Childrens Illustrated Encyclopedia

334

Marsh and s waMp wildlife

Cottonmouth

most snakes are

good swimmers

and climbers, and

they can travel

through swamps with

ease in search of prey.

the cottonmouth, also

called the water moccasin, is a

north American swamp dweller

with a very poisonous bite.

ProbosCis monkey

this large-nosed monkey

lives among the mangrove

trees of river and coastal

swamps. the proboscis

monkey is a good swimmer.

Proboscis monkeys eat

leaves, flowers, and fruit.

PeliCAn

most of these fish-eating birds build

their nests in remote marshland

areas. some species breed on the

ground, some in trees. others,

such as spot-billed and

Dalmatian pelicans, are very

rare because of destruction

of their nesting sites.

swAmP rAbbit

this large rabbit from north

America can swim well and

dives to escape from predators.

swamp rabbits eat water plants,

grasses, and other vegetation.

the sAlt AnD FreshwAter hAbitAts of swamps

and marshland are called wetlands. marsh and

swamp wildlife includes crocodiles, frogs, birds,

fish, and countless plants. At different times

of the year, the water level of marshes and

swamps rises and falls. in the summer the

land dries up, and in the winter it floods.

wetlands are generally unsuitable for large

mammals—except the African swamps where

hippopotamuses live. smaller mammals such

as muskrats live in north American swamps, and

the european marshes are home to many birds.

the main plant life consists of reeds, rushes, saw

grass, and cattail. large trees are found only in the

tropical mangroves, where the trees form dense

thickets. willows and other waterside trees grow

in the higher, drier ground around the marsh.

ArCher Fish

the archer fish

spits drops of

water at insects on

over-hanging twigs.

the insects fall off the

twigs, into the water, where

the fish gulps them down.

Archer fish adjusts

its aim if it misses,

and fires again.

mArshlAnD

marshes are nursery areas for

many insects whose larvae live

in water, such as dragonflies

and mosquitoes. insect larvae

and worms form the main diet

of many fish and water birds.

Frogs, toads, and tadpoles are

also eaten by larger creatures.

Front fins help the

mudskipper walk on

mud and grip roots.

muDskiPPer

this unusual fish has a

store of water in its large

gill chambers, which allows

it to live out of water for

long periods. From time to

time, it skitters over the mud

to a pool to take in a new

supply of water.

mAngrove swAmPs

mangroves are trees that grow in muddy

tropical swamps. some kinds of mangrove

trees grow in freshwater; others tolerate

salty water and grow on the coast or in river

estuaries. their roots and trunks trap mud,

and their seeds begin to grow while they

are still attached to the parent tree. when

the seeds drop into the mud, they quickly

establish roots so they are not

washed away.

The drops of water hit the

insect like tiny bullets.

Swamp mud is usually so

dense and waterlogged

that, unlike normal soil,

it contains almost no

oxygen. The aerial roots

of mangrove

trees stick

up above

the mud, to

absorb the

oxygen they

need to grow.

Find out more

birds

Fish

Frogs and other amphibians

monkeys and apes

seashore wildlife

snakes

ConservAtion

Farming and industry threaten many

swamplands, but some animals, such

as the marsh harriers shown here,

are protected. they live in the Coto

Doñana national Park in spain—one

of europe’s most important wetlands.

US_334_Marsh_swamp_wildlife.indd 334 22/01/16 11:11 am