a backbone. These include: shellfish (mussels, oysters, octopus, squid, snails); arthropods (centipedes, insects, spiders, scorpions, crabs, lobsters, shrimp); ringed ( earthworms, leeches), nematodes, flatworms (tapeworms), cnidarians (jellyfish, sea anemones, corals), ctenophores and sponges. The study of animals is a science called.
Evolution of the animal world
Animal evolution is defined as: the gradual process by which a living organism becomes more complex (changes into a more complex or better form) in response to . The theory of animal evolution is currently the most popular concept of how the animal kingdom reached its current state.
In fact, the evolution of animals is accompanied by many contradictions and has several important components: natural selection, macroevolution and microevolution.
Natural selection is the mechanism that drives evolution. It forces animals to adapt to change environment. Some evidence of natural selection has been seen in the nature of the world, but not to a degree that would change the species in any meaningful way. Every genetic mutation that science has observed, including changes in the form or function of an organism, has resulted in decreased fitness in certain environments or even death. This means that the ecosystem is vulnerable to rapid change, since organisms that cannot adapt usually die.
Nobody questions the existence of microevolution. Wolves, coyotes, dingoes, jackals, foxes and hundreds of different breeds of dogs are known to have had a common ancestor. These are variations among different species within the same canid family, rather than upward evolution from a simple to a complex organism, as Darwin's theory of evolution suggests. Change is always in a downward trend and is limited by the genetic code (dogs do not grow wings or learn to fly). No new genetic information is added, it is always lost: the original canid ancestor had all the characteristics of the various descendants, while the descendants themselves lost the same potential. Canids split into many species, which in turn became isolated gene pools.
While microevolution is well observed and documented, macroevolution is highly controversial. Macroevolution is the transition from one animal species to another. It involves large or important changes in the body's major functions. This cannot happen during the life of a single organism, but is the result of a series of genetic mutations. Every genetic mutation associated with a form or a specific function observed in laboratories was either fatal (crippling) or self-reversing. Macroevolution is the evolutionist explanation of how the billions of different species on Earth came into being - variation from one species to another.
Evolution as a basic mechanism of biology has some serious shortcomings. The vast majority of animals are forced to suffer rather than benefit from mutations. The balance of the earth's ecosystems, including the relationships between animal species, is almost impossible to explain under the ever-changing view of evolution. In fact, evolution is no different from other philosophical or religious views about the origin of life. It can be confirmed by some facts and refuted by others. There are gaps in the theory that are filled with “assumptions.”
Characteristics of animals
The fauna has several features that distinguish its representatives from other living beings. Animals are eukaryotic and multicellular, which separates them from bacteria and most protozoa. They are heterotrophs: as a rule, food digestion occurs in the gastrointestinal tract, and this feature is not found in plants and algae. In addition, they differ from plants, algae and fungi in the absence of rigid cell walls. All animals are mobile, at least at certain stages of life. In most species, embryos go through the blastula stage, which is unique to animals.
Multicellularity
Animals, by definition, are multicellular creatures, although the number of cells varies greatly between species. (For example, a roundworm Caenorhabditis elegans, which is widely used in biological experiments, consists of exactly 1031 cells, no more and no less, while a person consists of trillions of cells). However, it is important to understand that animals are not the only multicellular organisms; this feature is also found in plants, fungi, and even some types of algae.
Structure of a eukaryotic cell
Perhaps the most important schism in the history of life on Earth is the differences observed between cells. Prokaryotic organisms lack cell nuclei and any membrane-bound organelles, and are exclusively unicellular; for example, all bacteria are prokaryotes. In contrast, eukaryotic cells have well-defined nuclei and internal organelles (such as mitochondria), and are able to group together to form multicellular organisms. Although all animals are eukaryotes, not all eukaryotes are animals: this extremely diverse group also includes tiny marine animals.
Specialized fabrics
One of the most remarkable features of animals is their specialized tissues. They include: nervous, connective, muscle and epithelial tissues. More advanced organisms exhibit even more specific levels of differentiation; for example, the various organs of our body are made up of liver cells, pancreatic cells, and dozens of other varieties. (Exceptions are sponges, which are technically animals but have virtually no differentiated cells.)
