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Rainforest Animals

Rainforest animals include mammals such as sloths, tapirs, jaguars, tigers, howler monkeys, spider monkeys and orangutans; reptiles such as caimans and the green anaconda; amphibians such as poison dart frogs and the red-eyed tree frog; and birds such as toucans, macaws and the harpy eagle.
On this page is an alphabetical list of rainforest animals with pictures and facts.

You can use the Rainforest Animals Index, below, to find information on a specific rainforest species.

Find out how much you know about rainforest animals by downloading the free printable worksheet for use with this page (simply download and print: no sign-up necessary!)

Become a rainforest expert with our Rainforest Workbooks (a fun home or classroom activity!)

Introduction

Despite covering only between 6 and 7% of the world's land surface, rainforests are home to more than half of all the world's animal and plant species.

In addition to the vast number of known rainforest animals, biologists estimate that there are millions of species living in rainforests that are still to be discovered!

On this page you'll find information on a wide range of rainforest animals. What's your favorite? Have you ever seen any of the animals on this page? Let us know in the comments section at the bottom of the page!

Rainforest Animals List: Index

You can find out more about the animals listed below by clicking on the pictures or on the links provided.

Other rainforest animal pages on ActiveWild:

FREE Rainforest Animals Printable Worksheet - Test your knowledge!

Click on the images or links below to view & download FREE printable question sheets for use with this page.

(You can find more free worksheets from Active Wild on this page: Free Printable Worksheets.)

Worksheet Download Links
The answers to the questions can be found either on this page or on pages linked to from this page.
These question sheets make a great home or classroom activity, and can be used to encourage internet-based research, as well as to improve knowledge of the rainforest biome.

List Of Rainforest Animals

For individual species (i.e. tiger), we've included the animal's scientific name and its IUCN conservation status (if assessed).

For groups of species (i.e. anteaters) we've included the number of species in the group and the group's name.

Amazonian Giant Centipede

Reaching lengths of up to 30 cm (1 ft.), the Amazonian giant centipede is one of the world's largest centipedes. The species is found in the Amazon Basin (the region surrounding the Amazon River) and other tropical parts of northern South America.

The Amazonian giant centipede is a voracious predator. It hunts insects, spiders (including tarantulas), lizards, frogs, snakes and even small mammals. The centipede injects its prey with paralyzing venom. This venom is delivered via 'venom claws' located on the centipede's first segment.
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Anteater

Anteaters belong to a group of animals with the Latin name Vermilingua, which means ' worm tongue '. The name comes from the animals' long, thin tongues, which are used to gather up large quantities of ants and termites.

There are four species of anteater: the giant anteater, silky anteater, southern tamandua and northern tamandua.
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Arrau Turtle

The Arrau turtle is also known as the South American river turtle. It is a large freshwater turtle found in rivers throughout much of northern South America. The species is present in both the Amazon and the Orinoco rivers.

Full-grown adults have carapace (shell) lengths of over 1 m (3.3 ft.) and can weigh up to 90 kg (200 lb.).

The Arrau turtle is the world's largest species of side-necked turtle. Side-necked turtles (Pleurodira) tuck their heads into their shells with a sideways motion. (Members of the other main group of turtles, Cryptodira, draw their heads straight back into their shells.)

Although the Arrau turtle's conservation status is currently 'Lower Risk', its population is thought to be declining rapidly and there are some calls for the species to be considered 'Critically Endangered'.
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Aye-aye

The aye-aye is a species of lemur found in the rainforests of Madagascar (an island country off the east coast of Africa). It is the world's largest nocturnal primate.

(You can find out more about lemurs further down the page.)

The aye-aye eats grubs (insect larvae), which it finds by tapping on trees with its fingers. By listening carefully to the noise produced by the tapping, it can tell if a grub is hidden under the bark.

The aye-aye's elongated middle fingers are specially adapted for hooking grubs out of holes.
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Binturong

Binturongs - otherwise known as ' bearcats' - are the largest members of the animal family Viverridae. (Members of this family are known as viverrids).

The binturong's long tail is ' prehensile ' (i.e. it can hold onto things). A binturong uses its tail as an 'extra hand' while climbing.

The binturong is the only Old World mammal with a prehensile tail. ('Old World' is a collective term for the continents of Europe, Asia and Africa.)

Binturongs live in the forests of South and Southeast Asia.
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Blue Morpho Butterfly

Blue morphos are brilliant blue butterflies. There is more than one species of blue morpho; the name is used for any blue butterfly in the genus morpho. (A genus is a group of closely related species.)

Blue morphos feed (among other things) on rotting fruit, which they find on the floor of rainforests in South and Central America.

