Ostrovsky makes extensive use of images and symbols in the play. The meaning of the title and figurative symbolism of the drama "The Thunderstorm" by A.N.

Crocodiles have inhabited our planet for 250 million years. They survived dinosaurs and others because they were able to adapt to changes in living conditions. The evolution of these reptiles led to them becoming large amphibious predators. The crocodile frightens and at the same time attracts attention. We will tell you where the predator lives and what it eats in this article.

Why have crocodiles been around for so long?

All these many millions of years, crocodiles lived in the tropics and subtropics, settling in reservoirs with fresh water. Because their habitat remained virtually unchanged for a long time, crocodiles have remained virtually unchanged since ancient times. After the huge dinosaurs and others became extinct, crocodiles had no dangerous enemies left, and they became masters of their habitats. New predators from among warm-blooded animals, such as lions, tigers, leopards, and so on, had a different habitat and could not exterminate crocodiles. Well, they, in turn, being strongly tied to bodies of water, were not able to expand their possessions.

The most terrible and deadly enemy for crocodiles was man. Reptiles were killed for two main reasons. The first is fear of a predator clad in a strong shell with a huge toothy mouth. The second reason is mercantile. has become a very valuable material for making shoes, handbags and other leather goods. Some peoples who eat reptile meat and eggs for food have contributed to the reduction in the crocodiles population. Where do crocodiles live and what do they eat? This is the question that all children ask when they see this reptile for the first time.

Who are called crocodiles?

Currently, all crocodiles are classified into three families:

Real crocodiles.
Alligators.
Gharials.

Zoologists consider Caymans to be one of the species of the alligator family. In total, 23 species of crocodiles are known and described. Each of them has its own habitat and food system. Scientists have long been interested in the crocodile - where it lives, how it reproduces and whether it poses a danger to humans. All these questions were asked regularly, and in order to get answers, I had to watch the animal long time.

Such different reptiles

Representatives of different families differ from each other primarily in the shape of the muzzle and teeth. In real crocodiles, the muzzle is narrow and elongated; the fourth tooth of the lower jaw is visible when the mouth is closed. Alligators and caimans have a wide and oval head; when the mouth is closed, the teeth are not visible, since they are covered by the upper jaw. Gharials are distinguished by a very thin and elongated muzzle. There are other small differences, such as the length of the teeth, the shape and location of the skin scutes, and so on.

The body of caimans and gharials is far from perfect, like that of all amphibians and fish. It is unable to maintain the body's thermal regime. All these reptiles can live only in hot climates and in warm water. They maintain body heat balance by immersing themselves in water or going ashore to bask in the sun. The salt metabolism of these reptiles is very poorly developed, so they live in fresh waters. Only true crocodiles have salt-exchanging glands. The process of removing salts through is called “crocodile tears”.

Reproduction and nutrition

Crocodiles spend most of their time in the water, but they lay eggs in a nest on the shore. Breathe atmospheric air through the nostrils. The powerful jaws of crocodiles are filled with large and sharp teeth, but the crocodile cannot chew food. He is capable of dragging a very large animal underwater, drowning it, and then tearing large pieces from the carcass and swallowing them whole. Reptiles are very voracious, but can go without food for a long time, since their vital processes are slowed down. Yet crocodiles are patient hunters and ruthless killers. They are able to patiently wait for prey for a long time, sneak up on it unnoticed and silently, and then with a swift throw grab it and hold it with their jaws until it dies. Crocodiles do not disdain carrion, for this they are sometimes called water cleaners.

Where can you find crocodiles?

The characteristics of behavior, nutrition and development of reptiles are determined by where the crocodile lives and in what zone it lives.

The saltwater crocodile is the only species that can live in the salt water of seas and oceans. It is distributed over a vast territory - from south coast Asia to the coast of Australia. It can be found off the coast of India, on the islands of the Pacific and Indian oceans, in the north of Australia. This largest crocodile reaches a length of 6 meters or more and weighs about 1 ton. It feeds on animals, fish, that is, any representatives of the animal world that attract its attention. There are known cases of attacks on white sharks, large animals, including horses, tigers, and so on. Cases of saltwater crocodile attacks on people have been recorded. Now you know how this crocodile differs from the rest, where it lives and what it eats.

Lives in the southeastern United States. These reptiles are especially abundant in the swamps of Florida. Lives only in fresh water. It feeds on all living creatures that live nearby. Snakes, turtles, fish, birds and small mammals are included in its diet. A hungry alligator can come close to people's homes and attack small dogs and small pets. The Mississippi alligator is capable of digging small ponds. On the banks of these ponds, females make nests and lay eggs in them. In cool weather, alligators lose activity and are half asleep. Males are larger than females and reach lengths of up to 4-4.5 meters. People walk carefully in areas where crocodiles live.

In which country are these animals considered sacred? Previously, Egyptian residents treated these animals with trepidation. Today the situation has changed - they are trying to avoid predators.