Sexual reproduction
Most animals engage in sexual reproduction: two individuals share a specific set of genetically determined traits (determining sex) through which the individuals combine their genetic information and produce offspring that carry the DNA of both parents. (Exclusion warning: There are animals, including some species of sharks, that reproduce asexually.) The advantages of sexual reproduction are enormous from an evolutionary point of view: the ability to test different combinations of genomes allows animals to quickly adapt to new ones, and therefore there is a violation of competition with asexuals organisms. Yet again, sexual reproduction is not limited to animals: this method is also found in various plants, fungi and even some very promising bacteria!
Blastula stage of development
When a male's sperm meets a female's egg, the result is single cell, called a zygote; After the zygote goes through several rounds of division, the morula stage begins. Only true animals experience the next stage: the formation of a blastula, when a hollow ball of several cells appears surrounding an internal cavity of fluid. Once the cells are enclosed in the blastula, they begin to differentiate into different types specialized tissues as described above.
Motor skills (ability to move around)
Fish swim, birds fly, dogs run, snails and snakes crawl - all animals are capable of movement at some stage of their life. life cycle. This evolutionary innovation allows animals to more easily conquer new ecological niches, pursue prey, and evade predators. (Yes, some animals, such as sponges and corals, are virtually motionless when they are fully grown, but their larvae are able to move around before they take root on the seafloor.) This is one of the key features that
Heterotrophy (ability to absorb food)
All living things require organic carbon for the functioning of basic life processes, including growth, development and reproduction. There are two ways to obtain carbon: from the environment (in the form of carbon dioxide, a freely available gas in the atmosphere) or by consuming other carbon-rich organisms. Living organisms that obtain carbon from the environment, such as plants, are called , while animals obtain carbon by ingesting other living organisms and are called heterotrophs. However, representatives of the fauna are not the only heterotrophs in the world; they include: all fungi, many and even some plants, at least partially.
Perfect nervous system
Have you ever seen a magnolia bush with eyes or a talking mushroom? Of all the organisms on Earth, only mammals are advanced enough to have more or less acute senses, including vision, hearing, taste, smell, balance and touch (not to mention the echolocation of dolphins and bats, or the ability of some fish and sharks sense magnetic impulses in the water using their “lateral lines”). These feelings, of course, entail the existence of at least an elementary nervous system(like insects and starfish), and the most advanced animals have fully developed brains - perhaps this is one of the key features that truly sets animals apart from the rest.
Size and habitat
Animals can come in a variety of sizes, from microscopic, such as plankton, to gigantic, such as blue whale. They inhabit virtually every habitat on the planet, from the poles to the tropics and from mountain peaks to the deep, dark ocean waters.
Classification of the animal world
In order for us to understand how all living organisms are related to each other, they were organized into different groups. The more features a group of animals shares, the more specific it is. Animals are given scientific names so that people around the world can identify them, no matter what language they speak (these names are traditionally represented in the Latin alphabet).
Kingdom
All living organisms are first placed into different kingdoms. There are five different kingdoms for classifying life on Earth: animals, plants, fungi, bacteria and protists (single-celled organisms).
Type
The animal kingdom is divided into 40 small groups known as phyla. Here the animals are grouped according to their main characteristics. Each animal typically falls into one of different types, which include:
- (Chordata);
- (Arthropoda);
- (Mollusca);
- (Echinodermata);
- (Cnidaria);
- (Annelida):
- (Porifera) etc.
Class
The type is then divided into even smaller groups known as classes. For example, the type of chordates ( Chordata), vertebrate subphylum ( Vertebrata) is divided into: mammals ( Mammalia), ray-finned fish ( Actinopterygii), cartilaginous fish ( Chondrichthyes), birds ( Aves), amphibians or amphibians ( Amphibia), reptiles or reptiles ( Reptilia) etc.