Sometimes there are so many blue morphos flying over the rainforest canopy that pilots can see the blue of their wings from the sky!
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Boa Constrictor

The boa constrictor is a large rainforest snake. It ambushes its prey, then constricts (squeezes) it before swallowing it whole.

This fearsome reptile is found in Central and South American rainforests.

The boa constrictor is a member of the family Boidae, a group of large, non-venomous snakes that also contains the green anaconda (see further down the page).

The boa constrictor is one of the few animals commonly known by their scientific names!
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Caiman

Number of species: 6

Family: Alligatoridae; subfamily Caimaninae

Where found: Central & South America

Caimans are predatory reptiles that live in the rivers and lakes of Central and South American rain forests (and other habitats). There are six species of caiman.

The spectacled caiman ( Caiman crocodilus) is one of the most common species of caiman. It gets its name from the bony ridge on its nose, which makes the reptile appear to be wearing glasses.

The largest caiman is the black caiman ( Melanosuchus niger), which grows to lengths in excess of 5 m (16 ft).

Together with crocodiles, alligators and gharials, caimans form a group of animals known as ' Crocodilians '.
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Candiru

The candiru is a small fish found in the Amazon River and several other South American rivers and their tributaries. It has a long, thin, translucent body. Small spines are present on its gill covers.

These rainforest fish feed on the blood of larger fish by attaching themselves to their gills of their victims. It is even rumored that the candiru can enter a human body. However, this is both unproven and unlikely.
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Capybara

The capybara is the world's largest rodent. It lives South and Central American forests.

The capybara has several adaptations for a semi-aquatic lifestyle. and is always found living close to water. It can remain submerged for up to five minutes; a useful skill for an animal whose predators include jaguars and ocelots!

Civet
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Civets are cat-like mammals found in rainforests in Asia and Africa. They produce a strong-smelling substance that is used to make perfume (although most perfume manufacturers are now switching to synthetic alternatives).

Most civets are members of the family Viverridae (the binturong also belongs to this family). The African palm civet, a civet found in African rainforests, is the only species in the family Nandiniidae.

Civets are mammals in the group Carnivora. This group is split into two branches; Feliforma (the cat-like carnivorans) and Caniformia (the dog-like carnivorans). Civits, along with animals such as cats and hyenas, are placed in Feliforma.

Coati
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Coatis are also known as ' coatimundis'. These cat-sized omnivorous mammals are members of the raccoon family, Procyonidae.

Coatis forage on the forest floor by day. They find food among the leaf litter using their acute sense of smell. During the night they rest in the rainforest canopy.

Coatis are found in South America and in southern North America.

Electric Eel
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Despite its name and eel-like appearance, the electric eel is a knifefish rather than a true eel. This long, thin fish has a fin running almost the whole length of the underside of its body. By moving this fin with a wave-like motion the electric eel is able to swim both forwards and backwards.

Like other knifefish, the electric eel is able to produce electrical fields that help it navigate in murky water. The electric eel has greatly developed this ability and is able to produce voltages strong enough both to stun prey and deter predators. A shock from an electric eel can even be life-threatening to humans!

Giraffe Weevil
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This strange-looking rainforest bug is found in the island country of Madagascar. The giraffe weevil's name comes from the species' elongated neck. This is an adaptation for fighting and nest-building.

The neck of the male is over twice as long as that of the female, giving the insect a total body length of almost 1 in. (2.54 cm).

The female makes a nest by rolling a leaf into a tube, in which she will lay a single egg.

Goliath Beetle
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The five species of goliath beetles are the world's largest insects. In their adult form they are over 10 cm (3.93 in.) long. Their larvae weigh up to 100 grams (3.5 oz.)

Despite their large size, Goliath beetles are still able to fly.

Goliath beetles are found in the tropical rainforests of Africa.

Goliath Birdeater
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The goliath birdeater is a member of the tarantula family Theraphosidae. This huge rainforest spider is the heaviest spider in the world (although its leg-span, at 11 inches (28 cm) is only the second largest, after the giant huntsman spider). Its body reaches a length of up to 4.75 in. (12 cm).

The Goliath birdeater lives deep in the rainforests of northern South America, including the Amazon rainforest. It hunts at night, preying on a variety of large invertebrates and small vertebrates, including lizards and frogs. Despite its name, the species only occasionally eats birds.

Green Anaconda
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The green anaconda is the world's heaviest species of snake, but not the longest (that's the reticulated python). However, a green anaconda can still grow to over 16.4 ft. / 5 metres in length!

This huge rainforest snake is an excellent swimmer, and is found in the lakes and rivers of the Amazon Rainforest.

Like all members of the family Boidae, the green anaconda is non-venomous. Instead, it relies on its squeezing ability to subdue its prey.

