Animal World of Africa.

African warthog

2012-03-11T11:55:00.003+02:00

African warthog - the kind of family unit cloven-hoofed pigs, living in large parts of Africa.

Warthog got its name from the large cutaneous warts on the face. They are located under the eyes, behind the eyes, between the corners of the mouth and eyes and on the side of the mandible. The old males warts grow strongly and take the form of elongated cones. Canines are also very large, especially in males. Stubble monochrome gray, sparse on the body and most of the long tail. On the back of the neck and mane is formed on the face - the whiskers, on the tail - the brush. In adult animals, a total of 16 teeth, as part of pre-indigenous and indigenous falls, and the rear molar tooth becomes very large and takes up most of the work of chewing food. Size large: body length 145-190 cm, height - 65 - 85 cm, weight - 50-150 kg. It forms a seven subspecies.

Widely distributed in Africa south of Sahara. Warthog is not only in the tropical forests of West Africa and in the extreme south of the continent. It inhabits the Savannah, light scrub and woodland, avoiding dense forests. Where a lot of warthogs, they form herds of up to 100 or more animals on 1,000 hectares. Live in groups consisting of 1-3 females with piglets. In the largest herds numbered up to 17-18 individuals. Adult males live alone, sometimes forming their flocks. Unlike other pigs, are active during the day and spend the night in burrows. Often use burrows aardvarks, only slightly extending them, but they can dig themselves. Adult males climb into the hole, walking backwards, the young brood of the climb, head first, and the female of the last climbs in the same way as the male head covering his broad input. Differ from other pigs warthogs feed and method of obtaining food. They feed on grass and when grazing, kneel (wrist). On lap they move during the grazing, and as an adaptation to this unusual movement in their wrists, develop large, thick calluses. There kolenopriklonennyh crawling warthogs often be seen early in the morning and evening.

Multiply warthogs year round, but pigs appear more frequently in the rainy seasons. Become sexually mature at the age of 17-19 months. During the rut the males chase the females, emitting sounds resembling the sound of the engine. Sometimes there are fights between males, but usually bloodless, despite their strong, sharp fangs. Especially with long upper canines warthogs directed to the sides and curved upwards and inwards. These adjoin the inner surface of the lower teeth shorter, forming with them sharp daggers. However, their weapons, which they successfully protected from lions, leopards, or Cape hunting dogs, they are not allowed to move during a fight with each other. Met, male warthog vzdyblivayut mane and their heads are trying to push each other away. During this struggle, they kneel, growling terribly excited, and they beat their tails on the sides. Gestation lasts 171-175 days. In the female bears a hole three, rarely four piglets, grayish-pink, with no streaks. Pigs are very sensitive to cold and the early days did not leave a hole where the temperature is around all day and night - 30 C and humidity of 90%. The female warthog, in contrast to other pigs, do not litter train into the slot and leaves the pigs alone for the day. Only once a day, she returns to feed them with milk. About a week later the pigs begin to crawl out of holes, and escorted his mother for a short distance. These wires are extended day and a week later the pigs back into the hole in the evening with his mother. In one hole with a young mother lived for about a year.

On the hunt warthogs, and in parts of Africa, they have become rare, but in most countries is still quite common. In zoos, if they are fed grass, not the usual fodder for pigs, live well for 10-12 years.

African Bird-Rhino

2012-03-11T11:47:00.003+02:00

Hornbills refers to the bird family, belonging to the order of raksha-shaped. It consists of 57 species that live in Africa, the Indian and Pacific islands, the south and east Asia.Name of bird data comes from two words, and the horn of a bull, which form a "bull's horn." Lifestyles of all these birds are very similar and yet different.
Their name, these birds were due to long beaks large, sharply bent down and at the base have significant growths that vary in form, which is not only in birds that are kind of current.
The edges of the beak serrations are irregular in shape. Despite the fact that these beaks are large enough, their weight is small, because within them there are small spaces with air. While the purpose remains unknown outgrowths of these birds, but scientists think they may be used to support large beaks, to attract females or amplify the cries.
These animals of Africa have dimensions of 0.3 m to 1.2 m Weight differs from 60 grams to 6 kg, respectively.
To hold the head and large beak, birds, rhinos have a fairly strong neck muscles. The head is small enough they have in relation to the body, they have a long neck and tail, large and powerful wings, and legs at the same time quite short.
During the flight of these birds make a loud noise characteristic of their wings, the vibrating sound which resembles the sound of a train is approaching. The sound is due to the spaces between the flight feathers. During the flight the air passes through the wings and creates a vibration.
Color birds rhinos
Most of these birds have white, black, brown or gray plumage.
On the upper eyelids with long lashes them, and around the eyes in some species of birds exposed skin is sometimes observed at. Individuals of the male molt during rain season. Females replace the wings and tail feathers when incubated eggs, and duration of shedding is quite long.
On average, males are larger than females, the difference in weight between them is about 17%, 30% characterized the length of the beak, and by 21% - wingspan. In addition, a large number of species is a manifestation of sexual dimorphism in coloration. However, some species such as for example, mindanaosky wrinkled sea otter, are the differences between female and male, which is mainly visible in the colors of feathers, but otherwise the same as the black rhino birds - only in color and size of the beak.
Habitat of birds rhinos
These birds are common in tropical rain forests of Africa, Southeast Asia and the Arabian Peninsula, the islands of the Indian and Pacific Oceans. Nesting birds in natural cavities. They always live in the tall, dense forests and most of their time in trees.Different types of occupied different ecological niches, so they can live on common areas.
Hornbills are both noisy and secretive birds. They are rarely found in areas that cultivated people, they are preferred by virgin forests. Quite often, a small species of fly in flocks, consisting of 10-20 birds, especially during the winter, and species that are larger in most fly in pairs. The flight of birds - a very high (much higher than the height of the highest trees) with necks that stretched forward and tilted slightly downward. During the flight, they flap their wings often enough.

