Cellular technology engineering of living tissues. tissue engineering. Methods for growing tissue
Instruction
Nowhere in the world are there so many large herbivores as in the African savannah. Huge herds of ungulates - zebras, gazelles, antelopes, buffaloes - constantly roam from place to place “following the rain”, eating and trampling grassy vegetation in huge quantities. A significant number of herbivores and their constant and seasonal migrations contribute to the preservation of the typical "park" species of the African savannah.
The largest inhabitant of the savannas is the African elephant. Its height reaches 4 m, and its weight is measured in tens of tons. Being a herbivore, the elephant is perfectly adapted to life in a shroud. The trunk allows him to reach the upper branches of plants inaccessible to other herbivores, and acts as a pump during watering and bathing.
Another typical representative of the savannas is the giraffe, the tallest animal on the planet. The giraffe is a herbivore that lives only in Africa. Its height reaches 6 m, and weighs a ton of almost a ton. Despite its very significant growth and weight, the giraffe is able to reach speeds of up to 60 km / h. But usually he is leisurely, running only when danger arises.
Black and white rhino are typical representatives of the African savannah. Currently quite rare. The number of rhinos has been greatly reduced due to the shooting of them by poachers.
Herds of herbivores are always accompanied by predators. Two species of lions live here - Barbary and Senegalese. The first is north of the equator, the second is south. Another representative of predators is the cheetah, the fastest animal on the planet. In the process of pursuit, the cheetah is able to reach speeds of up to 110 km / h. In addition to lions and cheetahs, there are quite a few other predators here - bush cats or servals, hyenas, jackals, hyena dogs.
The African savannas are home to many birds. A significant part of the birds are migratory, and periodically find themselves here as a result of their annual migrations. The original representative of the savannah - the African ostrich - is the largest representative of all living birds. The ostrich is a non-flying bird. Its height reaches 250 cm, and its weight is 150 kg. When running, they develop speeds of up to 70 km / h, and are capable of sharply changing the direction of running without reducing speed.
There are numerous small birds - bustards, plovers, larks, hazel grouses, starlings, weavers, doves, pigeons, kingfishers, hornbills, etc. The rain stork nests in the crowns of trees. Quite a lot of birds of prey - buzzard, secretary bird, black-winged kite, buffoon eagle, African kestrel, short-eared owl, five species of vultures arriving for wintering from Europe. There are also scavengers, typified by the marabou stork and African vultures. The latter perform the role of orderlies in the shroud, since they feed exclusively on carrion.
The king of beasts - that's what the lion is called. The lion is the second largest among all cats, the weight of an adult male is 200-225 kg, and the length is 2-2.5 meters plus a tail, 1 meter long. Lions have very pronounced sexual characteristics: the male lion has a chic mane that no female can boast of.
Large jaws, muscular body and strong paws allow the lion to be the top hunter in the African savannah. If you want to understand why the lion is called the king of beasts, see the video: wild African lion vs crocodiles.
But the eating of prey is joint. And the lions eat as much as they can physically eat, because when will the next " festive table”- it is not known, only every 3-4 hunt is successful.
Another big plus of the family is mating. In the "harem" of a lion, there can be 14 females, with whom he mates at every desire.
Pregnancy of females lasts an average of 15 weeks, and 3-4 lion cubs are born, helpless, weak, blind. For 10 weeks, the lioness with her children is separated from the pride, during which time she must not only feed them with milk, but also convey her smell, thanks to which the cubs will later be accepted into the family.
Lionesses arrange a "nursery" - when they go hunting, they can leave their babies under the supervision of other lionesses, who not only protect, but also feed with their milk ...
A selection of interesting videos.
Landmark video: Battle at Kruger. There is just an incredible amount of action for eight minutes. Bulls, crocodiles and lions all mixed up in a bunch. Watch everyone.
Another video where herbivores show themselves in all their glory. Never give up. (although the quality is not very high)
550 lbs Lions Fighting. Lions decide who is in charge.
Nomadic Lions fight to the finish. Lions fight to the death.
Lion fight in Botswana.
Lion Fight - Part I. See the continuation on youtube, in the video below there is a link to the second part. There are 5 in total.
Lion Vs Cheetah - Male lion kills 2 cheetahs. Lions vs cheetahs.
