What Is a Grassland?

Around 25 percent of the total surface area of our planet is made up of grasslands. They are found on all the continents of the world, except for Antarctica. Most people associate the grassland biome with the savannas of Africa, but North America (prairies), South America (pampas), and Eurasia (steppes) also have a fair share of these large tracts of grass. The vast expanse of this biome should give you a rough idea of the tremendous biodiversity that it boasts of.

In the grassland biome, the vegetation is dominated by different grasses and herbaceous plants. Based on their geographic location, grasslands are put into two types: tropical and temperate grasslands. The two differ in terms of abiotic conditions. These abiotic conditions play a crucial role in making the grassland biome one of the most biodiverse biomes of the world.

Grassland Biome Animal Species

The considerably lengthy list of animals inhabiting the grasslands begins with invertebrates, like carrion beetles and tiger beetles, and ends with large mammals, like elephants and giraffes. In between, you have hundreds of animals, across different genera, including insects, reptiles, birds, and more.

Grassland Animals of North America (Prairies)

North American prairies stretch across the Great Plains. They are home to a remarkable mix of burrowers, grazers, and hunters.

Prairie dogs standing upright at their burrow entrances on the North American prairie
Prairie dogs are one of the most social animals on the Great Plains, their underground towns can stretch for miles.
  • Prairie dog
  • Coyote
  • Gray wolf
  • Red-tailed hawk
  • Red fox
  • Western meadowlark
  • Prairie chicken
  • American toad
  • Bison
  • Badger
  • Prairie rattlesnake
  • White-tailed jackrabbit
  • Pronghorn antelope
  • Elk
  • Tiger beetle
  • Lady beetle
  • Carrion beetle
  • Black-tailed jackrabbit
  • Burrowing owl
  • California condor
  • Eastern cottontail
  • Gopher snake
  • Northern grasshopper mouse
  • Ground squirrels

Grassland Animals of South America (Pampas)

The pampas of South America are vast, flat grasslands. They support a unique set of wildlife found nowhere else on Earth.

  • Armadillo
  • Puma
  • Jaguar
  • Geoffroy's Cat
  • Llama
  • Opossum
  • Pampas deer
  • Greater Rhea

Grassland Animals of Africa (Savannah)

The African savannah is the world's most famous grassland. It is home to some of the largest land animals on the planet, including the African bush elephant and the giraffe.

African elephant walking through tall golden savanna grass with a lion pride resting under an acacia tree in the background
The African savannah hosts some of the most iconic wildlife on Earth, including elephants, lions, and giraffes.
  • African bush elephant
  • Cheetah
  • Ostrich
  • African lion
  • Buffalo
  • Hippopotamus
  • Rhinoceros
  • Grevy's zebra
  • Hyena
  • Vulture
  • Aardvark
  • Leopard
  • Cape hunting dog
  • Wildebeest
  • African golden cat
  • Impala
  • Giraffe
  • Hartebeest
  • Jackals
  • Mongoose

Take the Grassland Animals Quiz!

5 quick questions. How much do you know about the world's grasslands?

Grassland Animals of Europe (Steppes)

Europe's steppes stretch from Eastern Europe all the way across Central Asia. These open grasslands are home to some unusual and lesser-known species.

  • Corsac fox
  • Mongolian gerbil
  • Saiga antelope
  • Northern lynx
  • Saker falcon
  • Rabbits
  • Mice
  • Wisent

Grassland Animals of Australia (Steppes)

Australia's grasslands are some of the most unique in the world. They are home to many marsupials (mammals that carry their young in pouches) found nowhere else on the planet.

  • Kangaroo
  • Dingo
  • Wallaby
  • Koala bear
  • Wombat
  • Striped Legless Lizard
  • Emu
  • Pygmy Blue-tongued Lizard

Grassland Animals of Asia (Steppes)

Asian grasslands and steppes support a mix of large mammals and rare specialist species, including some that are critically endangered.

  • Asian elephant
  • Asiatic water buffalo
  • Indian wolf
  • Indian rhino
  • Savanna nightjar
  • Pygmy hog
  • Asiatic cheetah
  • Leopard gecko

Adaptations

Animals in the grassland biome have developed some truly clever ways to survive. Migration is one of the best examples. Animals found in savannas, such as wildebeests, zebras, and African elephants, migrate thousands of miles in search of food and water. Prairie species, in contrast, are known for their ability to withstand the extreme climatic conditions of this region, which are typically characterized by hot summers and cold winters.

Thousands of wildebeest migrating across the African savanna, raising a massive dust cloud
The wildebeest migration is one of nature's greatest spectacles, over a million animals travel thousands of miles each year.

Small animals have no choice but to seek shelter by burrowing in the ground. Because of this, their front feet are armed with sharp claws. Several grassland species also have broad and flat-topped teeth, which makes it easier for them to feed on grass. Other key adaptations seen in grassland animals include specially developed digestive systems in herbivores and the ability to camouflage.

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Conservation

Like their counterparts in other biomes, grassland species bear the brunt of large-scale poaching and human encroachment on their natural habitat. The list of endangered grassland animals includes names like the Black rhino, Grevy's zebra, and the Northern hairy-nosed wombat. The need of the hour is to put proper conservation measures in place, and more importantly, to make sure those measures are strictly followed. If we don't take action soon, we are set to lose several animals that are seen grazing in these grasslands.