Meet the pygmy monkey (marmouset)

A pygmy marmoset, remarkably similar to plush toy- the smallest monkey in the world. Its length is 12.5-15 centimeters without a tail, which is even longer than the body - 15-20 centimeters. Its name comes from French word marmouset, meaning "small" or "dwarf".

Even with an angry face, they are incredibly cute:

Cute Monkey - Wise Monkey:

Butterfly Eaters

True to the tastes of its ancestors, the monkey has the tastes of a sophisticated French taster: it eats everything from fruits, leaves, small reptiles, and drinks it down with tree sap. On average, a monkey spends 2/3 of its life looking for sweet juice, clinging to the bark with the help of special incisors. It can make up to 1300 holes in a single tree, and even leave some sap to attract butterflies, which it also feeds on.

They spend all their time literally hanging out in the wilds rainforest Brazil, Colombia, Ecuador and Peru. Their small size allows them to reach heights that other animals cannot, and thus they get more variety in their food. It should also be noted that it is the father, and not the mother, who carries the little cubs on his back until they can get their own food.

The baby lives as long as a dog: about 11 years. Few will be able to see them with my own eyes: Their fur makes them virtually invisible, they were once even captured by the US military to make invisible suits. However, monkeys can be found in the zoo.

Slender Lori: An even cuter primate

Madagascar friends

This annoyed-looking guy is actually not that dangerous, one might even say harmless - and one of the most defenseless primates. This is the Madagascar bat, a large nocturnal primate of the Strepsirrhini family (of those with "wet noses").

The Madagascar armlet lives, as you might have guessed from the name, on the island of Madagascar. These rare animals do not look like primates at first glance, but they are related to chimpanzees, monkeys and humans. They crawl through trees with long middle fingers and listen for insects and beetles living in the bark.

Many natives of Madagascar consider meeting this animal an omen of bad luck. They believe that where the Madagascar bat appears, someone dies. Sakalava (inhabitants of Madagascar) believe that she enters houses at night through thatched roofs and kills sleeping residents. Presumably, she uses her elongated finger to cut open her victim's aortic vein.
All these beliefs lead to the fact that poor primates are killed if they appear in front of a person. It seems that people are predicting death for this animal, and not vice versa...

In 1500, thanks to pure chance, the island of Madagascar was discovered. The team of the Portuguese navigator Diogo Dias was caught in a storm that forced them to land on the only land nearby. Thus, an island with extraordinary nature and rich fauna was discovered.

Unique island

Madagascar is located near the coast East Africa, from which it separated more than 160 million years ago. Its unique landscape, which includes mountains, lakes, desert areas, jungles, has contributed to the conservation of a huge number of animal species. There are more than 250 thousand of them on the island, and most of them are endemic, that is, they are not found in other areas the globe. The fauna of Madagascar is unique. It is mainly presented small animals and reptiles.

Many species of island fauna are now on the verge of extinction. People extract minerals, cut down the jungle, causing animals to suffer.

IN Lately the number of reserves and specially protected territories has increased, where all conditions are created for the free existence of the unique fauna. Scientists work by tracking various animal populations and fighting for their prosperity.

Madagascar - the kingdom of lemurs

The largest part of the island fauna are such animals of Madagascar as lemurs. Indigenous people they are treated with special respect, because they believe that the souls of the dead move into the body of the half-monkeys. More than 20 species of these animals live on the island.

Lemurs are kept by families in which the female dominates. These cute creatures look like their ancestors - monkeys, but have shorter limbs and a pointed muzzle. Nature perfected them appearance, adding big eyes. This mechanism allows you to perfectly navigate the extraction of food. The animals eat mainly insects and vegetation. They are very friendly, brave and curious.

Lemur species

The kata lemurs are distinguished by the most striking appearance. They are distinguished by a white muzzle with dark "glasses" and a long striped tail. In size, representatives of this species barely exceed the domestic cat. Thanks to practically total absence predators, animals of Madagascar, such as kata, are most widespread.

The smallest primate lives in Madagascar - mouse lemur. The body length of the baby is about 9 cm, with a tail - 27 cm. This species was discovered in 2000.