Lionesses on the hunt:
A selection of documentary films.
Lions with Crocodile River:
Desert Lions:
Today, there are many stories and legends about the way of life of the king of beasts. But in order to distinguish truth from fiction regarding how and where lions live, you need to carefully understand the issue. After all, among the many animals of our planet, these predators stand out for their extraordinary strength and power. The majestic mane and deafening roar give the lion a truly royal look. And even in the behavior of this animal there are unique royal manners.
Serious Predator
No matter where the lions live - in wild nature or in captivity - they always remain themselves. These are huge strong predators, perfectly mastering their mobile, flexible and muscular body. They are very fast and agile. These predatory cats have powerful jaws and big teeth, allowing you to keep even such rather big representatives of the animal world as wildebeest. And with the help of claws, breaking prey into pieces is not a problem for lions at all. However, that's not all! It turns out that the tongue of the beast is studded with spikes, which allows him to take good care of his skin, catching fleas and removing ticks.
Of course, a lot depends on which continent a lion lives on: his way of life, and the variety of food he gets, and even appearance. Today, in the wild, this animal can be found in Africa and Asia. However, on the planet there is also the namesake of a land predator - the sea lion. And although their names are similar, the animals themselves are very, very different from each other, and it is absolutely impossible to confuse them.
Lifestyle
The lion is a feline that can stare at the sun without blinking. For this they call it The way lions live, how they survive in natural conditions and in the fight against a person deserves due respect and attention to them.
These predators live in families, the so-called prides. They usually consist of one or two males, several lionesses and cubs. Adult lions are busy protecting the pride's habitat, as cases of encroachment by lone males occur quite often. Lionesses are engaged in hunting and raising offspring. Lion cubs play and tumble all day, developing the agility and speed that they will need in the future. The average number of pride is about twenty individuals.
The lion's possessions extend over tens of square kilometers of open spaces, as well as areas covered with thickets.
It is very important that there are many ungulates in the possessions of lions. After all, the abundance of food of predatory cats depends on their quantity.
Asian lion
It is not difficult to guess where the lions, which are called Asiatic, live. Their habitats are located in the Gir forest in the northwestern part of India. This subspecies of the cat family is sometimes also called Indian, Bengal or Persian.
They are quite similar to their African relatives, but they are much inferior to them in size and body weight. In addition, the color of the coat ranges from reddish-brown to gray and black.
The living area of Indian lions is only 1412 km 2, and no more than 359 individuals live on it. These hunt in low-growing forests, alternating with fields. How many lions live in these territories is hard to say for sure. Now most of these lands are gradually captured by people. The predators had to give them many of their hunting grounds.
Indian lion survival
Today, Indian lions have to share their territories not only with people, but also with others. wild cats- Indian leopards and But a few centuries ago they dominated right up to the very shores of Greece. There were cases of meetings of individual individuals even along the Don River. According to ancient legends, the last Bengal lion in Russia was destroyed by Prince Igor himself in the 10th century.
Back in 1907, there were only thirteen species of these animals left. But with incredible efforts, the man managed to save their lives in captivity. In a protected reserve where lions live today, experts are constantly fighting for the life of these animals.
African lions
They live in Central Africa. Their possessions include savannah territories containing huge vital watering holes. The main decoration of the males of these perfect animals is the mane covering the head, chest and neck. Their body length reaches 240 cm, and their weight is 230 kg. The height and weight of lionesses is slightly smaller. The coat of these wild cats is short and thick. Unlike their Asian relatives, their skin color ranges from light yellow to rich sandy. The manes of males are slightly darker than the main color.
Regardless of which mainland the lion lives on, in Eurasia or Africa, the problem of their destruction by man is the same. After all, about twenty years ago, these African predators numbered more than 230 thousand. Today, their numbers have shrunk tenfold. The reason for this is human hostility. Due to the frequent attacks of lions on livestock, the population uses poisonous baits or weapons to fight them. This was the reason for the catastrophic reduction in the number of these animals.
king of beasts
Speaking about saving the life of wild cats, one cannot help but think about how long lions live in the wild. However, if we compare these predators with other animals, then their life span is rather short. Unlike captive lions, in the wild, lions in rare cases live up to thirty years. Indeed, by the age of fifteen, they are very weak, which does not allow them to maintain their power over the family. In addition, many individuals do not live to this age due to fights with other males. Lionesses have a slightly longer lifespan.