Crocodile fisherman

The gharial lives only in the rivers of the Hindustan Peninsula. The only species that has survived to this day is called the Ghanaian gharial. There are no others anymore. Gharials have an elongated muzzle, very long jaws with many teeth. This allows them to hunt fish effectively. The length of the gharial reaches 4.5 meters, there are almost 100 teeth in its mouth. But despite its large size, it does not attack large animals and people, since, thanks to the structure of its jaws, it is more of a fisherman than a hunter. Of all the reptiles of the crocodile order, the gharial spends the most time in water, and sometimes even manages to acquire shells. In addition to fish, it can also feed on small animals and carrion.

Such a crocodile is not dangerous for humans. Where this animal lives, you can often find small villages; people are not afraid of such a neighborhood.

All representatives of the crocodile family, having existed on Earth for millions of years, have found their niche in the animal world. As predators, they perform their function as orderlies of water bodies and coastal areas. They clear their territory of sick and weak animals, as well as their decaying corpses. Crocodiles and alligators do not expand their domain by capturing new territories and living spaces. Their fights with other predators are random and occur mainly at watering holes. Victory or defeat in these battles does not mean a redistribution of territory. But the life and further existence of crocodiles now depend only on humans. They have no natural enemies in nature. People don't like to go to places where crocodiles live. The country of America is inhabited by these animals; many residents see these creatures as an object for profit. Their skin brings in good income. But those who are not connected with the crocodile for profit try not to disturb this predator.

The crocodile is the largest semi-aquatic predator from the class of reptiles, ideally adapted to life in water.

The appearance of this monster with powerful short legs, its huge mouth studded with sharp teeth and a long powerful tail capable of killing any large animal with one blow has always terrified people.

According to scientists, the crocodile is one of the few surviving descendants of prehistoric archosaurs, the closest relatives of lizards and dinosaurs.

Swamp croc...

Prison with croc...

Description, lifestyle and habits of crocodiles

Crocodiles are huge, several meters in size, possessing incredible strength and very bloodthirsty reptiles that appeared on our earth at the same time as dinosaurs. They are direct descendants of ancient archosaurs who lived back in the Mesozoic era. This family connection is still reminiscent of the appearance of the crocodile, its lifestyle, method of obtaining food and habits.

The body, tail and legs are covered with lumpy hard skin, which has turned into ossified plates, somewhat reminiscent of sea coastal pebbles, which is where its name comes from. Krokodilos, translated from Greek, literally means “pebble worm.” Although the worm is not at all ordinary, but simply incredibly huge. The sizes of crocodiles, depending on the species, range from 2 to 6 meters, and their weight reaches almost a ton. There are also larger individuals, for example, saltwater crocodiles can reach a weight of 2000 kg. Females are usually almost half the size of males.

By existing classification There are real crocodiles, alligators and gharials. General structure All species are quite similar and maximally adapted to living in an aquatic environment: a flattened body, a flat head with a long snout, a long tail compressed from the sides and short legs. There are 5 toes on the front paws and 4 on the hind paws, connected by membranes. Eyes with vertical pupils, nostrils are located on the upper surface of the head, which allows the crocodile, completely immersed in water, to breathe freely and see everything in the area. They have very developed night vision, and their ear openings and nostrils can be covered with folds of skin.

These reptiles have an original respiratory system. They have large lungs that hold a lot of air, allowing them to hold their breath for a long time. Special muscles around the lungs can move the air in the lungs relative to the center of gravity, thereby regulating buoyancy. The connective tissue diaphragm can displace internal organs in the longitudinal direction, which changes the center of gravity of the body, providing desired position bodies afloat and underwater. In addition, the nasopharynx is separated from the oral cavity by the secondary bony palate, thanks to which the crocodile can keep its mouth open under water, while continuing to breathe with its nostrils located on the surface of the water, and the velum and a special valve do not allow water into the windpipe.

The crocodile has a unique circulatory system. The heart is four-chambered with two atria and two ventricles separated by a septum. But the special structure, if necessary, ensures in the aorta, leading to the digestive system, the replacement of arterial blood with venous blood saturated with carbon dioxide, which enhances the production of gastric juice and speeds up the digestive process. Therefore, a crocodile can swallow food in huge pieces or even whole, it will still be digested. His blood contains strong antibiotics that prevent infection even in very dirty water. In addition, hemoglobin in the blood of a crocodile carries several times more oxygen than in land animals and humans, so crocodiles are able to hold their breath and, without surfacing, remain under water for up to 2 hours.

The digestive system of crocodiles also has its own characteristics. So their teeth are constantly renewed every two years, so they are not afraid of losing a tooth, a new one will still grow. The tooth is hollow inside and a replacement grows in this cavity; as soon as the tooth wears off or breaks, there is already a ready-made one to replace it. The stomach is large and thick-walled; inside there are gastrolith stones, which the crocodile uses to grind food. The small intestine is short and passes into the large intestine with access to the cloaca. There is no bladder at all, probably due to life in water.