African Lemur

2012-03-11T11:38:00.002+02:00

Family LEMUROVYE lemurid family, or lemuroobraznyh prosimians, lemurs actually combines living in Madagascar and some smaller neighboring islands. In these animals, the thick hair with a variety of coloring, the tail long and bushy, often elongated snout like a fox, a group of tactile hairs 5.4 - whiskers, eyes large and rather close together. Limbs with good grasping opposable thumbs. In all his fingers - nails, just on the second toe of the foot - claw, which is called the dressing and is used for combing wool. On the median of the upper jaw the incisors are widely separated (diastema), the lower incisors with the teeth close together and strongly inclined forward, forming a "tooth comb". There is a lower tongue. Lemuridy are nocturnal, daytime and crepuscular lifestyle. There are wood, poludrevesnye and ground forms. The word "lemur" means "ghost," "the spirit of the deceased."
The family Lemuridae is divided into two subfamilies: lemurovye, or the true lemurs, with the genera Lemur, Hapalemur and Lepilemur and mouse lemurs with childbirth Cheirogaleus, Microcebus and Phaner. In mouse lemurs navicular bone and the heel lengthened, as in African galago. Such a structure of the hind limb heel - an adaptation to the movement of jumps. The number of members of the family is declining dramatically. Many species in the Red Book.
Lemurs are 5 common species: L. catta, L. variegatus, L. macaco, L. mongoz, L. rubriventer. Sometimes they are called in the literature of poppies. It's quite moving creatures in captivity they are fun and easily tamed. They are often found in zoological gardens, where the well-breed (from 1959 to 1963 in various zoos of the world was born 78 lemurs). The case when the black lemur has lived in London Zoo, more than 27 years. In captivity, lemurs get used to any meal, which takes just a mouth or forepaws and bring it to his mouth. Typically, maki - wood animals, but the cat lemur spends much time on the ground, on rocks of Southern Madagascar. Poppies are active at dusk and in the afternoon. Explicitly day - cat lemur, lemur, and boil krasnobryuhy lemur. They prefer large horizontal branches of trees, which deftly and quickly moved by controlling the tail as a balancer.
Sometimes the cat lemur in a state of agitation and excitement impels forward the advanced eye, and the tail slips between the front paws. Food poppies make figs, bananas and other fruits, as well as leaves and flowers. But some poppies regales eggs of birds and insects. The main natural enemies of the lemurs - hawks, which they hide in dense foliage. Most Macs have muzzle of moderate length, rounded ears, obvoloshennye, golden eyes and look more or less in advance. Hind legs longer than the front, the tail is longer than the body (except for L. variegatus). Coat color cat lemur gray, lighter on the legs and the tail black and white rings. In lemur boil in color is dominated by black and white, and they vary greatly in different individuals. In krasnobryuhogo lemur brown robe, with a reddish belly, in L. macaco - black. The largest of the lemur boil them, and the smallest - mongots lemur. Poppy live in small herds of 5 to 20 individuals. Such groups include males, females and young of different ages. Herds occupy definitely circumscribed area, where they spend their time in search of food and fun. Many of them tend to lick and clean the hair from each other. Macs communicate with each other and grunting purring voice, sometimes shrill scream. They sleep with the lemurs poluvypryamlennym body, the head is between your knees, hands and feet covered tree branch, and the tail is twisted around the body. Black lemur often lies on his stomach along the branches, for which holds the front legs, and back hanging. Ordinary lemurs breed in March - April, some in September - November. Pregnancy lasts 120-125 days, then 1.2 cubs are born, the mass of each of them about '80 until two or three weeks, he clings to the belly of the mother, and then climbs on her back. At 6 months of becoming self-reliant, in 18 months, reaching sexual maturity.
Lemurs are the meek or gapalemury (Hapalemur) or polumaka, apparently quite similar to ordinary lemurs. Total body length ranges from 70 cm of gray gapalemura (H. griseus) to 90 cm in the New World (H. simus). The tail is equal in length to head and body together. In both species, the big toe is very large. The head is rounded, the ears obvolosheny. The facial skin is pink and black. The fur is a greenish-gray, with red and black markings. Limbs and tail are gray. They live in small groups (3-6 individuals) in a certain area, reported a short low grunts.
Lemurs fine or lepilemury (Lepilemur), are widely distributed in Madagascar and contains a single species.
Mouse lemurs or hirogale, represented by three species: C. major, C. medius, C. trichotis. It is nocturnal, the inhabitants of the tropical forests of Madagascar. Normally feed on fruit, at least - by insects. Perhaps they polish and honey. Body size hirogale like the big rat. The tail is shorter (16,5-25 cm), head and body and is very thick at the base. The muzzle is short and the ears almost obvolosheny, membranous type. Coat color brownish-red or gray (in some - with white markings), dark rings around the eyes, emphasizing the large size of the eye. Calcaneus hirogale long, and they move along the ground with jumps. There are mouse lemurs alone and in pairs, but in captivity can be kept in large groups. Sleeping, curled into a ball, in the hollows of trees or in nests made of grass, small twigs and leaves. In the same condition they are in a period of physiological torpor into which flow into the dry season. In favorable (wet) period, they accumulate fat in different parts of the body, especially at the base of the tail, and in a state of prolonged stupor consume these fat stores. Pregnancy lasts about hirogale 70 days, the female gives birth to 3.2-blind cubs weighing 18-20 0, but his eyes are opened already on the 2nd day of life. His mother has a baby in her mouth. There have been cases hirogale breeding in captivity.
Dwarf lemurs or mikrotsebusy are two species: M. murinus and M. coquereli. This is the finest representatives of the primates. Their body weight of approximately 60 g, the tail is longer (17-28cm) than the head and body together (13-25 cm). The fur is soft, furry, brown or gray with reddish and whitish markings on the lower parts of the body. On the nose band of white, eyes large. The ears are large, mobile, round, membranous type. The limbs are short, longer than the front rear. Mikrotsebusy - the inhabitants of tropical forests. They nest in hollow trees or in bushes, make their nests of dry leaves. Occur alone or in pairs on the tops of tall trees, often see them in the thickets of reeds along the shores of lakes. They climb the trees like squirrels, and jump on the ground, are active at night, hunting for insects and possibly other small animals that feed on as fruit. Mikrotsebusy sleeping curled into a ball. Fall into a stupor in the dry season. Their enemies - goshawk. In captivity behave aggressively, but there are also a more gentle nature, relatively easy to reproduce. During the breeding season falls in May - September in northern latitudes (in captivity) or December - May, in Madagascar. Pregnancy lasts 59-62 days, 1.3 are born very small baby, weighing only 3-5; in 15 days they begin to climb. Become fully independent after 60 days and reach sexual maturity at 7-10 months. The case when an instance of dwarf lemur living in the London Zoo for over 15 years.

African Gorillas

2012-02-17T18:17:00.001+02:00

Gorillas - lives in Africa. These are the largest apes. Body length of males is 180 cm, weight 250 kg or more. Females are significantly lighter and smaller than males. The body of a massive gorilla with a big belly, shoulders broad, his head is large, conical in adult males, eyes wide apart and set deeply under the brow, nose, wide nostrils are surrounded by "ridges", the upper lip, unlike chimpanzees, short, small ears, and pressed to the head, face bare, black. Gorilla hands are long, with a broad brush, the thumb is short, but can be contrasted with the others. The brush is used for gathering food, various kinds of manipulation, and for the construction of nests. Legs short, the foot with a long heel, big toe is well set aside the remaining fingers are connected to almost nail webbed phalanges. The coat is short, thick, black, adult male on the back is a silver band has a small goatee.
The genus includes one species of gorilla Gorilla gorilla with subspecies: the western coast gorilla, or lowland gorillas, living in Cameroon, Gabon, Rio Muni, almost to the Congo (Brazzaville), and the eastern mountain gorilla from the mountain areas to the north and east of Lake Kivu and to the south. In addition, recently released a third subspecies - Eastern lowland gorilla from the low-lying areas upstream of the river Congo (Lualaba River) and north along Lake Tanganyika. Mountain Gorillas have hair longer and thicker than that of onshore, especially on the hands, adult males have a gray stripe on the back, face narrower and longer, shorter arms.
Gorilla coastal or lowland, eastern forms are somewhat smaller, but otherwise very similar and the differences between them are insignificant. Coast gorilla lives in the dense tropical rain forests. Few scientists are able to penetrate into inaccessible jungle. Therefore, the life of lowland gorillas in the wild are known only fragmentary information. Mountain gorillas live in the mountain forests of the temperate climate. Areas of habitat studied by many travelers and scholars.
The life of anthropoids little was known. Only very recently has been described by their daily life in the wilds of Africa. Almost two years have been carried out by scientists of the gorillas in the mountainous forests of eastern and central Africa, where daily observed eleven groups of gorillas. Mountain gorillas live in small flocks (5-30 individuals) whose size varies in different areas. The group is relatively stable: the rule of a male with a silver stripe on the back, one or more of the younger male with a black back, several females, calves and juveniles. Yet the number of groups are constantly changing: new born babies, the group may join any extraneous female with a cub or some individuals, often in the group goes adults males. This composition of the herd and the western shore of gorillas. George Schaller studies have refuted the prejudices of the militancy and ferocity of gorillas in relation to man. Many hours of the scientist was in the neighborhood with the gorillas, and even slept in the 10-15 m away from them, but had never been attacked. They behave very friendly. In their herds gorillas also surprisingly peaceful and in relation to each other showing a rare tolerance. Serebristospinny overriding male gorillas behave as a leader and protector, not as a despot. If baboons, for example, the leader of the herd at the same time the head of the harem, then the leader of a group of gorillas is not the lord of the harem. He is not jealous, and sexual relations in gorillas are soft and are voluntary in nature, the female does not attack the males. Hierarchical relationships and the right to dominance in a herd of gorillas appear in the order following the trails, or during the occupation of parts of dry during rain. When the leader goes to a new place of feeding, the herd built up a chain behind him. Family members pay great attention to the leader. He is often away from the group. Females are not afraid of him, sit next to him and even rely on it. In the neighborhood are located and minor males. Cubs are playing with him. Sometimes the leader of a small baby caresses. Method of movement of gorillas on the ground and in trees is the same as that of chimpanzees. Relationships between members of the group carried out a variety of poses, facial expressions and voice. Schaller has over 20 different gorilla sounds of voices.
Life is made up of gorillas eating, sleeping, relaxing and walking. Schaller notes the variety of characters and temperaments leaders of groups. On this depends the mood of the group and its relationship with the observer. In some groups, leaders are timid and can not be seen for a long time, while others allow you to watch a round the clock.
Gorillas, like other large anthropoids, the night build their own nests, which are never used on the following night. Sometimes serebristospinnye males (at least the other members of the group) organize a nest under a tree on the ground. The eastern lowland gorillas in the rainforest rarely sleep on the ground than the Western. Day nests are found more frequently in the eastern gorillas than western. Gorillas do not differ cleanliness and pollute their nests at night. They sleep in different poses. Wake up quite late, when the sun rises. The day begins with a leisurely search for food. In the gorilla diet includes about 29 species of plants (including wild celery, bedstraw, nettle, bamboo shoots, fruits pigeuma blue, and sometimes the bark of certain trees, etc.). However, in captivity they eat and eat meat. After leaving the nest at night, gorillas disperse to feed. Each of them, sitting on the ground, his hands reaching for food in all directions around him, then gets up and goes to another place. They eat in silence. Cubs are kept near the mothers, watching their feeding. On food away for two hours. After breakfast, sated male gorilla lying around with a silver back. From time to time make their nests for midday rest. Sometimes the lead themselves in order - itching and cleaned, and the females do it more often than males, and teenagers are more likely than females. Little baby's mother cleans, fingering their hair in a hair. The mother tenderly cares for calves and never slaps them in punishment. Females are not searched each other, do not clean as a male with a silver back. Afternoon rest at the young is in play and survey the surroundings. The need for games lost gorillas to six years. When the cubs are not engaged in games, they're sitting next to his mother. Occasionally there are quarrels over trifles, often between females, and the leader calmly listens to them howl. Females are howling and barking hoarsely, abruptly, like a dog. Sometimes they scream and bite. Midday rest takes 2-3 hours, after which the team moved in single file to a new place, and this procession is headed by the leader, and the male with a black back closes it. Upon arrival at the new location of feeding a flock disperses and subordination violated. Gorillas roam over a large territory, overcoming various natural obstacles. These strong large animals do not know fear. Only in rare cases, when the situation seems dangerous to them, the leader starts to shake a branch hit in the chest with his fists and screaming loudly. By 17-18 pm, the group begins to gather around the leader, and gradually prepare for sleep. Accommodations are satisfied with where they would find the night. First, as a rule, the leader begins to build a nest, and followed by all members of the family.
In all likelihood, gorillas breed all year round. After 251-289 days of gestation are born a naked, helpless baby, who is held up to three years with his mother, but sometimes it stops sucking, and in one year. It is now known about a dozen gorilla births in captivity. It is believed that gorillas in the wild can live to 30-35 years. Currently, the number of mountain gorillas is about 1500 individuals.