Green Iguana
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The green iguana is a large lizard that lives in the forests of Central and South America. Although this rainforest reptile looks fierce, it mainly eats plants.

The species is arboreal (tree-dwelling). It is often found near water, and is an excellent swimmer.

The closely-related Lesser Antillean iguana, a species found in the rainforests of the Lesser Antilles islands in the Caribbean, is critically endangered.

You can find out more about iguanas on this page: Iguana Facts

Harpy Eagle
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The harpy eagle is the largest bird of prey found in the rainforest.

Although it is one of the world's biggest eagles, it's wingspan is (relatively) small; this is an adaption for flying through the forest.

The harpy eagle is said to be the world's most powerful bird of prey. It is capable of plucking mid-sized mammals such as monkeys and sloths from out of trees.

Hoatzin
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The hoatzin is a pheasant-shaped bird with a long body, broad tail, and a spiky crest on its head.

The hoatzin is an unusual bird for several reasons. Juvenile hoatzins have a claw at the 'elbow' joint of each of their wings. The species nests above water, and if threatened, the juveniles drop into the water. Using their claws, they are able to climb back into the nest once the danger has passed.

The species also has an unusual way of digesting its food, which consists largely of green leaves. The food is broken down by bacteria in a special area in the bird's crop (the expandable storage area in a bird's throat), in a similar way to that in which cows digest grass.

The fermenting leaves in the hoatzin's crop give off an unpleasant aroma. Because of this, the species has the alternative name of ' stinkbird '.

Howler Monkey
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All fifteen species of howler monkey live in the rainforests of South and Central America. Howler monkeys live in groups known as ' troops '. There can be from 6 to 15 howler monkeys in a troop.

A howler monkey's cry can be heard through 3 miles of rainforest. The monkeys use their loud voices to let rival troops know where they are (this way they don't actually have to fight to keep their territories).

Despite the loud calls, some people keep howler monkeys as pets!

Jaguar
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Jaguars are the world's third-largest cat species - only tigers and lions are bigger. These big cats live in South American rain forests, where they are apex predators (i.e. top of the food chain).

Jaguars have extremely powerful jaws and are excellent swimmers - not even caimans are safe from these fearsome carnivores!

You can find out more about this rainforest predator on this page: Jaguar Facts.

King Vulture
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The king vulture is a large bird that lives in the rainforests of Central and South America. It has black and white plumage and a strikingly-colored head and bill.

Scientific name: Sarcoramphus papa

Conservation status: Least Concern

Where found: Central and South America

Like other vultures, it is primarily a scavenger. It feeds on carrion that it finds on the forest floor. Due to its size and strength it is able to prevent other scavenging birds from feeding on the carrion until it has had its fill.

Leafcutter Ant
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They may be small, but leafcutter ants are some of the most amazing - and important - animals that live in rainforests.

These industrious insects build nests that are up to 30 m (98 ft.) across. These huge nests are home to over 8 million insects!

(There are many countries in the world whose human populations are smaller than the number of leaf cutter ants that live in just one nest!)

Perhaps even more amazingly, leafcutter ants grow their own food in special ' fungus gardens ' within their immense nests!

Long trails of leafcutter ants can often be seen carrying leaves from the rainforest canopy to their nest. The leaves are fed to the fungus, which in turn is fed to the ants' larvae.

Lemur
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Lemurs are small primates found in the rainforests of Madagascar. Lemurs are ' endemic ' to Madagascar, which means that they're found nowhere else on Earth!

There are around 100 species of lemur. The species shown in the photo above is a ring-tailed lemur. Sadly, like many lemurs, the ring-tailed lemur is endangered.

Leopard
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Leopards are big cats found in Africa and parts of Asia. The rainforest is just one habitat in which this versatile animal is able to live; it's equally at home in savannas, woodlands and grasslands.

The spots on a leopard's coat are called ' rosettes'. One way of telling leopards and jaguars apart is by looking at their rosettes. A leopard's rosettes are empty, whereas those of a jaguar are filled with smaller black spots. Leopards are also slightly smaller than jaguars.

Leopards are incredibly strong, and are known to carry their prey up trees. (They have to do this, otherwise lions and hyenas might try to steal it from them!)

Lovely Fairywren
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The lovely fairywren is an Australian rainforest bird found in the northeast of the country. It often lives on the rainforest edge, and is frequently seen high in the rainforest canopy. The species lives in small family groups.

The lovely fairywren lives in the rainforests of northeastern Australia. It is usually found at the edges of rainforests, often high up in the rainforest canopy. The species lives in small family groups.

This colorful Australian bird is one of 11 species of fairywren, all of which are small and brightly-colored.

Macaw
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Macaws are members of the family Psittacidae, one of the three parrot families (not all of the members of this family are macaws). Macaws are large, colorful birds with large bills and long tails. Most species can be told apart from other parrots by their featherless faces.