Crocodiles and alligators are different from each other. Externally, this is visible from the structure of the jaws. A real crocodile has a sharper muzzle, and when the mouth is closed, the fourth tooth of the lower jaw protrudes outward. The alligator has a blunt muzzle, and when the jaws are closed, the teeth are not visible. In addition, a real crocodile has special lingual salt glands on its tongue, and lacrimal glands near the eyes, which remove excess salt from the crocodile’s body. This is manifested by the so-called tears of a crocodile, due to which a real crocodile is able to live in salty sea water, and an alligator only in fresh water.

Almost all crocodiles, except for the fish-eating Ghanaian gharial, feed on animal food, or rather on everything that lives in the water and in the coastal zone. With age, their diet changes somewhat, but this is more likely due to their growth, increase in size and naturally the need for more food. Thus, young individuals hunt mainly for fish and small invertebrates and amphibians. Adults catch larger fish, water snakes, turtles, and crabs. Often their prey is monkeys, hares, kangaroos, porcupines, raccoons, martens, mongooses, in short, all animals that go to water, including domestic ones. Some of them become cannibals, that is, they eat each other. Large species, such as the Nile, combed, swamp and some others, are quite capable of dealing with prey that is larger than itself. Thus, Nile crocodiles often attack antelope, buffalo, hippopotamus, and even elephants. They eat a lot; at one time an adult crocodile is able to absorb food equal to a quarter of its weight. Sometimes part of the prey is hidden, although it rarely remains intact; usually it is taken away by other predators.

Crocodiles have unique hunting tactics. The crocodile, completely immersed in the water, leaving only its eyes and nostrils on the surface, quietly swims up to drinking water animal, then with a swift throw he grabs the victim and drags him into the water, where he drowns him. If the victim resists strongly, then he, rotating around his axis, tears him apart. Crocodiles cannot chew food, they simply tear their prey into pieces and swallow it, swallowing small animals whole.

Another feature of crocodiles is that the cartilage in the bones of its skeleton is constantly growing and, as a result, the crocodile itself grows throughout its life, increasing in size over the years. By the size of a crocodile you can determine its age. And if you consider that some species of crocodiles live up to 70-80 years or more, it is not surprising that incredibly huge individuals of these reptiles can be found. In addition, crocodiles do not shed throughout their lives; their scaly skin grows with them and over the years it ossifies and becomes incredibly durable. Hardened rectangular plates on the skin, arranged in regular rows, eventually turn into a real impenetrable shell. It is because of this durable skin that crocodiles have become the subject of hunting by people, who have been using it for their needs for a long time. From time immemorial, people have made shoes, bags, belts, suitcases and other durable items from crocodile skin. Therefore, many species of crocodiles that lived on earth a couple of hundred years ago completely disappeared. There are now 23 species of these reptiles around the world.

The skin color of crocodiles depends on their habitat. Usually it is a protective dirty brown, gray, and sometimes almost black color. Quite rare, there are absolutely albinos white. IN wildlife Usually such individuals do not survive.

Like all cold-blooded animals, crocodiles' body temperature depends on temperature external environment and therefore they live only in regions with tropical climates. Crocodiles are common in Africa, Australia and Oceania, the countries of Indochina, North and South America. Most species of crocodiles prefer fresh water, but crocodiles such as combed and sharp-snouted crocodiles are also adapted to salt water. For most species of crocodiles, the most favorable temperature is between 32-35 °C. Temperatures below 20 and above 38°C are extremely uncomfortable for them. You can often see a crocodile opening its mouth wide for a long time. This is done so that water evaporates from the mouth, cooling the body. At such moments, small birds sit in his mouth and peck off stuck pieces of food, thus cleaning his teeth. Crocodiles do not touch such birds and in the end both benefit.

For thermoregulation, these reptiles have special osteoderms under the horny plates of the shell that can accumulate solar heat, due to which the fluctuation in their body temperature during the day usually does not exceed 1-2 degrees. However, with the onset of cold weather or drought, many hibernate. They dig holes in the silt at the bottom of drying up reservoirs, similar to cracks, and lie in them, often several individuals together, until a comfortable temperature occurs. Although it was recently discovered that some species of crocodiles, by tensing their body muscles, can warm up the blood themselves, thereby raising body temperature by 5-7 degrees above the ambient temperature.

The way of life of crocodiles is unique. They spend most of their time in the water. They come ashore in pursuit of prey or to bask in the sun. The main propulsion device in water for a crocodile is its tail. Acting with its tail like a huge oar, a crocodile can reach speeds of up to 30-35 km/h in the water. The tail also acts as a rudder, so both afloat and underwater the crocodile can abruptly change the direction of movement. On land, these reptiles are slow and rather clumsy, but when attacked they make very fast attacks. In the normal position, the crocodile’s legs are spread wide apart, but when running, it carries them under the body and can, changing to a gallop, cover short distances at speeds of up to 18 km/h.