African Behemoth

2012-02-17T18:10:00.001+02:00

Behemoth - a family of artiodactyls, which contains two genera, in which there is only one species: hippopotamus hippo common and pygmy. Members of the family behemoth found only in Africa.
BEGEMOT ordinary or hippopotamus, at the beginning of last century, lived in the vast territory from the lower reaches of the Nile almost to Cape Town. Now in most areas it is cut off and preserved in large numbers only in Central and East Africa, and even then mostly in national parks. The greatest number of hippos are there on the banks of Semliki - Nile and Lake Edward, in National Parks Kivu (Congo Kinshasa) and Queen Elizabeth (Uganda), where 1 km of the coast has from 50 to 200 animals, and the total number is determined in 25,000 -30,000. Very high population density and the hippos in the National Park Murchison Falls (Uganda).
In hippo terete, massive body with short thick legs. The legs end in four fingers, wearing a kind of hooves and connected a small membrane. The head is almost no neck, big, heavy, and the nostrils, eyes and small ears somewhat raised and arranged in one plane, so the hippo can breathe, see and hear, staying under water. Mass of large males reaches 3000-3200 kg, body length of 400-420 cm, height at the shoulders up to 165 cm hippopotamus skin devoid of hair (only on the muzzle and the tail has wiry hair) and is rich in glands, which protect it from drying out. The secret of these glands reddish color, and abundantly released during desiccation, or overheating the animal. This is a pretty strange sight: it seems that the body of the animal flows bloody sweat.
Roth hippo wide jaw (especially lower) are armed with huge, often spaced teeth, of which the highest value reached fangs. They have no roots and grow throughout their lives. The largest of the famous hippo canine teeth had a length of 64.5 cm yellowish teeth with hard coating.
Hippos prefer shallow (about 1.2 m) ponds with sloping beaches and lush wetland vegetation. In these waters, they are shallow and braids, where they spent the day, it is easy to move along the bottom, not letting swimming, and if necessary, can easily hide from danger. Hippos swim and dive perfectly and can stay under water for 4-5 minutes. On the ability of hippos as the swimmers said that they did not just swim to the island of Zanzibar, crossing the 30-mile strait. On land, the hippopotamus seems a bit awkward and clumsy. However, this does not prevent the animals sometimes make long marches. Thus, in the Ngorongoro Crater (Tanzania) in a small lake lives a few behemoths, though coming reservoirs are separated by tens of kilometers. Yes, and cross the steep wooded hill 200 meters high, bordering the crater, is no easy task! B. Grzimek recounts the famous hippopotamus - Wanderer Hubert, who in the early 40's traveled to the South African Union for two and a half years and was about 1600 km.
Hippos - animal community. Typically, a family of hippos consists of 10 - 20 females with cubs growing up and old male and has a well-defined stretch of coast. Separately, small communities are kept immature animals. Finally, let alone live adult males without harems. Between such males often fight over territory, which, although starting from a certain ritual ends with no respect for "sporting rules". Fighting hippos - terrible spectacle. Animals strike each other fangs deep, heavily bleeding wounds, and the vanquished opponent and chase fleeing fierce bites. Sometimes a fight lasts up to two hours, and often ends in death of one of the fighters. More often, however, is limited to threats, one of the contestants trying to intimidate the other, a highly protruding from the water with wide-open mouth, and then plunges noisily towards the enemy. However, under water, he describes an arc and goes in the opposite direction.
Food hippos is wading and terrestrial vegetation. In Uganda, the menu includes 27 species of herbaceous plants. Usually hippos graze on the land, grass, biting his lips a little horny at the very root. The daily food requirement amounts to 1.1-1.3% of its own weight, ie about 40 kg of grass. The digestive tract is very long behemoth - it reaches 60 m, and the three-chambered stomach. All this allows us to effectively digest cellulose with a much greater degree of completeness than is observed, for example, elephants. Life is subject to strict hippos daily rhythm. The bright hours of the day they spend in the water where they sleep on the shoals and spits, and shortly after sunset to feed and go back into the water before dawn. Each of the adult male has his own path from water to shore, and individual plot of land for grazing. This site is jealously guarded by other males, and marked the boundaries of dung piles. The same label, and hippos are left along the track. They have a conical shape and achieve a very impressive size - up to 1 m in height and 2 m in diameter. Tags refurnish every day, and the animal becomes her ass and sprays manure short flattened tail like a propeller. This same technique is used for adult males and a meeting with each other or with a female. Young people and females are not observed. It is interesting to note that the hippo dung plays a significant role in African waters: it is based on developing a rich phytoplankton, increasing biological productivity. In particular, the fantastic catches of freshwater fish tilapia in Lake George (Uganda), which serves as the basis of power of the local population, is entirely dependent on the number of hippos. The remarkable spectacle of begemotnye trails leading from the water to places of feeding. Many generations of animals knocked out in the solid earth and stone, even in deep (up to half a meter) gauge, the width between which corresponds to the distance between the legs. On steep climbs gauge go into the steps. In soft ground track is just like a ditch five-foot depth. The frightened animal races on such a chute to the water at a speed of a locomotive, and the fall in his way at this time is not recommended.
Female hippos reach sexual maturity at the age of 9 years, males - 7. Mating occurs twice a year, in February and August, ie at the end of the dry period. Of course the pairing is in shallow water, the same female and produces a single calf after 240 days of pregnancy. Newborn Hippo has a lot of 45 - 50 kg with a body length of about 120, and ate in a day may be accompanied by their own mother. The female at this time his body protects the baby from the tribesmen, especially older males, which can easily crush trample baby. However, despite the careful tutelage, the young hippopotamus often fall victim to lions, leopards, Cape hunting dogs and hyenas. There have been cases of successful attacks against the lions and adult animals. Crocodiles are the same, contrary to popular belief, the hippos are not attacked. The mortality of young animals is extremely high and reaches the first year of life 20%. But in the next 30-40 years, it does not exceed 6%. Among the behemoths over this age mortality increases again to 40%. Hippos live in captivity up to 50 years.
As already mentioned, in some national parks of Africa's population density of hippos are extremely increased. Effective protection turned into an unexpected side: hippos, destroying vegetation and causing irreversible depression pasture and destroy their own habitat. As in the case of elephants, the acute problem of national parks - reducing the number of hippos. In past times, when hippos inhabited all water bodies in Africa such overcrowding did not occur. Most small lakes and rivers of Africa is entirely dependent on climatic conditions and particularly dry years, is completely dry. Unlike other ungulates hippos are not capable of long-range migration and the mass die. In particularly dry 30s. English zoologist E. Huxley in North Kenya watched thousands of hippos lying in thick mud: they are so weak that were unable to rise. After these plagues upon the occurrence of favorable conditions began a gradual dispersal of animals surviving in deeper waters, in the liberated territory, and the balance was restored. In addition, Africans, armed only with harpoons and bows, do not undermine the main herd, and only ever reduced the number of hippos. Now the picture is different: either to protect the hippos fully protected area, or to quickly destroy the outside. Animals will soon begin to understand where the border buffer zone, and not voluntarily leave the safe place, resulting in an overpopulation. At present, began a planned shooting hippos in the national parks to prevent overpopulation. Africans have long been used in the hippo meat for food. The taste is reminiscent of veal, it can be salted, smoked, and jerk. In contrast to the meat of livestock meat is lean hippos, which greatly increases its value as a source of protein. One hippo get 520 kg of pure meat and 30 kg internal fat, 27 kg has a mass on his liver, 8 kg - the heart, 5 kg - Language, 9 kg - light, 280 kg - 248 kg, and bone - the skin. Edible parts make up 70.9% of live weight, whereas these same parameters in European cattle make up only 55%. The skin of the hippo - as valuable raw materials. In order for it properly vydubit need 6 years. Then it acquires the hardness of stone and is indispensable for polishing discs. On these discs grind even diamonds. To this must be added the cost of the canines. Prior to the sale of tusks dipped in acid to dissolve the yellow plaque. After this operation, they lose up to one third of the weight, but did not concede the beauty of ivory, and even surpass in value because they do not turn yellow over time. In the old days before the invention of the plastic behemoth fangs produced the best dentures. There is no doubt that the correct operation of the economic behemoths is very promising.