It is not uncommon for lions to die in fights with crocodiles, which are their only natural and mortal enemies. There is an eternal struggle between them. If a lion can destroy a crocodile on land, then the crocodile will take revenge on him in the aquatic environment.
Pride food
The lion's favorite delicacy is meat. However, it serves as the main food that this animal consumes. A lion alone eats about fifteen large animals in a year, average weight which reaches one hundred kilograms. Interestingly, the main food earners are lionesses. But when the meal begins, the leader of the pride is the first to come to the food. It is he who chooses the tidbit for himself, and the rest is eaten by females and young people. The lion family dines once every three days. Each of its members can eat about eighteen kilograms of meat. After the meal, the pride goes to the watering place. After a solid dinner, the family goes to sleep, which can last about twenty hours.
It is noteworthy that in the habitats and hunting of wild cats there are always flocks of hyenas or jackals. And often lion prides generously share their food with them.
lion hunt
Most often, lions hunt deer, zebras, antelopes, and sometimes giraffes. Other similar animals are no exception. IN daytime the pride of lions tries to rest in the shade, and after dark comes out to hunt. As a rule, a family of four individuals at least once a week produces a large animal for themselves. The lion, which has a special role during the hunt, frightens and distracts the attention of the victim. His relatives are in ambush, hiding in the grass and slowly creeping up. Special bloody work is usually done by young lions, and the old male leads the overall process.
However, most often it is the lionesses who are the breadwinners for the pride. They surround the animal they like and slowly approach it. Having chosen the moment, one of the lionesses with a strong blow large paws knocks the victim down and bites into the throat with his teeth. One attack out of four ends successfully for the hunters. As soon as the lionesses pounced on the prey, the male lion appears in all its glory, which, deftly jumping, can reach speeds of up to 60 km / h.
Reproduction and offspring
Lions are very loving animals. Maybe that's why they breed at any time of the year. For mating, the male takes his mate away from the place where the lions live. In Africa, unlike Asian relatives, the leader can have from four to six lionesses. When the female's gestation period is three and a half months, she leaves the family to produce offspring. To do this, the lioness chooses a secluded corner in the thick of bushes.
Lion cubs are born blind and helpless. Their skin is covered with spots that disappear as they grow older. The average number of babies born ranges from three to five individuals, but no more than half survive to adulthood. Lion cubs feed mother's milk, but at the age of seven months they begin to eat meat. Babies will join the pride when they are two months old. Lions are considered adults only at the age of five years.
sea lions
Speaking of lions, one cannot help but recall their water namesakes - sea lions. These pinnipeds, having no resemblance to wild cats, have a lot in common with seals. The only difference is that they do not attempt long-distance migrations and remain on their shores for the winter. Where sea lions live, there are no huge areas with lush greenery, and there are no hot days, as in the savannahs. Almost all of these animals live in the cold waters of the northern part Pacific Ocean, as well as in the southern parts of the Pacific and Atlantic Oceans. Their places of residence include the coast of North America in the region of the California Peninsula, the Galapagos Islands, as well as the southeastern part of the Sea of Japan.
They feed on marine Sometimes, in order to catch it, they have to dive to a depth of ninety meters. Also, the diet of these pinnipeds may include mollusks and crustaceans.
Since ancient times, power has been recognized lion V animal world nature. His images in rock paintings, sculptures, coats of arms and flags testify to strength and power.
IN Ancient Egypt man saw the beast as a mighty god of the earth. Until today, he is called the king of beasts or the lion king, and protect from the destruction of one of the largest and most interesting animals on the ground.
Features and habitat of a lion
Among the cats, only those whose sizes are not inferior to the royal ones can enter into competition with the lion. The mass of the animal reaches 200-250 kg, the body of an adult animal is almost 2.5 m long, to which is added about a meter of tail with a black hair brush. Inside is a "spur" of terminal vertebrae, an additional weapon of a predator. Large dimensions do not prevent the beast from being agile and fast.