According to scientists, the ancestors of crocodiles mainly lived on land and only went into the water when necessary. Therefore, they retained the ability to reproduce on land. Spending most of their lives in water, they lay eggs on land. Their ability to reproduce appears at 8-10 years of age. At this time, their length reaches about 2.5 meters in males, and up to 1.7 meters in females. The breeding season for southern species is in winter; northern crocodiles lay eggs in autumn.

Crocodiles communicate with each other in a voice similar to either a dog barking or a roar. With the onset of the mating season, the habitats of crocodiles are filled with their heart-rending roars, which means scaring away rivals and calling for females. Usually, during breeding, males show wild aggression among themselves, organizing fights to the death. To attract females, males, in addition to screams, create noise by splashing their muzzles on the water. Having dealt with their rivals, the couple retires and spends time together. The female builds a nest in the shallows near the water. To do this, she digs a hole up to half a meter deep, covers it with leaves, branches, dirt or sand and lays from two to eight dozen eggs. When the clutch is ready, the female covers the nest with the same materials. In places with lush vegetation, nests are made entirely of branches and leaves, covering them with mud to retain heat.

Both parents take care of the safety of the masonry, staying nearby and protecting their future offspring from the encroachment of uninvited guests. And still, no more than 20% of the eggs are preserved in the clutch, because crocodiles’ nests are destroyed by other predators or people while the parents are away.

After three months, small crocodiles hatch from the eggs. At the same time, they squeak quite loudly, attracting the attention of the mother who, hearing these sounds, digs up the nest. If one of the crocodiles is unable to break the egg shell, the female helps them by carefully crushing the eggs with her tongue and palate, helping the cubs get out. These reptiles have another property inaccessible to other animals, which is that the sex of the future crocodile can be determined by the method of thermoregulation. If incubation takes place at a temperature of 32-33°C, approximately the same number of males and females are born. If the temperature is higher, there will be more males; if it is lower, there will be more females.

The cubs are quite small, the largest of the Nile crocodile are about 30 cm long. The babies themselves cannot get from the nest to the water, and therefore the mother takes several of them into her mouth and carries them to the water, where they can immediately swim. At first they grow very quickly. They feed on everything they can grab: mollusks, worms, bugs, blades of grass, fish fry and frog tadpoles. The crocodile takes care of her cubs for up to two years. During this time, there are very few of them left, but those that survive grow up to one meter in length and can already get by on their own.

Crocodiles are dangerous to humans to varying degrees. Some, such as the gharial, never attack people, others, like the saltwater and Nile crocodiles, will never refuse to attack if the opportunity presents itself. Well, such as the black caiman or the sharp-snouted crocodile attack quite rarely, mainly if they are provoked by the person himself or they are very hungry.

For many tribes in Africa, Indochina and Australia, crocodiles have been revered animals from time immemorial. And in the ancient cultures of these peoples, the crocodile was even considered a sacred animal. The ancient Egyptians considered the god Sebek, who was depicted as a man with a crocodile head, as the patron saint of fishermen, who had control over the floods of the Nile, main river Egypt. Sebek, as the personification of strength and dexterity, was especially revered by hunters. Even the pharaohs turned to Sebek for blessings for good luck before battles with enemies. They believed that Sebek was a messenger of the god Ra, who arose from a stone.

Pharaoh Amenemhet III built a the whole city Shedit, which the ancient Greeks called Crocodilopolis, in which a temple was erected in honor of the crocodile god Sebek, and a huge labyrinth of 3000 rooms in which, according to Herodotus’ description, the priests kept a sacred crocodile decorated with gold and diamonds as the earthly embodiment of Sebek.

How long this lasted is not known, but judging by the fact that after death, these sacred crocodiles, like priests and pharaohs, were mummified, and in Kom el-Breighat alone there is a cemetery where almost two thousand crocodile mummies were discovered; they were deified for more than one thousand years. Moreover, nearby are the remains of the pyramid of Amenemhat III himself.

Currently, in the natural environment, only a few live to a respectable age, and not because they develop some kind of disease, but because they are caught, killed and transferred to skin and meat. In many national cuisines Crocodile meat is considered a delicacy. Moreover, due to high demand for several decades in many countries there have been farms for their breeding. Crocodiles breed well in captivity, but they are not kept there for a long time; one and a half to two meters is enough to get a solid benefit.

As we have already mentioned, about two dozen different crocodiles now live on earth. Here are the main most common types.

