The tropics are an amazing place with a humid and warm climate. The animals living here are distinguished by their bright colors and unpredictable behavior. Many tropical inhabitants are kept in zoos, and some can only be found in wildlife.
Big cats of the tropics
Large representatives of the cat family live in the tropical zone. The most common of these are leopards and tigers. The tiger is considered the most dangerous predator of the tropics. He is fast and ruthless. Monkeys, gazelles, and even zebras become its prey. However, despite this, tigers are afraid of people and attack them only in the rarest of cases.
Leopards of the tropics are divided into several species, but they all have characteristic spots on their skin. By the way, the famous black panther, a symbol of grace and beauty, is also a leopard, but with black spots on a black background. The smoky leopard is also interesting. He climbs trees no worse than a domestic cat, jumping from branch to branch and terrifying the monkeys.
Tigers are found not only in the tropics, but also in the mountains and in the northern regions.
Such different monkeys in the rainforest
The funny monkeys that children love so much are not only mischievous monkeys and macaques. In the tropics, there are dozens of species of these animals, very tiny and huge. The smallest monkey is a dwarf marmoset. Its dimensions are 11-15 cm. The animal looks like a cute fluffy toy and fits easily in the palm of your hand. Igrunks live in trees and feed on tree sap and insects.
The largest monkey is the gorilla. Males reach the height of an average person - 1.75 m, and their weight often exceeds 200 kg. Gorillas live on the ground, and feed on insects and shoots of green plants.
According to scientists, gorillas are the closest relatives of humans.
Pachyderm animals of the tropics
The hippopotamus least of all resembles a slender horse, and yet his name is translated as "river horse". Hippos spend most of the day in a tropical swamp, and even their birth takes place right in the water. Despite their bulkiness and seeming melancholy, hippos are very fierce if they or their cubs are in danger.
Another typical tropical animal is the rhinoceros. These animals are among the most dangerous - an angry rhino runs at a speed of 40 km / h, and its sharp horn is able to pierce the thickest skin. The only thing that saves the victim from the rage of the rhinoceros is the pachyderm's poor eyesight. Rhinos are usually guided by smell.
The only animals that don't care about rhino rage are elephants. Some of the largest mammals live in herds, usually led by the oldest female. Elephants are among the smartest animals - they are able to distinguish notes, have their own language and recognize themselves in a mirror.