There are 19 species of macaw. Several of these, including the hyacinth macaw, great green macaw and scarlet macaw, are found in rainforests.

A macaw's feet are " zygodactyl "; the outer two toes face forwards while the inner two toes face backwards. This helps the bird to climb and land on tree trunks. This type of foot is a characteristic of several woodland and forest birds, including parrots, woodpeckers and cuckoos.

Ocelot
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The ocelot is a small wild cat found in South and Central America. The species is also occasionally seen as far north as Texas and Arizona.

Around the size of a bobcat, the ocelot is sometimes referred to as the 'dwarf leopard' on behalf of its spotted coat.

The ocelot is a nocturnal predator that rarely targets prey larger than rabbits and armadillos.

You can find out more about the ocelot on this page: Ocelot Facts

Orangutan
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Orangutans are members of the great ape family, Hominidae - just like us! Orangutans live in rainforests on the Southeast Asian islands Borneo and Sumatra. The name 'orangutan' means 'man of the forest' in Malay.

Orangutans are the world's largest arborial (tree-dwelling) animals. They spend up to 95% of their lives in the trees.

Sadly, all three species of orangutan are now critically endangered. This is mainly due to deforestation. Much of the orangutan's natural habitat has been cleared to make way for palm oil plantations.

Piranha
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Piranhas are freshwater fish found in the lakes and rivers of South America. With powerful jaws tightly packed with sharp teeth, piranhas have a reputation for being dangerous predators.

This fearsome reputation isn't entirely deserved. Piranhas aren't top of the rainforest food chain, and are just as likely to end up as dinner for other animals.

Many piranhas, rather than being purely carnivorous, are actually omnivores who feed on plant matter as well as on meat.

Piranha attacks on humans are rare, and seldom result in serious injury.

There may be over 60 species of piranha (scientists are unsure of the exact number). The largest piranha species is the red-bellied piranha, which grows up to 50 cm (20 in) in length.

You can find out more about piranhas on this page: Piranha Facts.

Poison Dart Frog
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Most of the 170 or so species of poison dart frog have brightly-coloured skin. This acts as a warning to potential predators that the frogs are poisonous.

Hunters from rainforest tribes used poison taken from the skin of poison dart frogs on the tips of their blowdarts.

The golden poison frog ( Phyllobates terribilis) is one of the world's most poisonous animals.

Poison dart frogs are found in Central and South American rainforests.

Rainforest Scops Owl
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This rainforest owl lives in the rainforests of eastern Madagascar. With a wingspan of up to 54 cm (21 in.), it is one of the smaller owl species.

The rainforest scops owl appears in three color variations, brown, grey or reddish-brown. When threatened it raises the two ear-like crests on its head.

Red Eyed Tree Frog
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Thanks to its eye-catching good looks the red-eyed tree frog has become one of the world's best-known amphibians.

When resting, the frog conceals its bright colors under its green body and closes its large red eyes, making it surprisingly difficult to spot.

These iconic frogs live in the canopy layer of Central American rainforests.

The red eyed tree frog's bright colors are part of a defense mechanism called ' startle coloration '. The frog hopes that a quick flash of its bright red eyes will momentarily confuse a potential predator, giving it time to escape!

Red Imported Fire Ant
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The red imported fire ant is an ant in the genus Solenopsis. It is found in tropical areas of South America. The species is found in a number of habitats, including rainforests.

The species has spread beyond its original range, and is considered to be one of the world's worst invasive species. It has been introduced to the United States and even to Australia via shipping containers.

Like all fire ants, the red imported fire ant can deliver a painful sting. The species is resilient to floods and droughts, and has even been seen amassing into floating, living 'boats' consisting of thousands of individuals.

Sloth
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Sloths are medium-sized rainforest mammals found in South and Central America. These tree-dwelling animals spend nearly all of their lives hanging upside-down from branches in the rainforest canopy.

Sloths move very slowly and have a low metabolism (the rate at which the body uses energy). This is an adaptation for living on leaves, which contain very little energy. Moving slowly also helps sloths stay hidden from predators such as the harpy eagle.

Because sloths are such slow movers, algae often begins to grow in their fur, giving them a green color. This is actually beneficial to the sloths, as it camouflages them among the leaves.

You can find out more about sloths on this page: Sloth Facts

South American Lungfish
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The South American lungfish is one of six species of lungfish alive today. Lungfish are fish that have retained their ancestors' ability to breathe air. As the name suggests, lungfish have lungs, and can breathe without using their gills.

The South American lungfish is found in slow-moving rivers and streams in the Amazon Basin. It is a long, thin fish that can grow to over 1 meter (3.3 ft.) in length.