Species of crocodiles

Saltwater crocodile, in Latin Crocodylus porosus is the largest of all existing ones. Otherwise called: sea, salty, Indo-Pacific, saltwater and even man-eating crocodile. This monster can be up to 7 meters or more in length, and weigh up to 2 tons. On its snout, from the edge of its eyes, there are 2 bony, comb-like protrusions, which is why it got its name. Typically, the saltwater crocodile is brownish in color with dark spots and stripes on the body and tail. It lives in sea lagoons and in the mouths of rivers flowing into the ocean, along the coasts of India, Indochina, Japan, Indonesia, Australia, and the Philippines. Often found in the open sea far from the coast. It feeds on any prey that it manages to catch. In the water these are fish, turtles, dolphins, sharks, stingrays and other aquatic inhabitants. On land, these are animals going to water: antelope, buffalo, wild boar, kangaroos, bears, monkeys and domestic sheep, goats, pigs, dogs, cows, horses and of course waterfowl. He will not miss the moment to attack a person who is within his reach.

Nile crocodile or Crocodylus niloticus in Latin - the second largest after the crested one. On average, these African crocodiles range in length from 4.5 to 5.5 meters and weigh about 1 ton. Their color is mostly gray or light brown, with dark stripes on the back and tail. This is the most ferocious of all species, not taking into account any other animals even significantly larger than it in size. This animal alone is not afraid to attack a buffalo, hippopotamus, rhinoceros, giraffe, lion or even an elephant, from a fight with which it almost always emerges victorious.

Crocodylus palustris, also known as Indian or magher. The marsh crocodile is also very large, up to 5 meters long and weighing on average about 500 kg. The color is dark green, marsh color. With its wide snout it looks like an alligator. Mager translated from Hindi means “water monster,” although Indian fishermen call it a robber, because these crocodiles steal fish, and when the opportunity arises, they attack the fishermen themselves. It lives in India and neighboring countries along the banks of rivers and lakes, and in swampy jungles. During times of drought, mageras burrow into the swamp mud and hibernate until the monsoon season begins. On the island of Ceylon there lives a variety of this crocodile called "Kimbula". The Ceylon crocodile can live in salt water and prefers lagoons along the ocean. He is very aggressive and attacks people quite often.

American razorback crocodile(Crocodylus acutus) - the most common of all species. It received this name due to the shape of its narrow, pointed muzzle. It grows up to 5 m in length and weighs up to 1000 kg. The color is usually green-brown or gray. Lives in rivers, lakes and swamps of Central America, the southern USA and the northern part South America. It feeds mainly on fish, waterfowl and turtles. When there is not enough food, it attacks livestock. Attacks on humans are very rare.

African narrow-snouted crocodile- Crocodylus cataphractus is quite large in size, living in swamps and tropical rivers of the Western and Central Africa. The usual length is about 2.5 meters, but up to 4 meters are also found. It received this name because of its narrow muzzle. Unlike other crocodiles, the hard plates on its neck are arranged in 3-4 rows, and on its back they merge with the scales, for which it is called an armored crocodile. It feeds on fish and small aquatic inhabitants. It builds nests from plants on the shore near the water. We lay few eggs, no more than two dozen; the incubation period is longer than that of other species, often almost 4 months. The population of African narrow-snouted crocodiles is falling due to uncontrolled hunting. It is believed that there are no more than 50,000 of them left.

Orinoco crocodile- in Latin Crocodylus intermedius is one of the rarest species. It is similar to the American sharp-snout both in appearance and in size, the length reaches up to 5.2 m. The color is light green and gray with dark spots. The muzzle is long, like that of an African narrow-snout. It feeds mainly on fish and small animals. During drought, when the water in the rivers decreases, it hides in holes on the river banks and hibernates. For a long time was one of the most hunted crocodiles in South America, as a result of which almost all of them were exterminated. Now there are no more than one and a half thousand individuals left. It lives mainly in Venezuela and Colombia and on nearby islands.

Australian narrow-snouted crocodile- Crocodylus johnstoni, another name for Johnston's crocodile. He's not really large sizes, but 3 meters in length and a weight of up to 100 kg will also be impressive, especially since it reaches such dimensions somewhere around the age of 25. This crocodile has strong legs with large claws and a narrow, pointed snout, from which it gets its name. The color is mostly light brown, with dark stripes appearing on the body and tail. It feeds mainly on fish, but also does not refuse amphibians and small land animals. It lives in the west and north of Australia in rivers, lakes, and swamps with fresh water, which is why it is sometimes called the freshwater crocodile.

Philippine or Mindorek crocodile- Crocodylus mindorensis got its name from its habitat, it is Philippine Islands and in particular the islands of Mindoro, Negros, Samar, Buzuanga, Jolo, Luzon. The crocodile is relatively small in size, no more than 3 meters in length. The muzzle is quite wide, somewhat similar to the New Guinea. The color is gray with transverse darker stripes on the body and tail. Lives in fresh water bodies: lakes, ponds, lakes, swamps. Sometimes he changes his place of residence and goes to the ocean coast. Usually active at night, during the day it lies in secluded places. It feeds on fish, small invertebrates, waterfowl and small animals that come to drink. Considered a rare species, only a few hundred remain in nature and has been listed in the Red Book since 1992.

