The steppe is a grassy plain on which trees almost do not grow. The steppe at first sight seems the desert territory, but on it a large number of animals is found. The fauna of steppe areas is similar to fauna of deserts as conditions approximately identical: arid climate, lack of trees, hot summer and strong cold weather in the winter. Steppe animals show activity mainly at night.
Instruction
1. From large animals the hoofed animals adapted for long run as it is necessary to overcome long distances, with acute eyesight which is necessary for observation on big open spaces live in steppes. One of bright representatives of such animals – an antelope. It hoofed animal families cavicorn which is divided into several large subfamilies. All of them differ in long legs, a slender body, short wool. Growth at antelopes different, is found a saiga of average height with sharp horns in steppes of Asia and Europe, different large and small representatives of this group live in steppes of South America.
2. Different types of rodents which adapted to dwelling in underground holes where they are protected from a heat and cold weather are widespread in steppes. In the majority of steppes of the world there live gophers – little rodents with dark fur, short ears and mainly land way of life. Gophers dig out holes, cover them with a dry grass, but spend the most part of time out of the houses, getting livelihood – they eat insects and plants. In the winter the majority of species of the gophers living in steppes fall into hibernation. Also groundhogs, jerboas, rats, slepysh treat steppe rodents.
3. Reptiles are very numerous in steppes, thanks to their hladnokrovnost they well survive in such climate. Besides, many types have the coloring merging with color of the steppe therefore it is difficult to see them. Some reptiles are able to be dug in quickly to the earth. Various snakes and lizards are found in different steppes of the world, almost everywhere there live large lizards monitors, steppe boas, vipers, including very dangerous horned viper.
4. A large number of birds who usually fly away for the winter lives in steppes. It is very often possible to see large steppe eagles – these proud birds of prey can brag of wingspan almost to two meters. They are found on the most part of the African and Indian steppes, eat small steppe animals. Steppe kestrels too very widespread birds in steppes, it is relatives of the ordinary kestrel. They small by the sizes, but very fast and noisy. Also steppe birds it is possible to call a bustard, a bittern, some larks, quails, partridges.
5. It is a little predatory mammals in steppes, generally it is predators, small by the sizes, – foxes, some types of wolves, an ermine, a polecat. They hunt rodents and large insects who are found in steppes much. These are mantises, a desert and steppe locust, ground beetles, krasnokryla, pestryanka, barkhatnitsa.