During the dry season, the South American lungfish is able to surround its body in mucous and can survive buried in the mud, even if the river dries up.

Spider Monkey
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Spider monkeys get their name from their long limbs and tail; these agile primates actually look like giant spiders! Spider monkeys live in the rainforests of South America.

All seven species of Spider Monkey are now threatened; one is rated Vulnerable, four are Endangered, and two are Critically Endangered.

Tapir
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Tapirs are large hoofed animals in the family Tapiridae. They have long, prehensile snouts which they use to grasp and manipulate foliage while foraging for food. (Prehensile means 'adapted for grasping or holding'.)

Tapiridae, the family to which all 5 species of tapir belong, is one of three animal families that make up the group of animals known as odd-toed ungulates.

The other families in this group are the horse family (Equidae) and the rhinoceros family (Rhinocerotidae).

The only species of tapir found outside of the Americas is the Malayan tapir, which is found in Asia.

You can find out more about these rainforest animals on this page: Tapir Facts

Tarsier
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Tarsiers are small primates that live in rainforests on Southeast Asian islands. They have extremely large eyes and long tails. (The eyes of some tarsier species are larger than their brains!) Tarsiers are adapted for jumping, and move around by leaping through the trees.

These nocturnal animals exist mainly on a diet of insects.

There is some confusion over the exact number of tarsier species. Currently, 11 species of tarsier are listed in the Catalogue of Life (a list of all of the world's species), but other authorities recognize more or fewer species. All tarsiers are in the family Tarsiidae.

Tiger
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The tiger is the world's largest cat species. It lives in a variety of habitats, including rainforests and a variety of other types of forest.

Tigers are found in several Asian countries, including India, Indonesia, Malaysia and Thailand. The species is also found in southeast Russia.

The tiger is an endangered species. It is estimated that there are only around 3,000 to 4,000 of these beautiful animals left in the wild. The main threats to tigers are habitat loss and poaching.

Toucan

You can find out more about tigers on this page: Tiger Facts.

Toucans are a family of around 43 crow-sized birds found in Central and South America.
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These distinctive birds are known for their large, colorful bills.

A toucan uses its long bill to reach food without having to fly or climb to another branch. The bill also helps the toucan stay cool by transferring body heat to the surrounding air.

The keel-billed toucan, pictured above, lives in the canopy of Central American rainforests. It is primarily a frugivore (fruit-eater), although it will also eat a variety of animals, including snakes and the nestlings of other birds.

Vampire Bat

You can find out more about toucans on this page: Toucan Facts.

Bats are mammals whose arms have evolved into wings, allowing them to fly. There are 3 species of vampire bat: the common vampire bat, the hairy-legged vampire bat, and the white-winged vampire bat.
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All vampire bats feed on the blood of other animals. Vampire bats know exactly where to bite their victims by using infrared radiation to see where the blood is flowing closest to the skin!

Vampire bats are found in the Americas. As well as being found in rainforests, they also live in woodlands and grasslands.

White-Lipped Treefrog
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This Australian amphibian is the world's largest species of tree frog, and Australia's largest native frog. The species is also found in Papua New Guinea.

Tree frogs are amphibians in the family Hylidae. Tree frogs are named for their arboreal (tree-dwelling) lifestyle.

The white-lipped tree frog is found in north-east Queensland, and is present in the Daintree Rainforest. The species is also found in urban areas, and occasionally gets transported hundreds of miles to other states in banana boxes.

You can find out more about the white-lipped tree frog on this page: White-Lipped Tree Frog Facts

What Is A Rainforest?

As the name suggests, rainforests are forests found in areas that receive a high amount of rain. All rainforests receive at least 1.8 m (70 in.) of rain in a year; some rainforests receive over 3 m (118 in.).

Tropical rainforests are rainforests that are located near the Equator. They are hot, humid places. The average monthly temperature in a tropical rainforest is at least 18 °C (64 °F), with little difference between summer and winter.
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A tropical rainforest's unique mix of high rainfall and constant high temperature provides plants and animals with an ideal environment in which to live.

Because of their high biodiversity, tropical rainforests are among the world's most important habitats. (Biodiversity is the amount of different species that live in one area.)

Rainforest Animals List: Discover More with Active Wild!

We hope that you've enjoyed discovering the amazing rainforest animals on this page. Rainforests are home to a wide and varied range of species and this ancient habitat is vitally important for sustaining a large proportion of the world's biodiversity.

What's your favorite rainforest animal? Are there any animals we've missed? Let us know in the comments below!

The animals on this list represent only a fraction of the species that live in the world's rainforests; you can discover more animals on the pages listed below:

You can find out more about rainforests on the following pages:

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Rainforest Animals List With Pictures & Facts, Free Printable Worksheet

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Huge rainforest animals list with pictures & facts for kids & adults. Includes free printable worksheets & links to further information.

