KidsBiology.com - Biology For Kids

The Grassland Biome

Zebras lazily graze on the delicious grasses. Nearby gazelles merrily play with one another, jumping to and fro. Suddenly a large female lioness leaps out from invisibility. The chase begins.

The grassland biomes of Earth support many different kinds of large and small grazing animals, as well as carnivorous animals who feed on them. From the large African Elephant, to the tiny field mouse, lions, giraffes, hippopotamuses, crocodiles, and more. In North American grasslands, you might find a herd of American Bison, antelope, a variety of bird life, cougars, also known as mountain lions, bobcats, and more.

Grasslands can be found on every continent. Because these wide open spaces and fertile soil make excellent farmland, many of the grasslands are disappearing as farmers use them to grow crops. In North America, grasslands have been almost completely replaced with large farms.

Due to mis-use by early farmers and a very long dry period of time called a drought, the North American grasslands became a giant dusty mess in the 1930s. During this time, this area was nicknamed the Dust Bowl. For 10 years, giant dust storms blew dust everywhere, destroying many farms. Read about it on the next page.

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