Squad
Each class is again divided into small groups called squads. Mammal class ( Mammalia) is divided into different sections including: predators ( Carnivora), primates ( Primate), artiodactyls ( Artiodactyla), rodents ( Rodentia) etc.
Family
Within each order there are different families of animals that share very similar traits. For example, the order is divided into families, which include: felines ( Felidae), canids ( Canidae), bearish ( Ursidae), kunitsevs ( Mustelidae) etc.
Genus
Each animal family is then divided into small groups known as genera. Each genus contains animals that have very similar traits and are closely related. For example, ( Felidae) includes such genera as: cats ( Felis) (including domestic cats); panthers ( Panthera) ( , And ); cougars ( Puma) (jaguarundis and pumas), etc.
View
Every separate species in the genus is named after its individual characteristics and characteristics. Animal names are used in Latin so that they can be understood throughout the world and consist of two words. The first word in the name of the animal will be the genus, and the second will be the specific species.
Example - Tiger
- Kingdom: Animals ( Animalia);
- Type: Chordata ( Chordata);
- Class: Mammals ( Mammalia);
- Squad: Predators ( Carnivora);
- Family: Felines ( Felidae);
- Genus: Panthers ( Panthera);
- Species: Tiger ( Panthera tigris).
How many species of animals are there on Earth?
Our planet has become home to a huge number of fauna. However, it is quite difficult to accurately estimate the number of animals. This is due to the fact that not all groups of animals received enough attention. For example, birds are the most studied group, while nematodes are considered poorly studied. The size of individuals and habitat also affect the possibility of detailed study.
According to researchers, there are from 3 to 30 million species of animals in the world, with about 97% being invertebrates (insects are the largest group of invertebrates), and 3% are vertebrates (the most famous of which are mammals, amphibians, reptiles, fish and birds).
Fauna of the continents
Animals of Australia
Australia is home to about 10% of our planet's biodiversity, making it one of the world's richest countries in terms of fauna. Almost 80% of the mainland's animals are endemic, meaning they are found nowhere else in the world.
Animals of Asia
black-backed tapir
Asia is the largest part of the world in terms of area, in which various natural areas- from hot deserts to harsh ones. There are different conditions for the habitat of different species of animals, but they are subject to serious threats from humanity.
Animals of Antarctica
Emperor penguin
Antarctica is the coldest and most inhospitable part of the world. However, even here you can meet representatives of the animal world, which in most cases are migratory, since living conditions here are difficult throughout the year.
Animals of Africa
African elephant
A large continent through which the equator passes. It influences the diversity and fauna. Many endemic species of mammals, reptiles, amphibians, birds and invertebrates can be found on the mainland.
Animals of Europe
Brown bear
Animal world Europe is not as rich as other parts of the world. This is due to the fact that most of the continent is in temperate climatic zone, which does not contribute to significant biological diversity.
Animals of North America
Nine-banded armadillo
The continent of North America is located in the northern part of the Western Hemisphere. The fauna of the mainland, like its one, has significant similarities with Europe. Nevertheless, there are certain differences and features of the animal world North America, characterizing the fauna of the continent.
Animals of South America
Giant anteater
Animal world South America includes hundreds of thousands of species. This is due to the fact that the continent has different natural and climatic zones - from glaciers to deserts. Many representatives of the continent's fauna are endemic and are not found anywhere else in the world.
The role of the animal world
The importance of fauna in human life and nature is truly enormous. It's hard to imagine a world without animals. From dogs and cats to bees and butterflies, the Animal Kingdom contains millions of species. Even people belong to this group. The life of every living creature depends on some factors, and since animals form such large group, their value seems invaluable.
Ecological significance
Every form of life plays an important role on Earth. For example, carnivores are a natural way of controlling the herbivore population in and. If there were no predators, then the population of these artiodactyls could grow so much that they would destroy a significant area of forests and grasslands in an attempt to feed themselves. In the same way, scavengers clear the ground of decaying carcasses.
Economic significance
The silkworm is a phylum of arthropods in the Animal Kingdom. Silkworm silk (and in some cases man-made fibers) supports the silk industry, which has an annual commercial value of $200-500 million. The dairy, wool, leather and fishing industries not only provide employment to millions of people, but also satisfy a number of human needs.