African Flamingo

2012-02-11T17:28:00.004+02:00

Flamingo - a detachment of birds often included in the squad as a family of Ciconiiformes. In Africa, raspostraneno two types: ordinary, or large (in Algeria and Kenya) and small (in the south-east of the continent - Kenya, Tanzania, Madagascar).
Inhabit the shallow salty lakes and lagoons. Breeding colonies numbering half a century ago in some lakes reached a million birds.
FLAMINGO LIGHT is the smallest of all modern species of flamingos. This species is unique in the way of African flamingos (Phoeniconaias). The total length of its body 80 cm color of plumage usually bright pink. He still has the upper mandible narrower than that referred to his fellows, but it has a beak down into the depth of the keel. The food is predominantly small flamingos snne-green algae and dnatomovye, so the "strainer" he developed more. It is estimated that out of the waters of Lake Nakuru (East Africa) with a 0.4 hectares per year, small flamingos removed about 2,000 tons of blue-green algae. Searching for food, the bird usually drops to the bottom of the beak, and leads them from side to side on the water surface. It breeds in eastern Equatorial Africa - on salt lakes of Kenya, Tanzania to the south and a few, as well as in Asia off the coast of the Persian Gulf and on the lake in Central Sambhor Rajasthan (India). It is believed that the alkaline lakes of Ethiopia, Kenya, Tanzania, there are about 3 million small and red flamingos, but mostly small specimens of flamingos. English ornithologist, Leslie Brown in 1954 found a small mass nesting of flamingos in one of the alkaline waters of East Africa - at Lake Natron. "Here, in these fetid places, in scorching heat and blinding sun - L. Brown writes - Flamingos raise their chicks. . . Although the surface of the sludge is heated very strongly, at the top of the turret nest-temperature does not exceed the normal body temperature.
Hatched, the young flamingos spends the first few days of his life in this relatively cool elevation, and in case of danger is always returned to the nest. On average, this population displays a year 130,000 babies. . . Based on data from annual growth of population, average life expectancy of a flamingo is more than twenty years, which unusually for birds. "

African Сrocodile

2012-02-11T17:19:00.003+02:00

Order Crocodilia - a family of reptiles. In Africa, three lived. Uzkoryly Crocodile - endemic to Africa. It lives in all the major rivers of West Africa, Lake Tanganyika and the eastern mainland. Tuporyly (or pygmy) crocodile - in central Africa. Nile crocodile - on the mainland and some islands.
Crocodiles have a special position among modern reptiles, being more closely related extinct dinosaurs that survived the nearly 60 million years, and modern birds than other reptiles of our time. Several features of the organization of crocodiles, and especially the perfection of the nervous, circulatory and respiratory systems, makes them the most highly organized of all living reptiles. Evolution of the crocodiles, since the advent of this group of about 150 million years ago, went in the direction of increasing adaptation to aquatic life, and predation. The fact that crocodiles have survived to our time, is often explained by their life in a variety of freshwater tropical and subtropical zones, ie in places where conditions have changed little since the appearance of crocodiles.
The general form of the body, crocodile yascheritseobraznaya. They are characterized by long, laterally compressed, high tail, webbed toes of the hind limbs, a long snout and flattened in a dorsoventrally head. The front legs of the five fingers on the back - four (no pinky). The nostrils are located on the front end of the muzzle and eyes raised and placed on the upper side of the head that allows you to keep crocodiles in the water with its surface exposed to air only the eyes and nostrils. External auditory aperture closed movable flaps that protect the eardrum from mechanical damage when immersed in water. The body, tail and legs are covered with large crocodiles regularly shaped horny plates, placed on the back and abdomen straight rows.
In the inner layer of the skin (corium), under the outer layer of horny plates on the back and in some species in the belly of developing bone plate (osteodermy) is firmly connected with the horny scutes, forming a shell, which protects the body of a crocodile is well on his head osteodermy fused with the bones of the skull.
Modern crocodiles inhabit different fresh water. Relatively few species tolerant of brackish water and are found in river estuaries (African uzkoryly crocodile, Nile crocodile, American crocodile ostroryly). Only grebnisty crocodile swims far out to sea, and was celebrated at a distance of 600 km from the nearest land. Most of the crocodiles spend hours in the water. In the coastal shallows out in the morning and late afternoon - warm in the sun.
Hunt alligators at night. A compulsory component of the diet of crocodiles is fish, but the crocodiles devoured any prey, which can cope with. Therefore, a set of feed varies with age: the young are the food of various invertebrates - insects, crustaceans, mollusks, worms, larger animals prey on fish, amphibians, reptiles and water birds. Adult crocodiles are able to cope with large mammals. Well-known case of being in the stomach remains of a rhinoceros Nile crocodile. In many species of crocodiles observed cannibalism - devouring the larger individuals of smaller ones. Most crocodiles feed on carrion, and some kinds of hidden nesedennye remains of the victims under the overhanging bank, and later devour their semi-decomposed. Crocodiles move in water by the tail. On land, crocodiles are slow and clumsy, but take some significant transitions, a few kilometers away from the water. With the rapid movement of crocodiles put legs under the body (usually they are far apart), which rises high above the ground. Young Nile crocodiles can run at a gallop at a speed of about 12 miles per hour. Crocodiles lay eggs the size of a goose or chicken, covered with calcareous shell. The number of eggs per clutch in different species varies from 10 to 100. Some species bury their eggs in the sand, while others lay in a nest made by the female of the rotting vegetation. The female remains near the masonry, protecting it from enemies. Young crocodiles are still inside the egg at the time of hatching emit croaking sounds, after which the mother digs out the clutch, helping to get their offspring.
Crocodiles are growing rapidly in the first 2 - 3 years of life, during which the reach of crocodiles and gavials. the size of 1-1.5 m with age growth rate falls, and they add to the length of several centimeters per year. Reach sexual maturity at the age of 8-10 years. Crocodiles live to 80 - 100 years old. Enemies of adult crocodiles little, if we exclude the person. Cases of assault elephants and lions, crocodiles, making the transition to land from one pond to another.
In Africa, the Nile crocodile is widely raspostranen (Crocodylus niloticus). It can be found throughout Africa, except for the northern part of Madagascar, Comoros and Seychelles. Most often settles out of the forest, but comes in forest ponds. Reaches a length of 4-6 m just hatched from eggs cubs have a length of about 28 cm by the end of the first year of life up to 60 cm to two years - 90 cm, in 5 years - 1.7 m in 10 years - 2 3 m in 20 years - 3.75 pm The night is carried out in water, and by sunrise out in the shallows and basking in the sun. Noon, the hottest hours spend in the water, except for cloudy days. In windy, rainy weather, spend the night on the beach. Limiting the length of stay under water for the animals of about 1 m in length is about 40 minutes, larger crocodiles can be under water for much longer. Food Nile crocodile is very diverse and varies with age. In calves up to 30 cm long 70% of food are insects. Larger individuals (approximately 2.5 m in length) feed on fish, mollusks, crustaceans, and even larger - fish, reptiles, birds and mammals. Adult Nile crocodiles may attack large mammals such as buffalo and even a rhinoceros. Beasts crocodiles lie in wait at the watering places, in water or on land in the grass. In some localities Nile crocodiles are dangerous to humans. Egg laying is always in the dry season when water level is low. Females dig a burrow in the sand up to 60 cm deep, which lay 25-95 (average 55 - 60) eggs. Incubation lasts about 90 days, during which the mother stays postoyant but the nest, guarding the eggs. Apparently, at this time the animal does not eat. By the time of hatching, the young crocodiles inside the eggs begin to publish the grunting sounds that serve to signal the mother that helps pups get out from under the sand, and accompanying them to the water. At this time the female may attack a person, even on land. Hatching from eggs usually occurs after the first rains fall, with the rise in water levels in lakes and rivers, so that the young crocodiles are just flowing waters in the shelter and food. After the release of the young crocodiles from eggs the mother takes them (as reported by the Cotta) to the selected its "child" - shallow body of water protected by vegetation. Here the young crocodiles are about six weeks, all the while the mother stays with the brood, protecting it from attacks by predators. In the absence of the mother hatched krokodilyata often remain near the nest, where they are generally destroying predators - herons, Goliath, marabou, kites. There are numerous cases of cannibalism (devouring the eggs and juveniles), which is usually considered the mechanism of regulation of the number of the form indicated that cannibalism is more frequent, the higher the number of crocodiles. The number of Nile crocodiles generally fallen and continues to fall. In ancient Egypt, crocodiles were revered as sacred animals, now they are almost exterminated. The same fate befall crocodiles in some areas of Central and East Africa, if not taken measures to protect species.

