Childrens Illustrated Encyclopedia

childrens_illustrated_encyclopedia_template_US_layer_v1

GRASSLAND WILDLIFE

242

Pallas’s sandgrouse

The mottled plumage (feathers) of Pallas’s

sandgrouse gives it excellent camouflage among

the brownish grasses and stones of the asian

steppe. It needs little water and can survive

on dry, tough seeds and other plant parts.

Wild peonies are found in many grassy

habitats around the world. Many garden

peony plants came originally from the

hardy wild peonies that grow in

grassland areas.

grass snake

The grass snake lives on riverbanks

and in marshes, mainly in europe

and asia. grass snakes are good

swimmers.

CaPe CresTed PorCuPIne

The Cape Crested porcupine has sharp spines on its back

for protection. It warns enemies to stay away by rattling

the hollow quills on its tail. If an intruder ignores these

warnings, the porcupine runs backward into the enemy,

and the quills come off and stick into the intruder’s flesh.

A newborn saiga

antelope is fluffy

and has no horns.

Thomson’s gazelle

These swift-moving mammals live on the grassy

plains of africa in herds of up to 30 animals.

They all have horns, but those of the male are

larger than those of the female. Thomson’s

gazelles are often the prey of other grassland

animals, such as the cheetah and the jackal.

JaCkal

on the african savanna, golden

jackals eat whatever they can

find, including fruits, small

mammals, eggs, birds, and the

carcasses (dead bodies) of

larger animals

such as

zebras.

Conservation

many grassland areas are now used

as farmland, and the natural wildlife

is being squeezed into smaller areas. as

a result, these areas become overgrazed

and barren. grassland animals are also

threatened by human hunters. In the

past, the asian saiga antelope was killed

for its horns. Today,

it is protected

by law, but it is

still seriously

endangered,

with about

130,000 left

in the wild.

Pallas’s CaT

This long-furred cat lives

in mountains, high

steppes, and open

country across

Central asia. at

night it hunts

for small

mammals

and birds.

sTePPe

The vast plains of asia are called steppes. In

the western part of asia the rainfall is more

than 10 in (25 cm) each year, and grasses and

other plants grow well. Toward the eastern

part of asia there is less than 2.5 in

(6 cm) of rainfall yearly, and

the grasses fade away into the

harsh gobi desert. saiga

antelopes, red deer, and

roe deer graze on the

rolling plains.

Head-body length of

about 25 in (65 cm)

raInbow lIzard

male rainbow lizards can often

be seen on piles of rocks,

scanning their territories.

These dominant males

have red or orange heads.

rainbow lizards eat most

small insects, such as ants, as

well as some plant materials.

Soft, thick fur to

keep out the

cold winds Find out more

horses, asses, and zebras

lions, tigers,

and other big cats

lizards

reptiles

The Cape Crested

porcupine lives on

the African

savanna.

Strong, agile,

stout body with

short legs

Jackals

sometimes

hunt in groups,

pursuing small

grazing animals

such as these

Thomson’s

gazelles.

savanna

The huge grassland areas of eastern and

southern africa are called savannas. These

areas are home to the world’s largest herds of

grazing animals, including zebra, wildebeest,

and hartebeest. many large grazers wander

from one area to the next in search

of food. acacia and baobab

trees dot the landscape,

providing shade for resting

lions, ambush cover for

leopards, and sleeping

places for baboons.

US_242_Grassland_wildlife_2.indd 242 21/01/16 5:00 pm