Another interesting representative is the handle. Another name for the animal is ah-ah. It lives in trees and obtains its food using excessively long and tenacious fingers. The animal taps the trunks for larvae, using echolocation. His appearance is not particularly attractive: shaggy hair that sticks out in all directions, yellow wide-spaced eyes and large semi-circular ears.

Indri is one of the largest lemurs. Its weight reaches 10 kg, and its height is 90 cm. Despite its large dimensions, the beast deftly climbs trees. Each family has a strict range, which it guards by making loud noises.

Swamp tenrec

The most elusive animals of Madagascar, in a strange way adapted to life in water bodies. Tenrec limbs are equipped with membranes and big amount muscle tissue. The animal deftly runs in shallow water, catching tadpoles and fish. For hunting, he uses vibrissae - sensitive antennae, which, like a locator, pick up vibrations in the water. The appearance of the tenrec is also interesting: its size is about 15 cm, and a mixture of wool and needles covers the entire body. In appearance, the animal looks like small hedgehog, in fact, it refers to shrews.

rare birds

The island is also rich in birds - there are about 150 species of them, of which a third are endemic. Most Madagascar from the class of birds - red-headed divers. Lack of food and drying up of reservoirs due to human activities have put this species ducks are endangered. It was believed that these birds disappeared forever, but in 2006 a small population of 20 individuals was discovered. For 8 years of successful and painstaking work of zoologists, it was possible to increase it by 4 times. The dive is very beautiful, it has a red-brown body, a gray beak and a white belly.

The real unique is the blue cuckoo. The bird has an incredibly attractive appearance with rich blue plumage. Unlike relatives, she incubates offspring on her own. For its remarkable appearance, this endemic is endangered total extermination poachers.

Fossa

Who would have thought that the largest island predator reaches only 1.5 m in length, half of which is occupied by a long tail. Strong muscular beasts have a reddish-brown coat. Outwardly, these animals of Madagascar are similar to a cat and a marten, but belong to the viverrid family. The tail of the fossa, coupled with retractable claws, allows her to deftly climb sheer cliffs and trees in search of prey. The population of these predators is very small and is on the verge of extinction.

Amphibians

The island of Madagascar abounds huge amount amphibian species, among which the main ones are frogs, lizards and chameleons.

Rare and endangered species include Due to their incredible appearance, they easily avoid prying eyes. The amphibian reaches a length of 13 cm and has a tail barely distinguishable from a dried leaf. The body of an amphibian is covered with skin resembling tree bark.

Panther chameleons are distinguished by their bright coloration, which is easily changed due to the special structure of body cells. They use their skill for disguise and communication. This species is notable for its ability to simultaneously observe with two eyes different objects of hunting. Before throwing out a sticky tongue, the chameleon focuses on the target.

The tropical rainforests of the island are home to many frogs. The most notable are the tomato narrow-mouths. The females of this species have a rich color ripe tomato and black stripes on the sides of the body. When danger arises, their skin releases an irritating secret.

The vast territory of Madagascar has not yet been fully explored. Every year new species of animals are discovered. Scientists are achieving good results in increasing the population of endangered endemics of the island.

Indri monkeys are relatives of lemurs. Another name for this species of primates is babakoto. Funny name, isn't it?

In the language of the locals, the name "indri" means "here it is." May be. This monkey looks so amazing that, noticing it, people tried to show it to each other?

These monkeys are the largest among the representatives of the infraorder of lemurs living in Madagascar. Indris belong to the order of primates, the indriev family. Let's try to find out more about these lemurs.

Appearance of babakoto

Indri monkeys can weigh up to 9.5 kilograms. The body length of the animal is from 64 to 90 centimeters. For a monkey, this is not so little.

The tail of the indri is short. The limbs are different: the hind limbs are much longer than the front ones. Depending on the area of ​​​​residence, coat color may vary. But the main colors are gray, white and black. Often, a light triangle stands out on the back of a babakoto. The hair on the head and back is black. There is absolutely no fur on the muzzle.


Indri habitats

Babakoto settle on the island of Madagascar. They are mainly found in the northeastern region.