African King Cobra

2012-02-11T16:13:00.003+02:00

King Cobra is the most aggressive of all the cobras. But most likely due to the aggressiveness of concern for their future offspring, it was during the incubation of eggs, king cobra pounce on anyone who was not careful to pass her nest. This is a beautiful snake, and it is not easy to find. Top of the king cobra yellow-olive, with a pattern of black rings and diffuse staining. The bottom of the snake light. The length of an adult can reach 5 meters, but most of their "growth" is 3 - 4 meters. King cobra sheds 4 to 6 times a year. It sheds its old skin as it grows, and grows Cobra all my life, about 30 cm per year. Finding a hard surface, squirming snake and izvorachivayas, throws off the old one. Her skin is dry and tough, covered with rather large scales. In the attack, or defense, king cobra raises the front part of the body and extends the neck, spreading to the neck of the rib. This is the hood of a cobra, decorated with a pattern resembling spectacles. King Cobra hisses, warning: I may bite. Her sharp and dangerous teeth are in front of the mouth. She singles out the poison when biting, by clicking on a poisonous gland, hidden in the muscles. But generally, king cobra crawls from person to avoid contact with him. Live the king cobra in the tropical forests of South and Southeast Asia. They hide in the tall grass, the fallen trees and among stones. Often, a cobra can be found near the pond. King cobras are good swimmers, expertly and deftly climb the trees. They feed on rodents and other snakes. This is a smart and thrifty animals.
During mating season, males attract females with a smell.
Sensing it, the male crawls to her. If there are two out in paragraph boyfriend is a fight. That they do not bite each other. The winning male starts courting her cautiously. The fact that the female can eat admirer, and vice versa, he can eat it. Trusting each other, they are woven into the ring. A month later, the female delay of 20 to 40 eggs in a cozy nest of high grass and leaves, which will build in advance. It falls around her precious treasure, and the male guards the temporal distance family.
Shortly before the birth of young cobras, the female leaves the nest, so as not to eat their own children. The incubation period lasts 100 days, so many days it was all the time in the nest and did not eat anything. Born babies from the eggs of the king cobra on their own. They are able to provide the poison and protected, but are too small, so vulnerable. Few people survive from small cobras. In the wild king cobra live 25 - 30 years.

African Hyena

2012-02-11T14:00:00.003+02:00

SsistematikaSemeystvo Cape hunting has in its composition of all four species (spotted hyena Crocuta, two types of striped hyenas Hyaena and aardwolf Proteles). Cape hunting for the first time appear in the Miocene (about 20 million years ago) in Africa. They subsequently spread to South-West Asia to India, and live only in Asia, striped hyena, and aardwolf and spotted hyenas and have stayed within their Miocene rodiny.Po appearance Cape hunting like wolves, and his memorable silhouette, probably selektsilnerov ssozdanie inspired by a very popular breed of dog. However, with the wolf hyenas are more distantly related than with cat. They belong to the group "feloidnyh" (ie close to the cat) of prey, which are closest to the Mongoose! How byloEsli try to trace the evolution of prey, it turns out that the trunk feloidny prey initially divided into two parts: the civet cat with one hand and Cape hunting with the Mongoose - on the other. Cape hunting can be divided into two lines of specialization: the actual hyenas - carrion-known and a good hunter, and an earthen Wolf - Rain of insects and other small bespozvonochnyh.Rod zanyatiySobstvenno hyenas are known for their ability to divide and devour large bones - they are primarily scavengers, though (especially spotty) may prey. Hyenas are so completely digest the food that their droppings contain almost no organic matter. They play an important role of the "waste heat" of the bone material of dead animals, being almost the only of its customers. In any case, among the wolves mlekopitayuschih.U ground rather peculiar dentition: the teeth are fairly simple, in the form of small pins, sitting in the jaws are very rare, which is associated with a specialization in feeding the beast small invertebrates, primarily termites and insect larvae, which he digs from the earth.
The appearance and behavior zhizniVes hyenas ranged from 10 to 82 kg, with a minimum earth wolf, with the maximum spotted hyena. The front part of the body is more powerful than the back. Coat coarse, shaggy, on a ridge in the form of a long standing manes (especially in an earthen Wolf). Have hyenas have anal glands that produce sharp-smelling sekret.Perednie hind limbs longer. In these hyenas on both pairs of legs on the four fingers, the earth a wolf on the front of their 5. On this basis, reflecting the adaptation to running, ahead of the Cape hunting canids, such as Cape hunting dogs are only there for 4 fingers on all four limbs, while in other canids - 5, as the earth itself volka.U hyena skull with an extremely powerful jaws, cheek arcs, ridges, and very large teeth in the amount of 28-34.Kogti long, but blunt, easy to dig. All the hyena burrows (with a special passion - earth wolf). Live singly or in groups, which are sometimes combined into larger ones - the clans. The latter is most characteristic of spotted hyenas, which are often satisfied with the collective hunt "Gon" ungulates, showing a tireless pursuer. Spotted hyenas are well known for their cries, like hyenas plach.Razmnozhayutsya usually once a year. Gestation lasts 90-110 days, the number of pups 2-4 (wolf from earth up to 6). Life in captivity up to 25 let.V Asia fat hyena is considered curative. The most bizarre creation of all hyenas are, of course, spotted hyenas. About them go ahead and rech.Gieny chelovekEsli and is now accepted that spotted hyenas play an important role in the ecosystem of the African savannah, then before them, at best, considered a dirty, useless animals, and even "pest of agriculture." Different African tribes thought hyenas associated with evil spirits. In Muslim countries, even the custom to punish impure indicative of hyenas, suspecting all sorts grehah.Pyatnistye hyenas answered by the same person. These intelligent animals, of course, avoid encounters with older hunters. However, they often wander near the villages, attracted by garbage, and there were times when hyenas attacked the children. Spotted hyenas are often attacked in unprotected home-pregnant cows, choosing the time of the testimony rodov.Po famous hunter of the past, John Hunter, hyena and attacked sleeping people. He described the meeting with the hunter, hyena disfigured. This young African man once fell asleep on a halt, turned around, according to local custom, the head of the fire. He was lightly covered with a blanket and other clothing he was not. So, at night the hyena ran to him and bit off the scrotum and ran away. Where they live and what pitayutsyaEsli seems possible, then spotted hyenas prefer to hunt wildebeest. Usually hyenas engaged in this business at night, but if they can, and in broad daylight attack otbivsheesya from the pack or weak animals. Every year they kill from 10 to 12 percent of the population of wildebeest in the Serengetti, thus maintaining the density of the most numerous herbivore at a reasonable level. In February and March (in the plains of the same Serengetti) prefer to attack the newly born, young wildebeest. Some calves are constantly behind the moving herd and become easy prey for the hyenas. Others fight off hyenas after a clever maneuver. Using the same maneuvers spotted hyenas hunt buffalo calves. The fastest and most powerful hyenas prey on zebras, which are much harder to combat than antilop.V Sprint snatch brown hyena can reach speeds of 50 to 65 kilometers per hour and is able to maintain it at a distance of 3 to 5 kilometers. Thus, to catch their prey, hyenas have to put a lot of effort, but despite this, the animal is caught up, she immediately breaks it into pieces. This differs from the lions or hyena cheetah, which, before quench your appetite, take a little rest after the race ... However, another possible explanation for this behavior of hyenas-hunters, which is to be found in a very tense social relations within the clan: not had time to eat their prey at risk to leave it stronger brother or a representative of another kind.

