Nature repopulate the earth different animals and birds, insects, plants and other living beings.Some of them are quite common, and numerous others are very rare and are found only in certain parts of the world.They are called endemic.They are absolutely on every continent.It is no exception and North America.In this article we consider endemic in North America.
Meaning
endemic to call such representatives recognized by an animal or flora that are found only in a particular location and nowhere else on the planet.As a rule, such exclusivity was formed over thousands of years of evolution and is often explained by the geographical remoteness of the continent and its individual parts.Endemic, for example, rich rain forests of South America, the Galapagos Islands.Some plants and animals that live in North America, are also exceptional species occurring nowhere else.Amazing flora and fauna of the imagination.Such shapes and sizes under the force to come up with and create only the nature.
Endemics North America: plants
- Pine Balfour.His name was in honor of the botanist from Scotland.Tree reaches a height of 22 meters or more.It is an endemic of the State of California, which is divided into two regional subspecies, growing at a distance of 500 kilometers from each other.
- Elephant Tree (pahikormus).It grows in the border area, and Mexico.It got its name for the interesting shapes and sizes.With a height of 4 to 9 meters, the barrel has a thickness equal to half the height.Spreading crown of a tree become a bizarre and unearthly form, giving it a high decoration.
- Some species of cacti - also endemic to North America, including Astrophytum kozlorogy, Obregon De Negri cereus Reichenbach et al.
Sequoia - national treasure of America
Sequoia evergreen has a limited range.It grows on the Pacific coast of the mainland.Its main qualities that surprised - it's dimensions (height - 100 meters), the age of more than one thousand years, and the huge size of the trunk diameter.At a certain period, these trees are subjected to annihilating human interference, they are cut off, some just ruined, such as cutting through them for the passage of vehicles.Now evergreen sequoia - a national treasure.
Animals endemics: examples
- Puma.It is also often referred to as a mountain lion or cougar.She lives in North and South America.Suffice largest representative predators belonging to the family cat.Body length ranges from 100 to 180 centimeters (with tail).They can be found both in the mountains and on the plains.The number is quite large, but it is at risk due to the reduction of their habitat and hunting locals.Some subtypes are protected in law.
- Endemics North America and include wood bison.It is a subspecies of the North American bison fairly widespread.Despite some superficial similarities, they have significant differences.The subspecies has a small number of (mainly because of the destruction of a person), and therefore is protected.Its habitat - taiga forests of Alaska and several other northern states.
- striped skunk.The animal looks very colorful and very bad temper.Quite remarkable black-and-white color with two large light stripes on its back.Skunk has specific glands that produce an oily liquid.It has an extremely unpleasant, sharp and persistent odor.Skunk in danger splashes in the direction of the enemy.Its color is also considered a warning.Habitat is large enough, but still endemic species belongs to North America as anywhere else in the world does not occur.
- California condor.This rare species belongs to the family of American vultures.The area of its habitat is limited to three states (the mountains of California, Arizona and Utah) and also occurs in Mexico.Its population in the 20th century, was reduced to the extent endangered, but fortunately, with the help of special programs has been restored.