Males are distinguished by a mane that grows from the age of 2 and covers the body from the neck to the chest. The color of the mane darkens with the age of the animal, this adds even more significance. It is generally accepted that such a dense and elastic wool shock softens the blows of opponents in fights.
Pictured is a male lion
The length of the mane's hair reaches 40 cm. Its density, shape and color depend on many factors: age, habitat, subspecies, climate, living conditions. In captivity, the mane of lions is always more magnificent, since it does not have to be ruffled in thickets or fights.
Big influence the formation of a woolen head is influenced by the production of testosterone, therefore, among lions, the status of a leader is always with the owner of an outstanding mane. Lionesses smaller, their weight is up to 140 kg, but they are more graceful than partners, since they are the main hunters of the genus. The majestic mane and massive dimensions would make it difficult to track down prey.
Pictured is a lioness
The head of the beast is large, with an elongated muzzle, large jaws. Fangs up to 8 cm long will allow hunters to attack large animals. The body is muscular, the paws are strong, with retracted claws on the fingers. Short hair on the body can be colored from whitish-gray to yellow-brown.
Main relatives lion in nature: jaguar, tiger and, - African animals. Their existence is confirmed by fossil remains estimated to be up to 1 million years old.
Once in antiquity, the habitat of lions was much larger than the present: it covered the entire territory of Africa, the Middle East, southern Europe, the south of present-day Russia, the northwestern part.
The persecution of the beast by man and the reduction of habitat have become disastrous for the predator. It remained in nature only in sub-Saharan Africa and the Gir forest of the Indian state.
Of the 12 subspecies that existed, six have survived in modern times. Among the extinct subspecies is the famous Barbary a lion, the largest wild animal from relatives. The weight of the giants exceeded 300 kg, and the body length was over 3 m. The last representative of the species was exterminated in 1922.
White Lion not distinguished as an independent subspecies animal. The cream color of fine wool is the result of genetic features. South African captive breeders raise these to order for trophy purposes.
Pictured is a white lion
Savannahs are favorite habitats of lions, but sometimes they move to the forest or places overgrown with bushes. Animals need large bodies of water and ungulate mammals - their main objects of hunting.
The nature and lifestyle of a lion
Among cats, lions are distinguished by the formation of a separate family group, or pride. It consists of several adults, as well as their offspring. Young lion cubs leave their parent pride after reaching puberty.
They become loners for the time being, it’s time they don’t find a new pride with an old leader who will give way to a strong one or remain nomads until the end of their lives. Pride lives on certain rules to which group members are subject. Strangers are expelled here, males protect their territory, family ties play a connecting role.
Pictured is a lion pride
The main hunters are lionesses. Their advantage is in maneuverability, flexibility and speed. Success depends on the consistency and manifestation of the qualities of a lion. The hunting productivity of an animal in a collective is obvious, but the division of prey depends on the male if he is nearby. It should be noted that lions are aggressive towards each other during the consumption of food.
Males rarely hunt themselves, but if the victim is caught by them, then the lion feeds alone. Mane increases physical activity and contributes to overheating of the body, so the main role of hunters belongs to females. Each predator in the pride performs a specific mission: the getter, the guard of the territory, the protector of the offspring.
On the photo of a lioness on the hunt
Predators are most active after sunset. Excellent night vision contributes to successful hunting. After lions indulge in rest and care for offspring. Which animal in the circle of relatives can be seen during the day.
The king of beasts has practically no enemies due to its large size and strength. But death and injury overtake the animals in the struggle for the place of the leader in the pride. Males are not inferior to rivals in cases of collisions. Sick or injured animals become weak, fall prey to hyenas, buffaloes or leopards.
Large predators suffer from small ticks that strike where the animal does not reach the body area with its teeth or paws. Eating animal meat leads to infection with helminths. Disease causes prides to migrate in order to maintain numbers.
Lion food
The diet of predators is mainly artiodactyl animals: livestock, antelopes, zebras and others. savannah animals. a lion will not miss even carrion, small rodents. Despite the sharp and long fangs, the predator strangles its prey.
The ability to sneak silently, and then quickly overtake the victim by jumping, leaves no chance of salvation for many inhabitants of the savannas. The lion is strong and fast at short distances, so it gets as close as possible to herds for swift jumps. This distance is approximately 30 m. Several predators of the same pride attack from different sides at the same time.