The nutritional value
Meat is an important source of proteins, which are the building blocks of the cells of our body. Cow's milk acts as an important source of proteins, carbohydrates, fats, vitamins and minerals such as calcium, potassium and magnesium. Honey produced by bees not only has a pleasant taste, but also high nutritional value. It contains 80% carbohydrates, less than 20% water, and the rest consists of vitamins, minerals and trace elements.
Pollinators
Bees, the bats and birds are important pollinators, responsible for pollinating approximately 35% of the crops that provide human food. Without these pollinators, the world's population would face severe food shortages.
Other uses
Medical research is one area in which animals play an important role. Dogs, monkeys and mice have been used as animal models in the discovery of insulin, polio and rabies vaccines. Cosmetics are also tested on certain animals before they are put on the market. This use of animals in research may seem cruel. However, animals have played an important role in the development of medicines and treatments for humans, and steps are being taken to stop deliberate cruelty towards our little brothers. Some animals also act as companions for people with disabilities. Dogs are high on the list of service animals for the blind, elderly, and physically challenged.
Wildlife protection
Animals in danger
About 100 years ago, most of the planet was inhabited by animals that had no contact with humans at all. However, with the development of technology and the ever-increasing need for materials such as wood, there are now few areas in the world that are inaccessible to people. Due to the expansion of the human population, both the natural habitats of many animals and the representatives themselves are disappearing. wildlife. This problem has devastating consequences and many species of fauna are forced to rely on human help to survive. The human introduction of certain animal species into remote areas has a huge impact on the environment. In many parts of the world, the introduction of domestic animals such as cats, dogs and goats has a detrimental effect on local flora and fauna.
IUCN Red List
International Union for Conservation of Nature and natural resources(IUCN) was founded by the United Nations in the 1940s to monitor the condition of all living organisms on Earth. Part of his work is to compile the Red List of Threatened Species, which draws on information submitted by thousands of scientists from around the world. Today, the Red List shows that endangered species are often found in the same corner of the world. Areas of Southeast Asia, East Africa and South America suffered the most due to uncontrolled, which led to a decline in the population of numerous species of fauna.
Animal protection
Many species of animals around the world are subject to serious trapping and hunting. Governments are encouraged to engage in campaigns to ban hunting of certain species. Long drift nets have been used for mass fisheries in the open ocean, but have resulted in the death of many other animals, including sea turtles, whales, seals and dolphins. To prevent this from happening, the United Nations has now banned the dumping of these nets into the ocean. In order to discourage the poaching of endangered animals (usually for their body parts), laws are now in place to prohibit the trade. Body parts of endangered animals such as tigers, seahorses, etc. are found in markets traditional medicine, in the eastern countries of the world.
Habitat protection
Animals depend on their natural habitats for survival, including finding enough food and... The best way to preserve the world's fauna is to protect habitats, as many animals today are becoming extinct due to habitat loss, including deforestation in forests, and climate change leading to melting ice in the polar regions. A number of areas of jungle, wetlands and coastal areas have been designated as nature reserves to try to protect the species that live there.
Breeding in captivity
Breeding in captivity can be effective way restore endangered populations. Although breeding can be successful, it is not The best way conserve certain species because it requires significant human resources. For breeding to be effective, it must occur naturally, without direct assistance of people.
Call for help for animals
One of the biggest problems with conservation is that it is economically expensive. Many people are not interested in donating their money to something that does not bring immediate results. However, in many countries around the world, more and more more people They begin to take care of the animal from various organizations, however, unfortunately, not all species are able to generate positive emotions, so some representatives of the fauna end up receiving less help than others.
CITES
The Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species of Wild Fauna and Flora (CITES) was created to control the movement of species and their parts through international borders. CITES has been signed by more than 120 countries and completely prohibits trade in many animals and plants.
1 slide
GBOU TsO No. 1486 Project work Animal world
2 slide
Purpose of the work The subject of research in my work is animals, their development and their young. Save the animal world from enemies of nature.