Central American crocodile, Morelet's crocodile, in Latin Crocodylus moreletii. The name itself speaks of its habitat, widespread in the countries of Central America: Mexico, Guatemala, Belize. A relatively small species, the maximum length is about 3 meters. The color is gray, sometimes gray-brown, there are dark stripes on the body and tail, the belly is lighter. The difference from other species is that its skin has fewer keratinized plates, they are located mainly on the top of the neck, the stomach does not have such protection at all, which is why it is called a soft-bellied crocodile. The population is limited, with only a few thousand left in the wild.

New Guinea crocodile or Crocodylus novaeguineae, pretty rare view, currently found only on the islands of Papua New Guinea and Indonesia. This is a medium-sized crocodile, the maximum length is about 3.5, females up to 2.7 meters. Somewhat similar to its Siamese counterpart. The muzzle is narrow, slightly elongated. The color is gray with darker stripes on the body and tail. Lives only in fresh water, prefers swampy areas. This is a typical nocturnal predator, becoming more active at dusk. Food is mainly fish, birds, small animals and crustaceans and everything that can be handled. During the day he sleeps in secluded places. The skin of this species is not in particular demand, so the population is stable at around 100,000 individuals, although it is listed in the Red Book.

Cuban crocodile- Crocodylus rhombifer, medium and small in size. The usual length is up to 2.5 meters in length and weight is about 40 kg. They are also found up to 3.5 meters in length and weighing up to 200 kg. In 1880, a specimen 5.3 meters long was captured. Under natural conditions, it lives in Cuba in the swamps of the Zapata Peninsula conservation area and on the island of Isla de la Juventud. Although it is a relatively small crocodile, it is considered the most aggressive of all species. Has great agility and enormous power a bite that reaches 2 thousand kilograms. It feeds on everything it can catch and handle. It attacks people very rarely, but it constantly hunts domestic animals, because although it is a semi-aquatic animal, it spends a lot of time on land. Another feature of this crocodile is the ability to jump high out of the water. It often happens that Cuban crocodiles jump out of the water and grab small animals or birds from tree branches.

Siamese crocodile- Crocodylus siamensis, a medium-sized species. The usual length is 3 meters, maximum 4 meters. The weight of males is up to 350 kg, and females no more than 150 kg. However, they sometimes interbreed with saltwater crocodiles and then the size of these hybrids can be much larger. Siamese crocodiles are a bit like saltwater crocodiles, especially the young ones. Their color is green-olive, and there are also dark green ones. They feed on fish, shellfish, reptiles, small animals and birds. Habitat of the country of Indochina: Vietnam, Thailand, Cambodia, found in Malaysia. Siamese crocodiles are an endangered species, listed in the Red Book. Now there are no more than 5 thousand of them, taking into account the fact that in Cambodia they are bred in nurseries.

African dwarf crocodile- Osteolaemus tetraspis, another name for the blunt-nosed crocodile, the smallest of all living on earth. It is only 1.5 meters long. It lives in Central and Western Africa, in tropical swamps and rivers. It feeds on fish, frogs, small reptiles, snails and even insects or carrion. This crocodile, due to its small size, is often susceptible to attack by other predators, but, compared to other species, it has good protection from ossified plates on the sides, neck and tail. Due to the inaccessibility of the regions where this species of crocodiles is located, it has been little studied. But, as far as we know, it is constantly hunted, since its skin and meat are in great demand. Although, according to the latest information, the African dwarf is not in danger of extinction.

Mississippi alligator- lat. Alligator mississippiensis or otherwise American alligator, great view reptiles from a separate family of alligators. Reaches a size of up to 4.5 m in length and a body weight of up to 400 kg. It differs from a crocodile in that it can live only in fresh water and easily tolerates cold. Lives in rivers, lakes and ponds North America mainly in the southern USA. It feeds on fish, turtles, reptiles, birds and small animals that live near water or come to drink: nutria, raccoons, muskrats, etc. It rarely attacks large animals and humans. For many years, Mississippi alligators have been bred on special farms for their skin and meat. Albinos of white color are often found among this species.

Chinese alligator- Alligator sinensis is significantly smaller than its American counterpart. The maximum length of these reptiles is a little over 2 meters, females up to one and a half meters. It feeds on fish, shellfish, snakes, small animals, and birds. The only place where this species lives is the Yangtze River basin in China. This is a rare species, almost completely exterminated by humans. In natural conditions there are several hundred individuals. Recently, Chinese alligators have begun to be bred on special farms for commercial purposes to obtain skins and meat. These reptiles are the calmest of all types of crocodiles; they can attack a person only for the purpose of protection.