Hunting takes place more often at night. One successful outing provides 4-5 pride animals with satiety for a week. Ungulates weighing from 50 to 300 kg become victims. In Africa, it is more often wildebeest, zebras, buffaloes, in India - deer. Attacks on rhinos or adult giraffes are rare due to the risk of injury.
The choice of prey depends on their presence in the region; in large individuals, the interest of a predator is attracted by young animals or injured and weakened individuals. At one time, a lion can eat up to 30 kg of meat, although 7 kg for a male and 5 kg for a female are enough to saturate.
If prey needs to be preserved, then lions guard it from nimble hyenas, attracted by the flight of vultures over food. Hunting unites the pride: males come to the rescue in case of a large victim, and the offspring watches the actions of adults.
Lion cubs begin to go out for the first hunting trials at the age of 1 year, and from the age of 2 years they independently get food. Attacks on humans are typical for animals that have lost the ability to hunt ungulates.
Reproduction and lifespan
Sexual maturity of lionesses occurs from 4 years. The birth of offspring is not tied to the seasons, so there may be cubs of different ages next to the mother. Pregnancy lasts up to 110 days, and the brood usually consists of 3 cubs. After birth, they are completely helpless: they are small in size, up to 30 cm long and about 1.5 kg in weight, they are blind. They begin to see in a week, and to walk in three weeks.
Pictured are lion cubs
From the place of birth of babies, remote and hidden from the pride, the female transfers the offspring to a new rookery. It does this often to protect the young from predators that smell the accumulated smell. , - famous lovers of hunting for small lion cubs. The lioness returns to the pride after 6-8 weeks.
If the main male in the pride has given way to a stronger one, then the offspring of the former leader have no chance of surviving. The cubs will be destroyed. There are enough threats and risks for the survival of babies, so only 20% of them grow out of them after two years.
In the pride, lion cubs stay close to their mother, other females do not always let other people's cubs close to them. But there are times when lion creches are formed from cubs under the supervision of one lioness, while others hunt.
At the age of 4-5 years, young individuals who have left their native pride are trying to win the place of the old leader in a foreign family. If the females support him, he will win. Many weakened lions die in defense of the pride.
The life of predators in nature is up to 15 years, and in captivity it increases significantly up to 20-30 years. The stay of an animal in a pride prolongs its life, unlike exiled individuals and leading a wandering lifestyle. The royal greatness of the beast is revealed surrounded by its pride, perhaps that is why this predator with family values is so interesting to a person.
With characteristic herbaceous vegetation and small patches of trees and shrubs, it is called savannah.
African savannahs occupy more than 40% of the area of the continent. They are distinguished by diverse fauna and flora. Moreover, according to scientists, this is one of the most environmentally friendly regions of the planet.
Climate
African savannahs have a warm tropical climate. Pronounced dry winter period. average temperature the hottest month is +30 °С and above, in the coldest month the temperature does not fall below +18 °С. Precipitation falls no more than 2500 mm per year.
African savanna soil
In this region, the conditions for the development of plants are difficult - the soil practically does not contain nutrients(or very few). During a drought, it dries up so much that deep cracks appear on the surface and fires often start. During the wet season, the soil becomes waterlogged.
African savanna vegetation
To survive, savannah trees have acquired certain specific properties that protect them from drought and heat. The brightest representative of the savannah flora is the baobab. The diameter of its trunk often reaches 8 meters. In height, this giant grows up to 25 meters.
The thick trunk of the baobab and the bark are able to accumulate moisture like a sponge. Long and powerful roots absorb moisture from the depths of the soil. Africans learned to use the shoots and leaves of the baobab for food, and to make various tools from the bark.
Despite not the most favorable conditions, the flora of the savannah (Africa and other continents) is quite diverse. Here there are plants that have adapted better than others to a drought that lasts more than one month.
Herbs
The savannah is very dense and juicy grass. For example, elephant, which has huge leaves up to 50 cm long and a stem of about two meters. In addition, aloe and wild asparagus, as well as many cereal plants, feel quite comfortable here.
sausage tree
Very unusual (for a European) is the sausage tree growing in these places. It got its name due to unusual fruits that grow up to 50 cm in length. According to local residents, they are used in the treatment of rheumatism and syphilis. In addition, this required attribute in rituals to exorcise evil spirits.