Indri lifestyle and nutrition

These lemurs prefer rainforests. There they can live up to an altitude of 1800 meters above sea level. But the indris love the lowlands more.


Indri are relatives of lemurs.

The main part of the life of the babakoto takes place in the trees. The need to descend to the ground in these animals is almost absent. And why should they? After all, trees have everything they need to live.

Babakoto move spasmodically, both along the ground and along the branches, for this nature provided for them long hind limbs.

Indri are more active during daylight hours. At night, they can leave their lodging for the night only if the weather is bad in the forest, or if they have been pursued by a predator. During the day, indris bask in the warm Madagascar sun, lounging on a tree branch.


Babakoto are herbivorous creatures.

social structure is such that these monkeys form small groups for living together. In such a community, no more than five individuals. As a rule, the members of the group are a female with a male and their babies. In this family, the female is considered the main one, and the male is assigned a secondary role.

One more hallmark monkey babakoto is considered to be her loud singing. She loves to sing her songs to the whole forest, especially in the morning. Sometimes such "concerts" are heard in the forest a couple of kilometers from the place where the "singer" is located.


Babakoto's diet consists of plant foods. These primates feast on ripe fruits, leaves, flower petals. Sometimes, to prevent poisoning from poisonous leaves, indris swallow a handful of earth, which absorbs all the toxins in the body.

reproduction

Pregnancy of female babakoto lasts about five months. Then one baby is born. The first half of the year, the baby eats only mother's milk. After weaning and living for a couple more months, the young indri becomes independent. Puberty in young animals it occurs at the age of seven to nine.

Among the features in the relationship of babakoto, researchers note exceptional fidelity to each other in a pair.

dizzy animal world Madagascar impresses with a huge variety of mammals, reptiles, amphibians, birds, etc. From 1999 to 2010, scientists discovered 615 new species on the island, including 41 mammals and 61 reptiles. Madagascar is an island off the coast of Africa, where about 75% of the species are endemic, that is, they do not live anywhere else in the world. Tropical and dry deciduous forests, as well as sufficient fresh water have created wonderful habitats for rare and endangered species.

photo

Madagascar is the only place in the world where the lemur family lives. Among them, one of the most rare mammals on the ground - silky sifaka(Propithecus candidus), a lemur called the "angel of the forest" because of its white fur.


photo Silky sifaka

Very interesting lemur, which is difficult to detect, as it is nocturnal ah-ah(Daubentoniamadagascariensis). It lives in tropical forests and feeds on insect larvae that it finds under the bark of trees. Today, this lemur is threatened by habitat loss (destruction rainforest) and hunting. In some areas, locals believe that the aye-aye brings bad luck and kill the animal whenever they encounter it.


photo Ai-Ai

Indri(Indriindri) is the largest lemur on the island. It mainly feeds on fruits and leaves in the rainforests of eastern Madagascar. Indri is famous for his eerie singing, which sounds a bit like the sounds of a humpback whale. Today, Indri is endangered due to habitat loss.


photo Indri

The largest representative of the Viverridae family in the world and largest predator Madagascar - fossa(Cryptoproctaferox). Outwardly, it resembles a small cougar, but it does not have to be a relative. Body length with tail reaches 1.5 m, weight - 12 kg. Staying lonely. The female brings 2-4 blind cubs. It feeds them with milk for five months, and the size of adult animals reaches only up to 3-4 years. Fossa perfectly climbs trees, powerful claws and tail help her in this. Can live in rocks and bushes.


photo of Foss

The fauna of Madagascar is home to about half of the world's chameleon species (about 150 species). These are small, medium-sized reptiles that are renowned for their ability to drastically change color. One of the smallest chameleons and a tiny lizard - small brookesia(Brookesiaminima) eats insects and lives along the bottom of the rainforest, or dry deciduous forest most of Madagascar. To avoid predators, this chameleon will use its own, and can also pretend to be dead.


photo M scarlet brookesia

There are also many snakes on the island that you will not see anywhere else in the world, but hardly any of them has such an amazing appearance as leaf-nosed Madagascar snake(Langaha madagascariensis). Leaf snakes, unlike many others, have pronounced signs of sexual dimorphism. This one prefers to ambush tree lizards, birds, frogs and rodents.