Black caiman or Melanosuchus niger - one of the largest crocodilians. The body size of a male can reach 5.5 m and weight 500 kg. and more. Like all caimans, there are bony projections on the head behind the eyes that distinguish them from true crocodiles. Lives in lakes and rivers of South America. It feeds mainly on large animals that come to water: deer, monkeys, armadillos, otters, livestock, etc. He also does not refuse fish, including the famous piranha, which he is not afraid of, thanks to his durable shell of ossified scales. Leads a nocturnal lifestyle, fortunately he has well-developed night vision, and dark color is a good disguise. Fixed rare cases attacks on people.

Crocodile caiman, in Latin Caiman crocodilus or spectacled caiman - relatively small in size. The usual body length is up to 2 m and weight is about 60 kg. He has a narrow muzzle and a specific bone growth between his eyes that resembles glasses. It lives in all bodies of water in Central America, Mexico, Brazil, Colombia, Honduras, Panama, Nicaragua, Costa Rica, Dominican Guyana, Guatemala and the Bahamas. It feeds mainly on fish, crabs and shellfish. Sometimes it attacks wild boars, other caimans and even anacondas. Although quite often they themselves become victims of larger predators: black caimans, jaguars and large anacondas. The most common type of large population.

Broad-faced caiman in Latin, Caiman latirostris is medium-sized, usually just over 2 meters, olive green in color and has a wide jaw, which is how it got its name. It lives in rivers and mangrove swamps on the Atlantic coast of many countries in South America, Argentina, Brazil, Uruguay, Paraguay, and Bolivia. Often found in ponds near human habitation. It feeds mainly on fish, snails, and mollusks. Adult caimans catch turtles and capybaras.

The skin of the broad-faced caiman is in great demand, so as a result of poaching in the last century, large numbers of them were exterminated. However, due to the inaccessibility of its habitats, the population has survived; it is believed that between 250,000 and 500,000 individuals of this species now exist in nature.

Paraguayan caiman- Caiman yacare, yacar or piranha caiman. It received so many names for a reason; it is the most common species of caiman and crocodiles in general. It lives everywhere in swampy places, rivers and lakes of Brazil, Argentina, Paraguay and Bolivia. Relatively small, only 2 meters in length, the Yakar caiman is very voracious, eating a lot of fish, snails, aquatic invertebrates, and when they are caught, even snakes. It will not refuse unwary birds or small animals. It was named Piranha because of the special structure of its teeth; its long lower teeth protrude above the upper jaw, sometimes forming holes in it. It is quite aggressive, but it very rarely attacks a person, and then only if provoked.

Cuvier's dwarf smooth-faced caiman- Paleosuchus palpebrosus, one of the smallest crocodiles. The length of the male is no more than two, and the length of females is one and a half meters. Weight maximum 20 kg. The peculiar shape of the head with smooth brow ridges sets it apart from a number of its fellows. However, this gives it an advantage when digging the burrows in which it lives. In addition, the streamlined shape of the skull makes it easier for him to move in the water of rivers and streams with fast currents, when chasing prey: fish, crabs, shrimp and other aquatic inhabitants of the rivers of South America. Whenever possible, it hunts small land animals and avoids humans.

Schneider's smooth-faced caiman or cayman with triangular head- Paleosuchus trigonatus. The closest relative of Cuvier's dwarf caiman. It lives in the same areas as Cuvier's smooth-fronted caiman. Cuvier's head differs in appearance from the caiman; it has the shape of a triangle, and its muzzle is longer. The average size of males is from 1.5 to 1.7 meters, and their weight is about 15 kg; females are even smaller. Their diet, reproduction and lifestyle are the same.

Gavial or Gavialis gangeticus is the only representative of the gavial family from the order of crocodilians. The same reptile animal as a real crocodile, but with some differences. The gharial leads a mainly aquatic lifestyle; it rarely comes to land, most often only to lay eggs. This is a very large species, growing up to 6 meters in length. Usually the gharial is green-brown in color, the belly is somewhat lighter. It is distinguished from crocodiles by its narrow, long muzzle, somewhat similar to the beak of a prehistoric predator. Its long, teeth-studded jaws are ideally suited for catching fish, which is the main diet of the gharial, although it does not refuse others. sea creatures. Large gharials sometimes attack small coastal animals. Habitat: India, Pakistan, Bangladesh, Nepal, Myanmar. They are believed to have been completely exterminated in Bhutan. Now the gharial is considered a rare animal and is listed in the Red Book.

Gharial crocodile, in Latin Tomistoma schlegelii, the closest and only relative of the gharial. In scientific circles it is also called pseudogharial, or false gharial. It looks very much like a gharial. It has the same elongated snout with narrow, toothed jaws, slightly shorter than those of the real gharial. They are also slightly smaller in size and their color is darker. Black stripes are visible on the body and tail. And in their lifestyle they are more land-dwelling, spending more time on land. Therefore, their diet is wider. In addition to fish, they happily catch and devour monkeys, pigs, monitor lizards, otters and larger ones such as antelopes and deer. They do not disdain turtles and snakes. In short, they behave like real crocodiles. Lives in Indonesia, Malaysia, on the islands of Sumatra, Kalimantan, Java, Borneo. Previously found in Vietnam and Thailand, but since 1970 they have not been seen there anymore. Attacks on humans are very rare. Due to its narrow snout, the false gharial is considered not a dangerous species to humans, but there are confirmed cases of attacks on people in 2009 and 2012. Most likely, this was the result of disturbance of their habitats and a decrease in their usual prey.