African Egg Snake

2012-02-11T13:52:00.002+02:00

AFRICAN SNAKE EGG, the only kind of sort of the same name of this subfamily of snakes, is characterized by a peculiar way of food, left a deep imprint on the entire organization of the non-poisonous snakes. Paint the egg snake modest: the upper side of the body sandy-yellow or brown, one-color or pattern of longitudinal dark stripes or spots, sometimes coalescing into a zigzag or a rhombic strip along the ridge. A small head is slightly separated from the neck, face convex, rounded in front. The eyes are large, with vertically elliptical pupils. Scales of the body are oblique rows and have pronounced ridges. The body length of 75-80 African snake egg see these snakes are common in the South and Equatorial Africa, penetrating as far north as the Sahara and the southwestern part of the Arabian Peninsula.
African egg snake eats birds eggs. Their weak teeth are not designed for grasping and holding prey. But the mouth is stretched, which makes it possible to swallow the size of a hen's egg, although the snake size does not exceed the length of 80 cm With the passage of a large egg scales on the throat apart, revealing an elastic skin. The lower spinous processes of the anterior vertebral body (gipapofizy) are directed forward, and so long that pierce the wall of the esophagus and the upper ends of the face in its lumen. These processes constitute the so-called 'egg saw "- a special apparatus for the destruction of the egg shell. The liquid contents of the eggs cut easily slips through the back, the narrowed portion of the esophagus to the stomach, a broken shell of a lump is ejected through the mouth. This is another difference from other snake egg yaytseyadnyh reptiles, which are either passed through the shell of unpalatable digestive tract, or it is dissolved by gastric juice. In some periods, the eggs of birds are rare, so the snake egg accumulate fat in the months when the egg is enough in nature, and slowly consume it in times of famine.
To scare away enemies egg snakes emit a peculiar vibrating sound, which they reproduce the friction ridged scales, curled up eight.

African Buffalo

2012-02-11T13:08:00.001+02:00

African buffalo, ruminant mammal of the subfamily of bulls, the only species of the genus Syncerus; most powerful of modern wild bulls.
African buffalo differs powerful body, low muscular legs, strong neck, dull, small, low-set head. Horn close together and form a broad base on the forehead solid armor. Widely diverging to the sides and bottom, then the horns and then climb up and slightly bent inwards with sharp smooth ends. The distances between the ends of the horns sometimes reach a meter. Although the size of the African buffalo gives Indian, but exceeds it in mass, old males may reach a weight of 1200 kg. The body is covered with buffalo afriknskogo sparse coarse hair, which almost cover the dark brown or black leather.
Inside are three types of subspecies. The largest of them lives in Eastern and Southern Africa. Smaller and korotkorogy subspecies occupies the range from Senegal to the middle reaches of the Nile. And in the forests of the Congo Basin and the Gulf of Guinea third subspecies lives - red bull.
The African buffalo has mastered a variety of landscapes, from tropical forest to arid savanna. He climbs into the mountains to a height of three thousand feet, but everywhere is kept near the water. Buffalo avoids cultivated agricultural land and, despite extensive habitat, it is stored mostly in national parks and sanctuaries. The largest herd of buffalo, numbering several hundred animals in the national park Lake Manyara (Tanzania).
But usually the buffaloes kept in groups of 20-30 animals, gathering in large herds only in the dry season. According to the composition of buffalo are heterogeneous: in some cases it is a cow with calves, bulls in the other only in the third bulls with the cows. Most adult bulls are kept in the strong alone or in pairs. Buffaloes single very attached to their habitats, while not showing aggression, if it appears within a group of strangers buffalo.
They feed on grasses and buffalo, only occasionally, young branches and leaves. They graze at night and the day is carried out in the shade of trees, bushes or lying in the marsh mud. Buffalo are extremely cautious, especially cows with calves. At risk of a herd of a defensive position: males ahead of females with calves behind. However, a bloody clash Buffaloes prefer to flee. In spite of the heavy-weight structure, they are very agile and develop on the run speed 57 km / h
Since the beginning of the rut the bulls join the groups of cows. During this period, the bulls arrange ritual fights for dominance in the herd. Pregnancy lasts 10-11 months, the cows during the calving of mass, which falls at the end of the dry period, cows retire from the common herd. The calf is fed mother's milk for about six months.

African Camel

2012-02-10T18:50:00.000+02:00

Camel - a large mammal of the family of the order Artiodactyla suborder camelids mozolenogih a desert habitat, which is divisible into two types: Bactrian (or two-humped camel) and Dromedar (dromedary). Camels and that, and other types of more than 5000 years are domesticated and are used primarily as pack and draft animals.
In the mountains and areas with a humid climate camels can not exist. In the process of evolution in camels developed a number of adaptations to the conditions of the deserts and dry steppes. Camels feed on such plants of the desert, which are poorly or not at all drugumi eat animals; content with less water and can drink salt water. In contrast to other ruminants, camels are in the upper jaw two incisors.

Parts of the body camel in contact with the ground while lying down, are provided with horny formations, camels have a chest, wrist, elbow calluses and laptop. Thanks to the camels are able to go on a hot (70 ° C) soil. Both legs of each foot, camel small quantities. Camels are based on a broad soft paw, making it easier to walk on the sand.
Weight of an adult animal ranges 500-800 kg, life expectancy - from 30 to 50 years.
Camels live in Central Asia. There are also from Asia Minor to Manchuria. Dromedary can be found in North Africa, where they are common as pets, as well as the Middle East up to India.

A camel can go without food for about a month. This is facilitated by the very fat on the back of the animal, which we used to call the humps.
Camels are good swimmers. This is true despite the fact that most of them have never faced a large water bodies.
Camels live in harems. In groups of 15 individuals of several females and their offspring usually have a male. Sometimes you can find animals that lead a solitary lifestyle.
Camel - herbivore. Its multi-chamber stomach can digest almost any plant food, including barbed and salt.
Bactrian camels are different from odnogorbyh. Bactrians have shorter legs, and the camel - massive. Perhaps that is why dromedary more frisky - 11 hours they are able to cover a distance of 200 kilometers.
A camel can tolerate the heat of the desert thanks to their humps. Oddly enough, but the camel humps are not suitable for storage of moisture. From the heat of the day (and night from the cold), a camel thick fur protects it, and 8-degree fluctuations in body temperature, which reduces the risk of overheating (including perspiration), and hypothermia. When released from his nostrils the breath the liquid does not leave the body, as collected in a special fold, and then comes back through the mouth into the body of the animal. Important for the transfer of a dry climate and the fact that the camel get to the water, thanks to a special oval shape of their red blood cells, is able to drink from 60 to 100 liters of water over a relatively short period of time (not for nothing that they say: "What do you drink like a camel?") . It is worth noting that a camel in terms of water consumption by an animal unpretentious - he can drink like a clean and stagnant or salt water. Well, finally the camel feces from extended nephrons in the kidneys obtained highly concentrated, and therefore, less wet.
The camel is very hardy. One day he may be transferred to a 200 to 300 kilograms a distance of 50 kilometers or more.
Camel's milk is very useful. It contains lots of essential body substances (iron, calcium, magnesium, etc.), a high concentration of vitamins C and D, but casein, dairy products impedes the absorption of the body, much less familiar to us than cow's milk. By drinking camel's milk must be remembered that because of their special properties, it can not immediately be absorbed by the body unaccustomed to it.
Camels differ vindictiveness. They are quite tricky and unforgiving. In Saudi Arabia, for example, there were cases when the camels took revenge for the wronged person named members of his flock. The nature of the camel at all bad enough: make him do something against their will - get furious, bites, kicks, roaring beast.

