Seasonal/Intermittent/Irregular Rivers/Streams/Creeks Animals

Often marked on maps with blue dashes and dots, seasonal, intermittent or irregular rivers, streams and creeks are unique ecosystems which provide vital ecological niches for a wide range of flora and fauna. Because they only flow for a portion of the year, the animals living in this kind of habitat have had to adapt to survive in widely contrasting conditions.

Obviously, fish are most at risk in conditions where the water level is falling. While most fish take cues from the water level and move down stream or find pools in which to survive, some such as the catfish or lungfish, have the ability to survive for long periods in merely damp, muddy pools. Other organisms such as frogs and salamanders can do the same, as long as they can maintain the layer of slime on their bodies. Reptiles such as turtles and snakes can survive for long periods without water and often spend dry winters in reptilian hibernation, only awakening once the spring temperatures and showers replenish the streams and rivers.

Seasonal, intermittent and irregular rivers and streams are fascinating habitats which support highly specialized animals in many different ways, and should be investigated closely to be appreciated.

Carnivores

African clawless otter
Cameroon clawless otter
North american otter
La plata otter
Huillin
Common otter
Speckle-throated otter
Hairy-nosed otter
Indian smooth-coated otter
Giant brazilian otter

Elephants

African elephant

Rodents

African wading rat
Greater cane rat

Dugongs, manatees, and sea cows

Amazonian manatee
American manatee
African manatee


Read more at the list of biomes of the world...