photo Leaf-nosed Madagascar snake

Reptiles are represented extremely widely. One of the largest forms lives in Madagascar nile crocodile (Crocodylusniloticus). Once this species was widespread in fresh waters, but after many years of hunting for its skin, the Nile crocodile was made a rare animal. There are also many turtles on the island, for example spidery(Pyxisarachnoides), only 10 cm long, or very rare Madagascar beak-breasted tortoise(Asterochelysyniphora). For which exotic lovers are illegally ready to pay up to $ 200,000. There are no real lizards, monitor lizards and agamas in Madagascar, there are only iguanas And geckos.


photo Spider turtle

(Phelsuma madagascariensis madagascariensis), unlike most geckos that are nocturnal, is a diurnal lizard. In addition to Madagascar, it is also found on nearby islands, including the Comoros, Andaman and Seychelles. This gecko feeds mainly on insects, but sometimes it eats fruits and flower nectar.


photo Madagascar day gecko

It differs in great variety. Unique unusually large sizes and various colors are common on the island. Among them is the largest butterfly in the world - comet(Argemamittrei). The volume of its bright wings can reach 20 cm, and the tail can grow up to 15 cm in length. This butterfly does not eat, but lives off nutrients accumulated in the caterpillar stage. The life span of a comet is only 4-5 days.


photo Butterfly comet

The fauna of Madagascar has a relatively small species diversity of birds - 258, but 115 of them are endemic. There are many unique specimens on the island. Three species of shepherds (Mesitornithidae) live on the island. All of them are endemic. Birds are about 30 cm long, have short wings and a thick tail. They prefer to live in pairs or small flocks. They feed on seeds and insects. All three species build platform nests low in bushes.


photo shepherdess

About 20 species of fish live in rivers and freshwater reservoirs. Surrounding Madagascar warm waters Indian Ocean rich various types commercial fish.

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The fourth largest among the islands. The territory of Madagascar is almost 600,000 square kilometers. Approximately the same amount is occupied by the Arkhangelsk region. Out of almost 90 regions of Russia, it is in 8th place.

Madagascar was also once part, but not of the country, but of the ancient continent of Gondwana. However, another 160,000,000 years ago, the island broke away. Isolation and, at the same time, an abundance of food, fresh water, led to the development of the animal world.

Evolution took him in a special way. Bottom line: - more than 75% of the animals of Madagascar are endemic, that is, they are not found outside the republic. Madagascar gained sovereignty in the 1960s. Prior to that, the island belonged to France.

It was discovered by the Portuguese Diego Diaso. This happened in the 16th century. If you haven't been to Madagascar since then, it's time to discover the world of its inhabitants.

white-fronted indri

Represents the Indriaceae family, which includes 17 species. All of them live only in Madagascar. The white-fronted, for example, occupied the forests from the north of the Mangoro River to the Anteinambalana River.

The animal belongs to the wet-nosed primates. Accordingly, it resembles a monkey with a wet nose. More specifically, the endemic is the lemur. This is a transitional step from lower mammals to primates.

Indri is named white-fronted due to its color. The fur on the body of the lemur is white, but the forehead area is accentuated by a black collar on the neck and a dark muzzle. The length of the animal reaches a meter. This is with the tail. The weight of an indri is 7-8 kilograms.

Pictured lemur indri

crowned lemur

This animal weighs only 2 kilos with a length of up to 90 centimeters. Slenderness allows you to jump long distances, from branch to branch. The tail helps to plan. The lemur owes its name to the dark spot on its head.

The main color is orange. Like all lemurs, crowned ones live in packs. They are led by females. So King Juklian from the famous cartoon is a character that is doubly fictional.

Pictured is a crowned lemur

lemur vari

Vari is one of the largest animals living in Madagascar. I mean lemurs. Among them, the vari giant with a body length of about 120 centimeters. At the same time, the animals weigh only 4 kilos and eat, like their small counterparts, fruits, berries, nectar.

Vari has a contrasting color. The muzzle is framed by white whiskers. On the paws and back, the hair is also light. The rest of the areas are filled in with black. You can see vari in the east of the island, in the mountains. Their height is approximately 1,200 meters above sea level.