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Depending on the location of the desert, animals and plants native to deserts are camels, peccaries, bats, coyotes, lizards, snakes, woodpeckers, scorpions, different types of cacti, creosote bush, black sage and ocotillo. Different types of animals and plants exist in the different desert types of the world that include hot, coastal, semi-arid and cold deserts.

In the hot deserts of North America, many plants like yucca, agave and prickly pear can grow. Ocotillo, also called Jacob's Staff, is another plant that is native to the Sonoran Desert of North America. A typical plant found in coastal deserts is black sage. Cold deserts, found in Greenland and Antarctica, have deciduous plants. The wildlife includes deer in winter and kangaroo rats.

In desert regions like the Sahara, the camel is one type of animal that can live in this biome. The Sahara desert gets about a half an inch of rainfall per year.

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What Animals and Plants Live in the Desert?

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Depending on the location of the desert, animals and plants native to deserts are camels, peccaries, bats, coyotes, lizards, snakes, woodpeckers, scorpions, different types of cacti, creosote bush, black sage and ocotillo. Different types of animals and plants exist in the different desert types of the world that include hot, coastal, semi-arid and cold deserts.

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There are many biomes all over the Earth. Deserts, forests, arctic. But one of the more popular ones, which has been the location of one of the best Disney movies ever, the grasslands. If you have ever seen the Lion King, which come on, everyone has seen the Lion King, you have an idea of what the grasslands look like and what kind of animals live there. However, like many of the ecosystems on Earth, the grasslands are under heavy threat every day. Human activities are threatening the way of life of many grassland animals. What kind of threats do grassland animals face and how many of them are already endangered?

The grassland ecosystems can be found in both tropical and temperate regions of the world, though the specific ecosystems will vary slightly. The area mainly consists of grasses, few trees or shrubs, and many grazing mammals, herbivores, and of course predators. There are two main types of grassland ecosystems. Savannas, which are tropical grasslands, but seasonally dry. You'll see a lot of predators and grazers here. Picture the movie The Lion King. The other are prairies. These are temperate grasslands, totally devoid of large shrubs and trees. Mostly all you will find here are mixtures of short and tall grass.

Grassland ecosystems are fairly fragile because water is so scarce. In fact, the grasslands in Australia, Africa and South America are usually dependant on episodes of fire for renewal. The fire renews the soil and the land by killing all of the dead grass and vegetation. Making it possible for new vegetation to grow in. Since the bulk of grassland animals are grazers, fresh vegetation is extremely important.

Unfortunately, grasslands are also prime targets for human development, due to their topographies. This ends up having devastating consequences on the grassland animals as well as the ecosystem as a whole. Humans plow grasslands to plant wheat and other crops, replace wildlife with livestock, and hunt down all animals, predator and prey. There are very few grasslands that are currently protected as wildlife preserves.

You can find grasslands all over the world. North America's Great Plains, Africa's savannas, Asia's steppes, Australia's rangelands, and South America's pampas, llanos, and cerrados.

Types of Grassland Animals

The grasslands are home to a wide variety of animals. Grazing and roaming herbivores gather and group together to feed on the most abundant source of food and the reason for the name, grass, and grass-like plants. Meanwhile, predators lurk nearby and search for their next meal.

Large Mammals

Some of the biggest land creatures that are on Earth are found in the grasslands. You got your elephants, bison, antelopes, giraffes, gazelles, buffaloes, kangaroos, zebras and rhinos. These are also all herbivores. The African Elephant is the largest animal on Earth. They can easily weigh up to 6 tons and be about 24 feet long. They are most commonly found throughout 37 African countries.

Small Mammals

There are also many smaller critters that roam the vast grasslands. Because of The Lion King, many people are already familiar with meerkats like Timon, but there are many others. You can find prairie dogs, rabbits, gophers, black-footed ferrets, ground squirrels, and many mice. The black-footed ferrets are especially impressive. They managed to come back from the brink of extinction about 30 years ago and have continued to thrive. They are also the only ferret species that is native to North America.

Predators

On to the stars of the grassland animals, the predators. These guys are the ones who hunt down the big and small guys alike for their food. There are many predators in the grasslands. Jaguars, Sumatran and Malayan tigers, lions, leopards, hyenas, cheetahs, African wild dogs, wolves, and coyotes. There are also two endangered predators, both the Sumatran and Malayan tigers. Poaching and habitat destruction have driven these and many other species from the comfort of their homes, causing them to struggle for survival. The two species of tigers, Sumatran and Malayan, have a combined population of only about 900 members still alive.