Looking at the photo of the African savannah, you can see that there are many different palm trees in these areas. And indeed it is. There are several types of such trees.
In addition, the plant world is rich in thorny bushes, mimosa - a favorite delicacy of giraffes.
It should be noted that during the period of drought in the savannah, all vegetation seems to freeze: often during this period the trees completely shed their leaves, the grass sometimes completely burns out under the hot sun. There are frequent fires from which the vegetation suffers.
But when the rainy season comes, it comes to life again. Fresh juicy grass appears, various plants bloom.
Animals of Africa (savannas)
The vast expanses of the savannah are inhabited by many representatives of the fauna that have come to these lands due to migration phenomena, which are primarily associated with changes in climatic conditions on Earth.
Millions of years ago, Africa was covered with rain forests, but gradually the climate became drier, and therefore huge areas of the forest disappeared forever. Their place was taken by light forests and fields overgrown with grassy vegetation. In turn, this contributed to the emergence of new animals that were looking for favorable conditions for life. According to scientists, the first from the jungle came giraffes, followed by followers of elephants, antelopes various kinds, monkeys and other herbivores. It is quite natural that predators - servals, cheetahs, lions, jackals and others - followed them into the savannah.
Antelopes and zebras
The appearance of the wildebeest is so peculiar that it is difficult to confuse it with another animal - a dense and short body on disproportionately thin legs, a heavy head decorated with sharp horns and a mane, a fluffy tail. Next to them there are always small herds of cute African horses - zebras.
giraffes
Photos of the savannah of Africa, which we see in textbooks, brochures of travel companies, necessarily show us one of the typical representatives of the fauna of these places - giraffes. Once the number of these animals was very large, but they were the first to suffer from the white colonists - they made coverings for wagons from their skins. Now giraffes are under protection, but their number is small.
elephants
They are the largest land animals in Africa. Savannahs are unimaginable without huge steppe elephants. They differ from their forest counterparts in powerful tusks and wider ears. TO beginning of XXI century, the number of elephants has been greatly reduced, but thanks to conservation measures and the creation of reserves, today there are more elephants than in the last century.
Rhinos
The fate of the white and inhabiting the African savannah causes serious concern for scientists. Their horns cost four times as much as elephant tusks. Therefore, they are the most desirable prey for poachers. Only those created in helped save these animals from complete extermination.
lions
African savannas are inhabited by many predators. Unconditional superiority among them have lions. They live in groups (prides). They include adults and juveniles. In prides, responsibilities are clearly distributed - young and mobile lionesses provide the family with food, and males protect the territory.
Leopards and cheetahs
These predators are a little similar to each other in appearance, but differ in their way of life. The main prey of the cheetah is the gazelle. The leopard is a universal hunter, he successfully hunts for wild pigs), baboons, small antelopes.
Hyenas
There are many insects and worms in the grass and soil, so the savannah fauna is different big amount feathered representatives. They flock here from all over the world. The most common are storks, red-billed quillies, vultures, marabou, vultures, horned crows, etc. The largest and, perhaps, one of the most beautiful birds in the world, ostriches, live in the savannas.
The picture of the animal world of the African continent would be incomplete if we did not mention termites. These insects have dozens of species. Their buildings are characteristic element savannah landscape.
It should be noted that animals are very revered in Africa. After all, it is not for nothing that their images can be seen on the emblems of many African states: a lion - the Congo and Kenya, a zebra - Botswana, an elephant - Ivory Coast.
The fauna of the African savannah has developed over the centuries as an independent whole. The degree of adaptability of animals to specific conditions is unusually high. It can be attributed to a strict division according to the method of nutrition and the composition of the feed. Some use the shoots of young shrubs, others use the bark, others use the buds and buds of plants. In addition, different animals take the same shoots from different heights.
Conclusion
Savannah South Africa- a place where diametrically opposed landscapes and amazing ecosystems are combined in an amazing way. The harsh struggle for life in these places is in amazing harmony with the luxurious nature, and the richness of flora and fauna - with attractive exoticism and African flavor.