African Cheetah

2012-02-10T18:33:00.002+02:00

This is the most beautiful and agile animal, the fastest runner on earth, who, pursuing prey, while able to run at a speed of 120 km / h His name is cheetah. Translated cheetah means "sobakakoshka." So it is. This cat does not look like a cat. Body is more like a wolf, only spotty skin, but face like a cat. He did not even roars like a tiger or a lion, but only a yelp, just like a dog.
African cheetah is born with a mane on his head, but eventually it disappears. The black tear stripes extend it from the eyes to the upper jaw, and from this it seems that something is very saddened by the cheetah. At first glance, the cheetah looks very clumsy - caved back, wasp waist, slim legs, but as soon as he started running, it becomes the embodiment of graceful swiftness. Claws of the cheetah is not drawn, they are helping to change direction when running in no time. He preys on the antelope. Always one jump knocked the victim and kills her, bitten through his throat. Cheetah never eats carrion. After eating their fill of freshly killed prey, he leaves the carcass of birds and dragons. In contrast to the lions, he does not guard it until the next afternoon, and he left, he is never returned. Cheetahs - lone hunters. Only occasionally they hunt in pairs or family groups.
The cheetah can jump from place to as many as eight feet. At short distances it is easily overtakes racehorse. In ancient times the rulers of India, and Assyria, a specially arranged match cheetahs. This was considered a truly royal entertainment.
While there were many hand-held cheetahs. They often went to hunt antelope. Cheetahs are very easily tamed, and, despite his hunting skill, gentle and calm animals. There's never been a single case to a cheetah attacked a person.
By the way, to hunt with the cheetah is loved and Russian princes. In our time, cheetahs live in Africa and more recently, they roamed the grassy plains of India, Iran, Arabia. They often met in Central Asia and Transcaucasia. But man has always been cruel to cheetahs. Quick feet are not saved from the bullets. Immoderate, ruthless hunting has set the fastest runner on the verge of extinction. Now, to save and restore the number of cheetahs, you should first try to breed it in captivity. Only a caring person to help preserve for posterity this beautiful, graceful and rare predator.

African Elephant

2012-02-10T17:23:00.002+02:00

Elephants have always evoked, cause and will cause an increased interest in people. Their huge size, power and strength inspire fear and respect. Elephants occupy the second position in the ranking of the largest mammals in the world. Let me remind you that the first place is deservedly got the blue whale.
In turn, the largest representative of the African savanna slonoobraznyh is an elephant, whose body length of up to 6-7.5 meters and the height at the shoulders of 2.5-3.5 meters.
In the world there are only 3 types of elephants, two of which belong to the genus African elephants (the savanna and forest elephants), and 1 - for the Asian (Indian elephant). African elephant habitat is quite extensive - it is the whole area, located south of the Sahara desert. But he has some fragmentation caused by a strong decrease in the number of these animals since the XIX century. For example, the savannah elephants are no longer seen on the territory of The Gambia, Burundi and Mauritania. For the most part they are found only in national parks and reserves, which are safe.
They are found on all areas, regardless of terrain. What matters is that there was enough food, water and shade, saving these animals from overheating.
African elephants are larger than the Indian.
The average weight of males is 5 tons, females - 2.5-3 tons, but among them there are and these giants up to 4 meters in height and weighing 12 tons. One such elephant was even listed in the Guinness Book of Records as the largest land mammal. His weight was 12.24 tons.
But not only the overall dimensions are the hallmarks of these two species. Another important parameter is the size and shape of the ears. In African elephants, they are almost 1.5-2 times greater than that of India. These large ears serve as a kind of thermostat. The large surface area and a large number of capillaries allows the elephant to get rid of the overheating. Ears flapping in the hot air currents created that greatly accelerate the process of heat transfer.
Only elephants can boast such an amazing body as the trunk, which was formed by fusion of the nose and upper lip. African elephants have a length of approximately 1.5 meters and weighs about 135 lbs. The trunk consists of more than 40,000 muscles and does not contain any bones, which is why he is so flexible and strong enough. Its main purpose is to procuring food. Elephants can use it to grope and pick up quite small objects. This process is assisted two at the end of the trunk.
In addition, the trunk still performs many other functions: the role of the pump while drinking water or bathing at the end of the trunk of the olfactory organs are located, it serves as a tool for communication and warning of danger. In addition, elephants are very fond of touching each other for what they stroke their relatives on each side of its trunk.
Another ornament, and at the same time, a formidable weapon elephants are tusks. The males of African elephants, they grow to 2.5 meters and weigh about 60 kg. Tusks grow throughout an animal's life, so it is possible to determine its age. With their help, elephants can easily defend against any African predator.
Tusks are incisors of the upper jaw. In addition to these "teeth" of the elephants also have molars. They are a little bit, 4-6 pieces, but they are serious dimensions. Each of them can reach 30 centimeters in length and weigh about 3.7 kg. Throughout the life of the elephant molars changed only 3 times: milk - permanent - and even in adulthood. But the teeth tend to wear out (to 65-70 years). After that, the elephant dies of starvation, as no longer able to grind their food.
Elephants can be called a thick-skinned, in the truest sense of the word. The thickness of their skin reaches 2-4 cm However, it is quite sensitive to various injuries. So the elephants as a skin care make water, mud and dust baths, avoid the animal from annoying insects.
Elephants move almost silently. This is possible thanks to the special springy mass at the base, located under the skin.
Another bad seeing elephants, but this disadvantage is compensated by an excellent sense of smell and hearing. During the communication, they use the language of touch or make loud trumpet sounds that are heard within a radius of 10 kilometers.
African elephants live in small family groups where there is a matriarchy. Each "family" consists of the main female, her older daughters to their calves and still immature offspring (males and females).

African Antelope Wildebeest

2012-02-10T16:31:00.003+02:00

Wildebeest - large African cloven-hoofed animals, which belongs to the family bovids. Along with the wildebeest, belong to this family other antelopes, cattle, goats. So that our neighbors have not graceful antelope. Wildebeest are of two kinds - blue and white-tailed. Both species are listed as endangered.
Wildebeest looks really shine. At the withers, this antelope sometimes reaches five feet, weighs 250 pounds. Wool blue wildebeest (one of the most common species of antelope), bluish-gray, smooth. Boca animals adorn the dark transverse stripes, black mane. The tail is blue wildebeest is very similar to a horse - a thick and long, he also has a black color.Disproportionately long, powerful head of an antelope crowned two sharp curved horns sometimes reach 80 centimeters in length. Hard forehead smoothly into a wide solid nose.Such a prominent black nose would envy is not a mountaineer! Croup horse, broad sternum strong - like a bull or a bison. A strange animal, wildebeest yet - the owners of long, slender and very strong legs. During migration, these legs can carry its possessor to savannas or a dozen miles!
Most of the wildebeest, huge herds of surviving live in African national park. Proud of his livestock wildebeest is one of the largest national parks of East Africa - the Serengeti. On the vast plains graze here for about 300,000 wildebeest. But in the Ngorongoro Crater total number of ungulates is about 14 000 individuals.

