Animals-nurses of the forest: birds, ants and wolves

Forest orderlies are animals, capable of cleaning their own habitat by their actions. And let their behavior is determined only by the instincts worked out over many years of evolution, yet their role in the ecosystem of the region can not be underestimated. But who are they?

If we talk about those animals that live in the territory of the Russian Federation, we should note three large groups. They are birds, ants and wolves. Despite the strong external differences, they are all excellent protectors of the environment.

The role of birds in the forest ecosystem

By nature, all birds are forest orderlies. This is due to the fact that they eat insects, which, in turn, are the main pests. Judge for yourself, because it is insects that eat leaves of trees, destroy wood and bark, and also suffer from various infectious diseases.

Eating beetles and caterpillars, birds reduce their numbers, which reduces the damage to the environment to a minimum. This food chain allows you to achieve the harmony that is so necessary for the normal growth of the forest.

But, although all birds are forest orderlies, there are still species that do their work best. For example:

• A woodpecker is the chief doctor in the forest, because he is able to pick pests straight from the tree trunk. In addition, knocking on it with his beak, he makes insects crawl out of the shelter, thereby making them vulnerable to other hunters.
• The pink starling actively hunts locusts. That's why this bird is a welcome guest not only in the forests, but also in fruit gardens.
• Starlings are the fastest health orderlies. According to rough estimates of scientists, they can catch up to 400 bugs in one day.

Ants are small forest guards

But not all insects harm the environment. There are also those who seek to protect it from pests with all their might. Everyone has heard of them, and yet not many know why ants are the orderlies of the forest.

In fact, everything is quite simple. The ants destroy almost all insects that dared to crawl into their territory. At the same time, they can easily cope with the enemy, which surpasses them both in size and in physical strength. And all because ants are a team that can act as one mechanism.

In addition, in their construction they use small debris, thereby clearing the forest. If you believe the experts, the five anthills are enough to keep the area of one hectare clean.

Wolves are predatory forest orderlies

Many are afraid of wolves, and there are good reasons for that. These predators always hunt in the pack and do not disdain any prey. And yet they were nicknamed forest orderlies. Want to know why?

First of all, wolves, like any predators, eat corpses of animals. Due to this in the forest, so little fell, which reduces the risk of various diseases. In addition, wolves prefer to kill weak and sick animals, not allowing them to continue their race. Such a natural mechanism makes it possible to improve the gene pool and increase the chances of survival in the species.

In addition, wolves control the number of herbivores. There is a case in which in America almost all wolves were exterminated in one of the states. Subsequently, the population of herbivores so increased that the pastures did not have time to overgrow with new grass. Poor animals died from hunger, and their corpses became the centers of serious diseases.