Birds

Let's take it to the skies. The grasslands is home to three of the largest birds in the world; the ostrich, the rhea, and the emu. In fact, the ostrich is the world's largest bird. These incredibly powerful and fast birds are found throughout the African grasslands. There are plenty of other birds as well. Birds of prey have the honor of being the arch nemesis of many of the small mammals. Hawks, vultures, owls and eagles hunt prairie dogs, squirrels, mice and others, in addition to often munching on the leftovers of some of the larger predator's kills. Meanwhile, smaller birds zoom around closer to the ground. These are birds like grouse, meadowlarks, pipits, finches, quails, sparrows, and plovers. These guys are able to find an abundance of seeds, berries, and insects to survive on.

Insects

Bottom of the food chain, probably the most populous species in the grassland. Insects are everywhere. In the grassland, you can find bumble bees, crickets, butterflies, locusts, grasshoppers, beetles, and a plethora of others. The grasslands is also home to another record breaker, Prairie mole crickets. These guys are the largest mole crickets in North America and can grow up to 2 inches long. These rare and nocturnal big small guys spend most of their time digging underground in the tallgrass of the prairies.

Threats Facing Grassland Animals

Human activity is something that threatens nearly every ecosystem on Earth. We pollute our oceans, land and air, cut down our forests, and hunt animals to extinction. Grassland animals are not ones to catch a break either. There are many human activities that threaten the grassland biomes.

Urban Development

One of the biggest impacts that humans have on most of the land on Earth is creating open areas or taking advantage of already open areas for use for farming or infrastructure. Developing on grasslands is relatively easier due to the fact that the ground is already level and there is not much altering to be done. The land development drives away the grassland animals from the populated areas. Doing this forces them to relocate their homes, nests, tunnel systems, to a new location. This process is extremely stressful for these animals and some can not adapt to the new lifestyle. In addition, the land development diminishes the availability of certain resources that these animals rely on for survival. Not to mention that whatever is built on that land will most likely contribute to the overall pollution and affect nearby ecosystems.

Agriculture and Farming

This is fairly similar to urban development. However, this has more direct confrontation between animals and humans. When crops are planted or livestock farms are created, the wild animals are looked at as pests. The grassland animals, view the farm as a source of food, leading the animals to eat the crops or the livestock. In turn, this causes the farmer to become violent and hunt the wild animals to prevent them from affecting his farm. If non-violent methods are taken, the animals may be forced to migrate to another location, making it hard for them to find new food.

Not only does the conversion of land into crops change the ecosystem, but so does the addition of livestock. Often times, the livestock animals graze in areas where wild animals live. Meaning that there is a new competition for food which can lead to the quick depletion of that food source. Overgrazing is especially a problem in the drier grassland regions. Other negative effects of agriculture of grassland areas are that over plowed land strips the soil of rich nutrients, salts from the irrigation waters can damage the soil and the surrounding ecosystems and animals.

Hunting

This is a human activity that most people are familiar with. The hunting of grassland animals, has serious impacts on grassland biomes seeing as the animals are part of the natural cycle. The real problems come when overhunting happens. This happened in the early years of North America, when European settlers decimated the American bison population for their fur and meat. This nearly drove the entire species to extinction. Poachers are the real problem. They illegally hunt animals to make money from the trophies. For example, poachers will hunt rhinos for their horns and elephants for their ivory. It becomes even more of a problem when they target species that are already endangered.

Climate Change

Man made climate change also has impacts on the grassland biomes and their animals. With changing temperatures, weather patterns, and changes in the water cycle, throw the entire ecosystem into chaos, in which the animals are unable to adapt and often die as a result. Climate change causes what is called ecological succession. This is when an ecosystem of an area develops into another due to significant changes. The grasslands already have scarce water as it is, if the water becomes even more scarce, the animals may not survive the drought.

Drier Climates

Grasslands tend to be pretty dry in terms of their climates, making plant life vulnerable to wildfires. While wildfires are part of the natural process of grasslands as they renew the soil and open up the possibility for new vegetation, increased wildfires could spell disaster for the whole ecosystem. What does this have to do with humans? Well, climate change has an impact on the water cycle, meaning water is becoming more and more rare. This makes the ground more dry and susceptible to fires. In addition, wildfires tend to originate more frequently near human populations, due to excess heat from machinery and other activities.

Endangered Grassland Animals

Due to a lot of human activity, especially poachers and land development, there are many grassland animals that are currently on the endangered species list. These animals have either been hunted to the brink of extinction or driven from their home enough times to kill them off. Some are also near threatened, meaning that they are very close to being endangered. The American Buffalo is one of these animals.