On the photo lemur vari

ring-tailed lemur

These animals of madagascar not only as tall as a cat, but also with ears similar to it. The tail of the representatives of the species is powerful, in black and white rings. The body is gray, pinkish or brownish on the back.

In the cartoon "Madagascar", by the way, Julian represents the "cat" family. On the screen, he keeps his tail upright. In nature, this is done to appear taller, to scare off enemies.

The second position of the tail is not described in the cartoon. The organ serves as the 5th leg, supporting the animal while standing on its hind legs, walking along thin branches.

Pictured is a ring-tailed lemur

Gapalemur

The primate is distinguished by large big toes. The color of the animals is brown. The fur is dense and short. Brown eyes on a round head with almost imperceptible ears, they give the impression that the lemur was in a hurry. Therefore, representatives of the species are often called meek. The total length of the bodies of the hap does not exceed 80 centimeters, and the weight is 3 kilograms.

Gapa differ from other lemurs in their propensity to swim. Representatives of the species settled in bamboo thickets near Lake Alautra, in the northeast Madagascar. Animals in the photo often found in water rather than in trees.

However, hapalemurs still feed on vegetation. The stomachs of animals are able to neutralize the cyanides contained in bamboo shoots. Therefore, like pandas in China, gapas are not poisoned by the plant.

Pictured hapalemur

Sifaka walnut

In general, the arm is a most curious creature, which thousands of tourists are eager to see. The animal, however, is nocturnal. Under the shadow of darkness, it digs with its long fingers from under the bark and stones.

Pictured is a Madagascar bat

Fossa

Fosses hunt lemurs, live alone on the ground. For lemurs, however, you have to climb trees. The hunter can give out a uterine growl, reminiscent of a cat.

Pictured is a fossa animal

Madagascar rat

saying What animals are in Madagascar are endemic, I would like, as long as possible, to mention the giant. The species is dying. The habitat is only 20 square kilometers north of Morondava.

This is one of the cities of the republic. Driving away from him, you see rats the size of and somewhat similar to them. So, the animals have muscular hind legs. They are needed for jumping. The ears are elongated. Animals press them to the head when they jump almost a meter in height and 3 in length.

The color of giant Madagascar rats is closer to beige. In nature, they live in burrows and require the same in captivity. The first offspring outside the habitat was obtained in 1990. Since then, attempts have been made to replenish the population artificially.

Pictured is a Madagascar rat

striped tenrec

Pictured is a tenrec animal

Madagascar comet

This is not about a cosmic body, but the largest in the world. She is classified as a peacock. All members of the family have bright, round patterns on their wings that resemble pupils.

The comet inhabits only the island of Madagascar and its animals not averse to feast on the fleshy body of an insect. However, the butterfly lives only a couple of days. Comets are starving using the resources accumulated in the caterpillar stage. Enough supplies for a maximum of four days.

The butterfly was called a comet because of the elongations on the hind wings. "Drops" at their ends reach 16 centimeters with a wingspan of 20 centimeters. The general color of the insect is yellow-orange.

Pictured is a comet butterfly

Madagascar cuckoos

From the cuckoo family, 2 endemics live on the island nearby. First - giant view. Its representatives reach 62 centimeters. The second type of endemics is distinguished blue color. True, the size of the birds is slightly inferior to the giant relatives. Blue cuckoos reach 50 kilos, and can weigh about 200 off.

In the photo Madagascar cuckoo

The total number of birds in Madagascar is limited to 250 species. Nearly half of them are endemic. The same goes for insects. Butterfly comet - just one wonderful creation of the island. There are also giraffes.

beetle weevil giraffe

Their noses are so long and curved that they resemble long neck. The body of insects, at the same time, is compact, like that of. A tomato frog can eat such a charm. She is orange red.

tomato frog

It's hard to eat it on its own. Endemic secretes a sticky substance that glues the mouth of a predator and causing allergies. By the way, Madagascar itself is also called red. This is due to the color of local soils. They are stained with clay. So, tomato frogs on the "tomato" island is the place.