No matter how bloodthirsty the crocodile is, in the imagination of most of our compatriots who have not encountered them in the natural environment, this is a completely normal animal. Well, a predator, so what. You never know there are predators in the world, a wolf and a bear, and even a hunting dog will not refuse to taste the fresh meat of a caught hare or partridge. In addition, the crocodile is often a character in books and films. So the hero of Paul Hogan in the film directed by Peter Fayman “Dundee, nicknamed “Crocodile”, who received the Golden Globe Award, generally charmed the audience, showing how people are not far from crocodiles with their passions and greed.

But thanks to some Russian writers and directors, children identify the crocodile with the quite friendly and fair characters of “The Familiar Crocodile” from Moidodyr or “Crocodile Gena.” Well, so be it, but explaining to children that in fact it’s better not to approach this toothy green log is still worth it.

Crocodiles- semi-aquatic predators living in hot climates tropical countries, in fresh water bodies and coastal seas. Crocodiles prefer to spend most of their time in the water, and only sometimes go out onto land to bask in the “sun”. During periods of summer drought, they can hibernate, staying in shallow holes they dug at the bottom of drying up reservoirs.

What do crocodiles eat in the wild?

Crocodiles eat fish, small invertebrates, aquatic birds, rodents, lizards, turtles, and large crocodiles hunt large mammals - wildebeest, buffalo and small livestock that come to drink.

Crocodiles have highly acidic gastric juice, which allows them to easily digest not only the bones of large animals, but also shells and spines. Adults eat about 5% of their own body weight per day.

With age, crocodiles' diet changes: very young crocodiles eat mainly small prey - mollusks, worms, crustaceans, insects, fish, snakes; when they mature, they switch to monkeys, pigs, lemurs and water birds, and when they become adults, they begin hunt large animals - buffalos and zebras. Some large crocodiles can attack and eat their smaller relatives. They also do not hesitate to profit from carrion.

Crocodiles usually go hunting at night. They sometimes leave the caught prey for some time at the bottom of the reservoir so that it gets a little wet and becomes softer. Crocodiles do not know how to chew, so they use their paws and jaws to first cut up their prey on the shore, and then swallow it piece by piece. And sometimes, having grabbed onto the prey, they begin to rotate around an axis, tearing out pieces from it. Most of The food eaten turns into fat, which allows crocodiles to easily survive prolonged hunger. They can live without food for more than a year. Now you know what crocodiles eat.

King of the Crocodiles

On our website you can find out what they eat.

/ / / Symbolism in Ostrovsky’s play “The Thunderstorm”

Texts written in the style of realism always contain some special images. They are needed in order to create a certain atmosphere of the work. A.N. Ostrovsky uses various symbols in natural landscapes, V natural phenomena, in the images of the main and minor characters. He even makes the title of his play “” symbolic. And in order to understand everything that the author wanted to tell us, we must unite and combine all artistic images.

An important symbol is the image of birds, which are compared with freedom. The girl often dreams of how she could flutter from tree to tree, from flower to flower. She so wanted to fly away from the hated estate, in which an unbearable mother-in-law and an unloved husband lived.

The image of the Volga plays a special meaning, because it conventionally divides the surrounding space into two worlds. That world was on the other side of the river, it was quiet and calm, and this world was despotic, cruel and filled with tyrants. How often Katerina peered into the distance of the river! She recalled her childhood years, which passed carefree and happily. Volga has another image. This is the image of freedom that the girl found for herself. She jumped off a cliff into deep waters and committed suicide. After this, the stormy river also becomes a symbol of death.

Particularly symbolic is the image of a thunderstorm, which is interpreted differently by the main characters of the play. Kuligin considers the thunderstorm to be only electricity, then calls it grace. Dikoy perceives bad weather as God’s wrath, which is a warning from the Almighty.

We discover the symbol of hypocrisy and secrecy in the monologues of the main characters. says that in home environment, not in the public eye, rich people are tyrannical and despotic. They oppress their family and all serving persons.

Reading the lines of the play, we understand and discern the image of injustice that manifests itself in judicial institutions. Cases are delayed and decided in favor of rich and wealthy people.

They made a special impression on me last words, who notes that Katerina was able to find strength in herself and free herself from such a painful life! He himself did not have the courage to end his life like his beloved.

This is the number of symbols and images used by A.N. Ostrovsky in his play. It was the symbolism that helped him create such an exciting, heartfelt drama that made a huge impression on me.