Two of the smaller mammals that are endangered are the prairie dog and black-footed ferret. Prairie dogs live mostly in the Great Plains of North America. Right now, five species exist and all of them have declined as a result of human settlers on their range. The most at risk species of prairie dog is the Mexican prairie dog, Cynomys mexicanus. As for the black-footed ferret, which was mentioned before, is a more tricky one. For a while, scientists did not know if the species had become extinct. However, some of the population were found to be alive and well.

Another species has been hit hard as well is the burrowing owl. This due to the fact that this particular owl uses the holes of prairie dogs as its home. So the decline of the prairie dog, means less holes for the owl to live in. All over North America, this owl is considered either endangered or threatened.

A member of the bird family, the whooping crane is an endangered species that only has about 187 members of its flock left. However, captive breeding programs have proved to be somewhat successful in bringing this animal back from the brink. Common to the situation with giant pandas.

In addition, Australia has multiple species that are considered to be endangered. Some of these species are the sandhill dunnart, and the numbat. However, the numbat has become more populated over the recent years, showing a good possibility for recovery.

How to Protect Grassland Animals

There are many organizations out there that do everything they can to protect grassland animals. The World Wildlife Foundation is doing a lot to counteract and stop poaching and other illegal hunting activities. When it comes to average joes and janes, what we can do is simple. Do not support companies or individuals who are part of trophy hunting. Vote against any legislation that tries to make trophy hunting legal. Also, do not support the development of grassland territories.

Doing your part to combat climate change is also extremely important. Not just for grassland animals, but for the Earth as a whole. Switching to renewable energy like solar or wind is a great start. Make sure you are conserving as much energy as you can. Practice the three R's of recycling, reduce, reuse, recycle. For more information, visit Greenandgrowing.org.

Patrick Sands

Hey, I'm Pat. I am a Millersville grad with a Bachelors of Arts in English. I love to write, play video games, watch movies and TV, basically be a total nerd whenever I can. Green and Growing is important to me because it allows me to help others be as green and eco-friendly as possible. With Climate Change being what it is, it is even more important for people to get educated about their environment. This website allows me to do my part in that. Also, I'm a huge goof who tries to add some humor into anything I write. Stay Excellent out there!

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Grassland Animals: What is Threatening Them and Their Habitat

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There are many biomes all over the Earth. Deserts, forests, arctic. But one of the more popular ones, which has been the location of one of the best Disney movies ever, the grasslands. If you have ever seen the Lion King, which come on, everyone has seen the Lion King, you have an idea of what the grasslands look like and what kind of animals live there.

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Most of Earth’s surface—more than 70 percent—is covered by oceans.

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elephants

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Grasslands span across the world, covering roughly a quarter of the total surface area of the planet. The grassland biome, in fact, exists on every continent of the world - with the exception of Antarctica (where the ground is permanently covered with snow). The most striking features are its continuity and openness, seemingly like an endless sea of grass. Grasslands can be divided into temperate and tropical.

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Grassland Biome: Animals and Plants Inhabiting This Natural Wonder

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Grasslands span across the world, covering roughly a quarter of the total surface area of the planet. The grassland biome, in fact, exists on every continent of the world - with the exception of Antarctica (where the ground is permanently covered with snow).

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Now, students are seated back at their tables. I instruct them to look for the story Nutik, the Wolf Pup in the Table of Contents. I ask the first student to find it to please raise a hand and inform the rest of the class. Giving them a task helps them stay busy as I transition from one part of the room to another myself.

Today, we read the first seven pages of the story. I use a couple of reading techniques. First, we use a cloze reading: as I read a sentence, I leave off a word for the class to fill in chorally. I like using this technique because it keeps the reading moving quickly. Later in the lesson, I may ask students to read a paragraph or page silently, depending on how they are doing.

While I have a plan as to how to read each page, I feel it is also important to notice how students respond, and to make accommodations depending on that. For example, if the class is tired, it could be appropriate for the teacher to read aloud. It is important to know our students and to pay attention to their needs.

This is a first read of the story, so the text-dependent questions ask about what the text says explicitly, as opposed to more advanced questions about structure or analysis. The questions are about the setting, characters, and events from in this first part of the story. I included several videos of questions and responses in the Resources section.

I also attached a list of questions I developed for the first part of the story. I tend to develop more questions than I use, because I want to make sure I am prepared. The list of questions helps me to think about follow-up questions to ask on the following days. Not all questions need to be asked.

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The Arctic tundra, a place of unusual beauty, is the setting for a heartwarming tale of a boy and a wolf. Plan your 60-minute lesson in English / Language Arts or paragraph (Composition Basics) with helpful tips from Maricela Rodriguez

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Habitat loss and endangered animals for kids

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What If All The Ice Melted On Earth? ft. Bill Nye

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Exploring the Arctic for Kids: Arctic Animals and Climates for Children - FreeSchool