Blue wildebeest inhabit the eastern and southern Africa. North of Lake Victoria, these antelopes are not met. There wildebeest and dry shrubs, and rare woods, but the landscape is a favorite antelope - the endless savannah and low-grass plains. It was here that, due to the size and quick feet, it is easier to protect themselves from predators. In addition, there is plenty of food. And, incidentally, wildebeest with confidence be called whimsical gourmet - they only eat certain types of grasses. Given the size of the herd, wildebeest herbs need a lot. That is why the only way to feed themselves is a periodic migration from place to place. It will eat all the grass - go somewhere else. Countless herds of migrating wildebeest, scattered through the savanna to the horizon, look great!
However, there are places where wildebeest are simply not able to migrate, as the territory of residence is severely limited. This place - the Ngorongoro caldera. In the vast valley on all sides bounded by a ridge of stone - the walls of the former crater, wildebeest live apart, moving in during the day only for short distances - from the lush grassy slopes to water and vice versa. But there is no need to constantly change pastures: a thick juicy grass on fertile moist soil, rich in nutrients, is growing rapidly.
Hot daytime wildebeest prefer to hold the water. A sort of beach resort becomes a lake, which stuck to a herd of antelope. Animals long rest, lying down, lying on his back, playing like a small foals.
Every adult male antelope has a territory whose boundaries it marks a special secretions.From April to June in the herd is a fierce struggle for the possession of privileged females. For the "crumbs" males are fighting on his knees. In February and March in a herd of kids there.Now comes the difficult period is for the mother. The fact that the wildebeest is one surprisingly touching property. Look at the first light appeared on the calf run off a whole bunch of nosy neighbors: a mother loses a lot of energy to drive away the visitors who can simply trample the baby.
The newborn wildebeest bears no resemblance to the senior: his entire coat is soft, smooth brown color. The calf from the first hours of life itself rises to his feet. For the wildebeest is necessary, because they have to travel a lot, and sometimes run away from predators! Within a week the baby can chew on grass ponemnozhechku himself, and after six months will be almost completely abandon the mother's milk.
Those wishing to enjoy a tasty fatty meat wildebeest in the savanna are many: it's a leopard, a lion and hyena. The most attainable prey are usually defenseless calves, however, the mother of their child is able to stand up. Day of the herd is in relative safety. Terrible night, and frightened, tangled mass, antelopes are vulnerable to a predator with sharp claws and teeth spotted a small gray nasty hyenas.
But the worst enemy of an antelope (as, perhaps, any other animal) - a clever man with a gun in his hand. The second type of wildebeest - white-tailed gnu - the beginning of XX century, was practically razed to the ground. It inhabits this kind in South Africa. On the white-tailed gnu mercilessly hunted settlers, the Boers. Since then, the white-tailed wildebeest can be found only in national parks. The population of slightly increased, but the white-tailed gnu is still one of the rare African antelope.

African Lion

2012-02-07T19:06:00.004+02:00

Leo is widely rassprostranenny in savannas of Africa. Gives preference to the open landscape, trying to avoid the dense forest.
The body length with a tail of 3 meters and weigh up to 250 pounds.
Preys mainly on zebras, bulls, antelope and other ungulates. In trying to fill up the throw to the ground to catch prey. Claws of the lion are arranged so as with all cats, so the more the victim is, the more they dig into her body.
Lions keep "Pride" is when some females with offspring living together with one or two males.They hunt mostly females and a male role - protecting the territory from attack other predators.
Lioness gives 2.3 cub. Females remain in the pride, and males will soon have to leave out.
In the main male pride. He was always the first to receive its share of production, no matter that it was not he killed an antelope and zebra.
Only males have a mane. The loud roar of the male - a territorial call, which animals represent their presence. Lions live from ten to fourteen years in the wild and in captivity they can live more than twenty years.
In the wild, males rarely live longer than ten years since the trauma of constant battles with rival males significantly decreases their longevity.

African Rhinos

2012-02-07T19:03:00.003+02:00

In Africa, there are two types of rhinos in black and white. Black rhinos have suffered the sharpest decline in the last 20 years. Black rhinos in the wild, there are only about 4000, though the heroic efforts being made to increase their numbers. White rhinos more than blacks, about 17,000, but almost all of them are concentrated in the South Afrike.A actually rhinos in color or black and white or gray in color they are. Black rhinos tend to live by one, while the white, live in groups. Black rhinos live in the savanna where a lot of shrubs and tropical plants because they eat the leaves of shrubs and small trees shoots. White rhinos also live in the savannah, but they are herbivores. Rhinos can be distinguished on the lips, the lips black rhino tenacious designed to break off the leaves from the bushes. The White Rhinoceros also has a long, flat lips like livestock (eg cows), with which he can easily pull out the grass.
Rhinos are one of the largest mammals on Earth (the second largest after the elephant). Adult white rhino can weigh up to 3 tons! Rhinos is really short-sighted, but at close range perfectly see. Unfortunately, rhinos, and not so much, and is associated with poaching.
Rhino horn is widely used for medicinal purposes to treat fever, and greatly prized in Asia. In 2010, the rhino horn was valued at $ 60,000 per kilogram. Each horn weighing approximately 6-8 kg, which is attracting poachers. If you can avoid poachers, the rhinos can live 30-50 years.

African Zebra

2012-02-07T19:01:00.002+02:00

Zebras are on the mind of the horse. Vosnovnom zebras live on the plains. Zebra exclusively herbivorous animal, and can eat about 50 different types of three species of zebras trav.Est Burchell zebra, Grevy's zebra and mountain zebra. Zebra is easily recognized by its stripes. For example Burchell Zebras are colored with large black and white stripes, which are located diagonally across the back and belly up to the hoof. The mane is painted vertically in line with the neck. A tail of a zebra striped with a dark brush on the end. Each individual zebra stripes as fingerprints in humans.
Grevy's zebras that the braid then they have a narrow strip of what is conditioned by them more closely. These horizontal stripes of zebras on the hips and shoulders, and neck and legs in a slightly inclined vertical bands. The legs of these animals are short and thin.
Representatives from Mountain zebras have stripes zebra stripes wider Grevy, and legs are longer.
Zebra, although considered a nervous animal can be a very sociable animals and usually meets with representatives of herbivorous race. Naprmer it can be giraffes, antelope, wildebeest, buffalo, or. Zebra can often be seen in herds of these animals.
Male zebras can weigh up to 300 pounds and have a shoulder height of about 50 inches, females of these animals a little less. Zebras can live up to 30 years, but in the wild, the figure is about 12 years due to predators.

At the age of 3 years, the female can give birth to her first foal. The gestation period lasts about 12 months. Foal vskormlivaetsya within 6 months. For males breeding does not begin until five or six years.

African Ostrich

2012-02-07T18:58:00.000+02:00

Ostrich is the largest bird of all birds present on our planet. One drawback of this bird that it can not letatet. But the ostrich compensates for its strong and long legs, with the help of which can reach speeds of up to 70 kilometers per hour. Ostrich - a massive bird. At the height it can reach 3 meters and weight is rarely up to 150 pounds.
Ostriches live in the open mentions in savannas, where the soil rozzharivaetsya from the hot sun and it becomes very hard. Under these conditions, the ostrich has a small, firm area of support. At the feet of these animals, two front and one rear toe. With these conditions ostrich keeps the balance and well-developed high speed.
Ostriches are very dangerous bird. One kick, they can greatly cripple a person. Vosnovnom ostriches live in mixed communities of 5 to 50, but there are also ostriches single.
The nest of ostrich - a small hole in the ground. It debugs 6.8 eggs female. Couple sitting on the nest at a time.
And when strausyata are born, the parents of a few months to go brood, protecting babies from danger
and solar heat.

African Giraffe

2012-02-07T18:40:00.000+02:00

With an average altitude of about 5 feet, the giraffe is the highest land in the whole animal kingdom. In the wild, these animals can live to 25 years.
Describing the giraffe and its long legs, long neck, and mottled coloration, many people initially thought it was the animal is a mixture of camel and a leopard. But it is not so.
Giraffes live mainly in the savanna to the south blezhe
Sub-Saharan Africa. Because of their great height they can eat leaves and shoots are located much higher than those to which access may be other animals. Giraffes love acacia. Long tongue of the animal is very useful in food, because it helps the giraffe to pluck leaves from trees. The giraffe is very eats a lot. Therefore, an adult individual mozhnt to eat 45 pounds of leaves per day.
The male of this animal is taller and heavier than the female.Both sexes have the head covered with leather
horns, called the "neck" at the top of the head.
"Necks" and smaller females, and have a small bunch of top wool, while the males 'neck' on the bald the top. These horns are designed to protect the head when male giraffes in the fight, when they beat and swings each other's heads.
Phi movement giraffes move both left legs, then both feet, and then right as oe. This step makes the Giraffe is unique. Giraffes can reach speeds of 55 kilometers per hour.

The female giraffe can get pregnant at the age of 5 years. They have a child within 15 months and give birth standing up. A newborn giraffe is about 2 m in height and weighs approximately 70 Kg.
Giraffes sleep less than two hours a day. They sleep feet tucked under him. They can sleep standing up.