3 slide
What is Animal World? The animal world is a world ruled by animals. Currently, a huge number of both adults and children are very interested in life and habits!
4 slide
Getting to know cats. Felines live all over the world. The largest representatives include 1. Tigers 2. lions 3. jaguars 4. leopards 5. Snow leopards 6. pumas 7. cheetahs.
5 slide
Who is taller? Felines can be very tall. The tiger is the tallest! 1. Tigers = 100 – 120 cm 2. Pumas = 65 – 80 cm 3. Lynx (red) = 40 – 60 cm 4. Domestic cat = 25 – 35 cm
6 slide
White tigers. The birth of albinos occurs almost everywhere and tigers are no exception. White fur and red eyes are caused by a small amount of pigment, which is responsible for color. Many albinos are found among rabbits, mice and rats.
7 slide
Platypuses. Platypuses not only look funny, but are simply a treasure trove of interesting features and exceptions to general rules animals.
8 slide
Platypuses. These small animals are the only mammals that have developed electroreception, i.e. the ability to perceive electrical signals from the environment. For example, under water, platypuses have neither hearing, nor vision, nor smell, but their electroreceptors
Slide 9
Saber-toothed tigers Life on Earth is constantly changing. The ancient giants, dinosaurs, and the huge, shaggy mammoths went extinct. The cat family has also undergone significant changes over the long centuries on our planet. Let's take a step back in time to see a cat that will give you goosebumps. Who is this? The legendary saber-tooth tiger.
10 slide
Saber-toothed tigers Saber-toothed tiger, or, in Latin, mahairod, is a genus of extinct mammals of the cat family, distinctive feature which had impressive upper fangs that stuck out menacingly, even when the beast's mouth was closed.
11 slide
Prehistoric times Giant bones, sometimes found in the ground, were considered in antiquity to be the remains of heroes of the era Trojan War, in the Middle Ages and up to the 19th century. - the remains of the giants mentioned in the Bible and who died during the global flood; in the Far East they were considered dragon bones and were credited with healing properties.
12 slide
Dinosaurs The discovery of a well-preserved hadrosaur skeleton in the United States in 1858 overturned the idea of dinosaurs as four-legged animals, showing that dinosaurs could walk on two legs.
Slide 13
Order Callopods Order Callopods Until recently, these animals were considered artiodactyls, but recent research has shown that callosopods are so unique that they should be distinguished in a separate order.
Description of the presentation by individual slides:
1 slide
Slide description:
2 slide
Slide description:
Animals are one of the most important components of nature, its most mobile part. Plants and animals are closely related to each other - a specific plant community corresponds to a certain type of animal world. Animals have adapted to a wide variety of living conditions, including such extreme ones as deserts and highlands. About 130 thousand species of animals live in Russia, which is almost 8% of the entire world fauna. The placement of wildlife is subject to law geographical zonation. Russia is a country with a vast territory, and therefore a rich wildlife
3 slide
Slide description:
On the islands of the Arctic Ocean, the vast majority of Arctic animals belong to sea creatures. These are seals, cetaceans, walruses. Their food is mollusks, crustaceans, fish (cod). In the summer, guillemots, guillemots, razorbills, cormorants, and puffins fly here. Arctic foxes and crows feed on the remains of polar bears' prey. Musk oxen live on Wrangel Island. Desert landscape. New Earth. Arctic fox Walrus Polar bears Seal cub
4 slide
Slide description:
Tundra landscape of Taimyr The thick fur of animals and the thick plumage of birds inhabiting the tundra allows them to survive cold winters. These include lemmings, arctic foxes, reindeer, snowy owls, ptarmigan, and crows. Rare birds can be found here - pink gull, white crane (Siberian crane), white-headed goose, red-breasted goose. Ptarmigan Lemming Snowy owl Reindeer
5 slide
Slide description:
sable moose WOLF SQUIRREL CHIPMUNK BEAR ERMINE Taiga Woodpecker Hoodie CROW GRACE GRACE GRACE NONER Brown bear, elk, deer, flying squirrel, chipmunk, wood grouse, hazel grouse, wolf, fox, wolverine, hare, ermine, sable, raven, tit, duck – goldeneye waders, owl – sparrow, hawk owl, nutcracker, tit.
