10 Animals That Live in Prairies. Prairies are flat grasslands that feature only a few trees. The temperature in prairies are typically moderate, as is the rainfall. It’s this moderate environment that makes it an ideal area for many different species of animals. 1. Prairie Dogs

Many prairie animals rely on prairie grasses for survival. Mammals like prairie dogs , bison , elk , deer, and pronghorn graze on the grasses and other plants that grow on the prairie. Predators like birds of prey , mountain lions , coyotes , and black footed ferrets depend on the abundance of wildlife to hunt for prey.

Prairie dogs are native to prairie and grassland habitats. These burrowing ground squirrels can weigh around 3 pounds and measure about 12 inches long. They typically feed on plants, but will also consume seeds and fruit. Prairie dogs are themselves a food source for various predators, such as coyotes, hawks, foxes, ferrets, and badgers. Deer

Animals that live in grasslands are often in danger of losing their homes to human development for housing, cities, and farmland. Often referred to as prairies, savannahs, and steppes, grasslands are usually too dry for many trees to survive, leaving drought-tolerant grasses to cover the area.

Prairie animals and plants change across North America depending on how much rainfall each area gets. From West to East rainfall increases across the Great Plains leading to shortgrass prairies in the West and tallgrass prairies in the East with mixedgrass prairies in the middle.