Animals in Ecuador - Lonely Planet Travel Information. Mammals. Some 3. 00 species of mammals have been recorded in Ecuador. These vary from monkeys in the Amazonian lowlands to the rare Andean spectacled bear in the highlands. The most diverse mammals are the bats, of which there are easily more than 1. Ecuador alone. For many, the most delightful mammals to spy upon are monkeys. Ecuador’s monkey species include the howler, spider, woolly, titi, capuchin, squirrel monkeys, tamarins and marmosets.
The best places to see them in their natural habitat include Reserva Producci. A group of marvelously mischievous capuchin monkeys have taken over the central plaza in the Oriente town of Misahuall. In the Oriente, you may hear howler monkeys well before you see them; the males’ eerie roars carry great distances and can sound like anything from a baby crying to wind moaning spookily through the trees. Other tropical specialties include two species of sloth: the diurnal three- toed sloth and the nocturnal two- toed sloth. It’s very possible you’ll spot one of the former while hiking in the Amazon. They are usually found hanging motionless from tree limbs or progressing at a painfully slow speed along a branch toward a particularly succulent bunch of leaves, which are their primary food source. Leaf digestion takes several days, and sloths defecate about once a week.
Sloths are most fastidious with their toilet habits, always climbing down from their tree to deposit their weekly movement on the ground. Why they go to all this trouble is one of the mysteries of mammalian life in the tropics. There are far fewer species of mammals in the highlands than in the lowlands, but commonly seen critters include deer and rabbits and less commonly sighted mammals include Andean foxes. The mammals most commonly associated with the Andes are llamas, which are domesticated and used primarily as pack animals. Their wild relative, the lovely vicu. River dolphins are occasionally sighted in Amazonian tributaries. Other exotic mammals, such as ocelots, jaguars, tapirs, pumas and the Andean spectacled bear, are very rarely seen.^ Back to top.
Insects. Many thousands of insect species have been recorded in Ecuador; undoubtedly, tens of thousands more remain undiscovered. Butterflies, of which there are some 4. Ecuador, are among the first insects that the visitor to the tropics notices.
Nocturnal bruxism, or Sleep Bruxism, is now a prevalent health problem associated with an array of other problems, demanding a more holistic treatment. The Diverse Plants and Animals of the Tropical Rainforest Biome. Tropical rainforests are found in the zone between the Tropic of Cancer and Tropic of Capricorn. Top 10 ways to enjoy the Midnight Sun Summer in Finland is a spectacular time of the year. For those who venture north of the Arctic Circle, the sun does not set at. Animals in Brazil, find and experience the wildlife and animals of Brazil. See images and photos of animals and their environment - Lonely Planet.
Perhaps the most dazzling are the morphos. With their 1. 5cm wingspan and electric- blue upper wings, they lazily flap and glide along tropical rivers in a shimmering display. Caterpillars are often masters of disguise themselves. Some species mimic twigs; another is capable of constricting certain muscles to make itself look like the head of a viper, and yet another species looks so much like bird droppings that it rarely gets attacked by predators. Mindo has a wonderful butterfly farm, as does Misahuall.
Animals in Ecuador, find and experience the wildlife and animals of Ecuador. See images and photos of animals and their environment - Lonely Planet. View A young emperor tamarin (Sauginus imperator) clings onto its mother in their enclosure in Sosto Zoo in Nyiregyhaza, Hungary, 11 July 2016.
Different land animals (2 of 3): animals living on solid ground. Porcupine: nocturnal animal armed with dorsal quills. Beaver: mammal of the rodent. These elusive, herbivorous and web-footed animals generally live right next to smaller lakes, marshes, ponds, streams and rivers. Some live in ditch environments.
Nearly any walk through a tropical forest will allow the observer to study many different types. Particularly interesting are the leaf- cutter ants, which can be seen marching in columns along the forest floor carrying pieces of leaves like little sails above their heads. The leaf segments are taken into the ants’ underground colony where they rot into a mulch, which produces a fungus that feeds the ants. There are tree frogs that spend their entire lives in trees and lay their eggs in water trapped inside bromeliads (a type of epiphytic plant). The ominously named poison- dart frog is among the most brightly colored species of frog anywhere. The colors of poison- dart frogs run the spectrum from bright red- orange with jet- black spots to neon green with black wavey lines. Some poison- dart frogs have skin glands exuding toxins that can cause paralysis and death in animals, including (and you probably don’t want to hear this) humans.
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Of Ecuador’s reptiles, four really make an impression on visitors: three of them – land tortoises, land iguanas and marine iguanas – live in the Gal. The fourth are the caimans, which inhabit lagoons in the Oriente. With a little patience and a good canoe guide, you’ll spot these spooky creatures as well. But that’s only four of Ecuador’s 4. North America! Snakes, which are much talked about but seldom seen, make up a large portion of reptiles in Ecuador. They usually slither away into the undergrowth when people are coming, so only a few fortunate visitors get to see them.
Perhaps Ecuador’s most feared snake is the fer- de- lance, which is extremely poisonous. Visitors are rarely bitten.^ Back to top.
Radiation causes blindness in wild animals in Chernobyl. This year marks 3. Chernobyl nuclear accident. Vast amounts of radioactive particles spread over large areas in Europe. These particles, mostly Cesium- 1. Damage caused by acute exposure to high radiation doses have been demonstrated in numerous laboratory studies, but effects of chronic exposure to low radiation in the wild remain largely unknown. New research now suggests that chronic exposure to low radiation can cause damage to the eyes of wild animals.
This is shown in an international study led by researchers Philipp Lehmann and Tapio Mappes from the University of Jyv. In the study higher frequencies of cataracts were found in the lenses of bank voles which had lived in areas where background radiation levels were elevated compared to areas with natural radiation levels. Cataract frequency increased with age in the voles, similarly as in humans generally.
In addition, the effects of aging intensified as a result of elevated radiation. Interestingly the effect of radiation was significant only in female voles. Also in humans there are indications for high radiosensitivity of lenses.
Persons with occupational exposure to radiation, such as radiology nurses, nuclear power plant workers and airline pilots have increased risk of cataract, but potential gender differences in radiosensitivity should be further studied. Reasons for the gender differences in wild mammals are still largely hypothetical. However, the present study suggests that increased cataract risk may be associated with reproduction, as female bank voles who had severe cataracts received fewer offspring. Whether poorer reproductive success was caused by cataracts or by radiation is still unclear, and will require further experimental studies. Nevertheless these new results support observations of negative consequences of chronic exposure to low radiation on wild animals and whole ecosystems. Studying effects of chronic exposure to low radiation in natural ecosystems is highly important, as it will help to prepare for new nuclear accidents and predict their consequences, which can entail widespread effects that can persist for hundreds of years in nature.
Fitness costs of increased cataract frequency and cumulative radiation dose in natural mammalian populations from Chernobyl, Scientific Reports (2. DOI: 1. 0. 1. 03.