6 slide
Slide description:
Under the shelter of large trees, elk and wild boar, roe deer and hare, squirrel, badger, fox, marten, weasel, ermine, and ferret find protection and food. There are a lot of birds, but in winter their numbers and species composition are greatly reduced, as many of them fly south. Rare guests were lynx, wolf, Brown bear. IN last years The river beaver and raccoon dog acclimatized here. Boar Mink Fox Raccoon dog Elk Beaver Hedgehog Mountain hare Lynx Great tit
7 slide
Slide description:
Tiger Kharza marten Sable Amur badger Deer Mole Natural conditions The monsoon mixed forests of the Far East are very favorable for the life of many animals. The abundance of various food, warm and humid summers attract here typical Siberian taiga animals: hazel grouse, squirrel, sable, chipmunk, as well as species from more southern regions - China and India. These include the Ussuri tiger, black bear, marten - marten, Far Eastern forest cat, deer, raccoon dog, pheasant, mandarin duck
8 slide
Slide description:
Porcupine Bison SUBTROPICAL. FORESTS OF THE NORTH CAUCASUS. IN Caucasus region inhabited by mountain goats, Caucasian deer, porcupines, leopards, hyenas, bears, as well as a large number of reptiles.
Slide 9
Slide description:
Fauna of the steppes: ground squirrels, bobbacks. voles, jerboas, small rodents. Birds include lark, steppe eagle, harrier, bustard, and little bustard. jerboa ferret vole gopher Steppe eagle Steppe eagle Bustard Bustard
10 slide
Slide description:
Forest-steppe beam. Belgorod region. Here live: beaver, wild boar, brown hare, elk, wolf, raccoon dog, badger, otter, squirrel, muskrat, fox, weasel, ferret, roe deer, sika deer. Among the birds - bustard, gray crane, white stork, pheasant, white-tailed eagle, golden eagle. Among amphibians – pond and lake frog, toad, tree frog, newt. Reptiles: common snake, white spindle, lizards. Fish: bream, roach, carp, crucian carp, catfish. toad elk fox wolf beaver
11 slide
Slide description:
Fennec Fox Great Gerbil Saiga Different types jerboas, voles, ground squirrels, ferrets, fennec fox, wolves, saigas, goitered gazelles. In the reed thickets of river valleys there are wild boars here and there. Birds include larks, steppe eagle, harrier, bustard, and demoiselle crane. Jeyran
12 slide
Slide description:
Viper Turtle In the desert, due to the abundance of heat and lack of moisture, there is a poor fauna: lizards, snakes, steppe turtles, numerous rodents. Caspian desert.
