Childrens Illustrated Encyclopedia

216

Forest wildlife 216-

Wolverine

The wolverine of northern

forests is an exceptionally

strong animal for its

size. it tackles

animal prey much

larger than itself

and also eats carrion

(dead animals), fruit,

and berries. The

wolverine is nicknamed

the “glutton” because of

its large appetite.

This map shows the main forest areas of the world.

South

America

Africa

Asia

Australia

Ferns, such as bracken, grow quickly and

rapidly cover clearings. Bracken is

common on every continent

except Antarctica. It spreads

by sending out branching

underground stems.

North

America

Coniferous foresTs

Pines and firs make up coniferous forests.

These trees are evergreen—they keep their

leaves all year, providing shelter for animals.

The leaves are very tough, and

only a few animals can eat

and digest them. A few

types of conifer, such as

the larches, lose their

leaves in the fall.

Several

heavy-bodied,

strong-legged

birds live in the

forest, including

pheasants such as the

blue peacock shown here.

These birds can fly but they

often avoid danger by running

into the dense forest undergrowth.

Bluebells are

one of the

spring woodland

flowers. Some

bluebells have pink

flowers; others

have white ones.

long-eAred oWl

The long-eared owl swoops silently

among the trees at twilight and during

the night. These owls roost by day in

a tree, and their mottled brown

plumage provides good

camouflage. The tufts on

the feathers of this owl’s

head look like long ears—

hence the name.

Trees Are THe mosT imPorTAnT plants in a forest.

They provide all kinds of animals, including monkeys,

squirrels, and parrots, with food, homes, and escape routes

from predators. The most common tree in any kind of forest

often gives the forest its name, from the pine forests in the

cold north to the steamy teak forests in the tropical regions.

A temperate forest consists of different layers of vegetation.

The forest floor is covered with leaf litter. Here, parts of trees

and other plants rot into the soil, helped by the millipedes,

worms, and other small creatures that feed on them. The next

layer of the forest is called the herb layer. it consists of small

flowers and ferns that grow wherever enough sunlight filters

through the trees. Bushes, shrubs, and young trees make up

the under-story of the forest. next is a layer of tall tree trunks,

laced with trailing vines and creepers. The uppermost part of

the forest is called the canopy. leaves grow in the sunlight;

insects, birds, and bats pollinate the flowers;

and fruit ripens to feed a host of creatures.

BroAd-leAved foresTs

The trees in a broad-leaved

forest are called deciduous

trees because their leaves

drop off in the fall, to be

replaced by new leaves the

next year. These trees

blossom in the spring,

which is the main animal

breeding time. The new

shoots provide food for

animals. in the fall, animals

feed on the fruit, nuts, and

berries of these trees, so they

can survive the winter.

Wood anemone

roe deer

The roe deer’s reddish

brown coat blends

in well with the

bracken where it

lives. it lives alone

for most of the

year, feeding at

twilight on the

buds, shoots, and

leaves of trees

and shrubs.

Temperate forest

Tropical forest

Coniferous forest

Europe

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