No Place to Hide

Grasslands are great places for animals that eat-grass! There are grasslands all over the world. Some are called steppes, savannas, velds, or prairies. No matter what their name, all are homes to herds of grass-eating animals.

Few trees or bushes grow on grasslands, so it's easy to spot a grazing animal. There's nowhere to hide. But there's plenty of room to run. Many grassland animals rely on their speed to escape enemies.

In South Africa, grasslands called the veld are home to springboks. During the rainy season, huge herds of springboks graze near riverbeds. When a cheetah, leopard, or lion comes near, a springbok leaps straight up in the air, surprising the predator. Then it sprints away.

Vast herds of antelopes, wildebeests, and zebras run across the grasslands of eastern Africa, called savannas. Zebras live in small family groups but join a large herd while grazing. The zebras are safer in a herd. If a lion or hyena attacks, zebra moms and dads bite and kick, trying to drive it away. At night one member of the zebra group stays awake, watching for danger.

Ostriches also join herds on the African savanna, where they nibble on seeds and plants. These huge birds can't fly, but they can run-fast! Ostriches outrun lions, leopards, and hyenas. If an ostrich needs to defend itself, it gives a powerful kick.

Herds of bison and pronghorn antelopes roam the American prairie. Bison eat grass, and pronghorns eat shrubs and weeds. A pronghorn antelope is always alert-listening, smelling, and looking for predators. If it senses danger, it speeds away. The fastest animal in North America, it can sprint for miles at the speed of a car on a highway!

A kangaroo doesn't run at all. It hops across the hot savanna of Australia. At night kangaroos graze alone or in small groups. They spend the day napping in the shade of bushes. But when a wild dingo dog or a person is near, a kangaroo bounds quickly away.

Thousands of years ago, wild horses raced across European and Asian grasslands. Today only a few wild horses survive. On the steppes of Mongolia, Przewalski horses live in family groups. These shy horses stay alert while grazing, twitching their ears if a stranger nears.

Wherever grassland animals graze, they watch for danger and then speed away.

Copyright Carus Publishing Company Sep 2005
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