Slide 13
Slide description:
People learned to protect nature in ancient times. Since ancient times, people have protected “holy” places (springs, lakes, forests) and considered them inviolable. For example, in the Northern Trans-Urals, the Khanty and Mansi tribes had many holy places. Only shamans were allowed to hunt there, so many species of animals managed to survive. The first nature reserves in Russia were created back in late XIX century. Many protected areas were located in the princely hunting grounds. They were sometimes located near large cities. For example, near Moscow - Kuntsevo, Sokolniki, Losiny Island; near St. Petersburg - Hare Island, etc. Modern protected areas vary in area. The largest ones, such as Taimyr or Kronotsky (in Kamchatka), can be compared with small European states. For example, the territory of the Taimyr Nature Reserve is 1/3 of Switzerland. And some of them are so small that you can walk around them in a few hours. There are several reasons for this. In the most populated areas of the European part of Russia there are almost no corners of untouched nature left, and therefore they must be protected for our descendants. In addition, the high population density, many plants, factories and buildings do not allow large areas to be withdrawn from the economy. But in Siberia and the Far East, until recently, vast spaces remained, the nature of which was practically unaffected by human activity. RESERVES
Slide 14
Slide description:
One of the oldest in Russia (1919) is the Astrakhan Nature Reserve. The main territory is occupied by small lakes and shallow bays. The shallow waters are home to 50 species of fish, most of which are valuable commercial fish. These are sturgeon (sturgeon, stellate sturgeon, beluga), herring, and carp species (catfish, burbot). 250 species of birds live here and 100 species nest: mute swan, greylag goose, mallard, duck, coot, pelican, tern, bittern, warbler, cormorant, heron, white-tailed eagle, black kite, long-eared owl, common remez, species of ducks, terns, grebes, etc. Great Great Grebe Karavayka Astrakhan Nature Reserve
15 slide
On the eastern coast of Kamchatka there is the Kronotsky Nature Reserve. Founded in 1934. In terms of landscape diversity, this reserve has no equal in Russia. The cedar forests are home to very large Kamchatka sables, ermines, wolverines, foxes and white hares. Steller sea lions, seals, and ringed seals have rookeries on the shore. Kronotsky Nature Reserve. Far East: Ussuriysky, Kedrovaya Pad, Lazovsky, Sikhote-Alinsky reserves. Here you can find wapiti, wild boars, roe deer, badgers, weasels, and squirrels. You can find large numbers of hazel grouse, buntings, flycatchers, thrushes, woodpeckers, and tits. The most valuable animals are Amur tiger and the Far Eastern leopard. Altai, Zeya, Voronezh, Taimyr, Pinezh, etc. In total, there are 95 nature reserves in Russia. Their total area is 30 million hectares.
Slide 17
Slide description:
Reserves are created to preserve valuable natural landscapes (landscape), rare species plants (botanical), animals (zoological), as well as swamps, lakes, rivers, seas (hydrological), etc. Economic activity Humans greatly influence the nature of the reserves. One of the oldest Russian reserves, Priazovsky, is located in the Krasnodar region. On its territory there are settlements, fish farms, and state farms growing rice. During nesting periods of birds, a two-month period of silence is held here, so the use of water transport is prohibited.
18 slide
Slide description:
Siberian Cranes. Oka Nature Reserve Kulan Vertisheyka. Voronezh Nature Reserve Saker Falcon Red is the color of danger. This book contains animals that are already on the verge of extinction or that human activity may soon lead to extinction. From the pages of the Red Book, 247 species of animals cry out for help.
To use presentation previews, create an account for yourself ( account) Google and log in: https://accounts.google.com
Slide captions:
Diversity of the animal world Performed by Goreva A. A., primary school teacher
Insects
Insects Have six legs Have notches on the body Live everywhere: on the ground, in the ground, in water
Birds They have two legs Their body is covered with feathers They lay eggs
Mammals
mammals They have four legs The body is covered with hair The cubs are fed milk
Reptiles
Reptiles Move by crawling Have smooth or scaly skin Live on land
FISH Live in oceans, seas, rivers and lakes Body covered with slippery scales Feed on animal food Breathe with gills
AMPHIBIDES
They have smooth, shiny skin. They feed on insects, snails, and worms. Amphibians live on land and in water
animals mammals birds reptiles insects fish amphibians
animals breathe, feed, move, breed
Animal - living creature
Animals are living beings and our care is so important to them, so that they can fly, breathe, raise children and live peacefully on our planet!
We will never destroy animal holes or bird nests! Let the chicks and small animals live well next to us!
Thank you for your attention!
On the topic: methodological developments, presentations and notes
lesson "Animal diversity"
During the lesson, the children get acquainted with the diversity of representatives of the animal world. The lesson is based on the game "Get to know me". A classification of the main classes of animals and their characteristics is given. Presentation...
Summary of the lesson on the surrounding world "Diversity of animals", 3rd grade
A lesson on the surrounding world on the topic “Diversity of Animals” is conducted in 3rd grade according to the “School of Russia” program. Attached is a presentation....
Lesson summary "Diversity of fauna in the Krasnodar region. Domestic and wild animals"
This lesson introduces students to domestic and wild animals that live in our region....
