Millions of American bison once roamed the Great Plains across the United States. Today the protected species can be found mostly in many state parks and some national parks. The bison is a herd animal that grazes on grass. Bison typically weigh between 911 and 2,022 pounds. They are brown with long hair, and the males of the species have horns.
Both black-tailed and white-tailed jackrabbits find a home in the temperate grasslands. Jackrabbits feed on grasses and other plants and flowers. White-tailed jackrabbits are larger than the black-tailed jackrabbits and are found in the northern Great Plains.
Gazelles are grazing animals found in the grasslands of Africa and Asia. Gazelles live in herds ranging from ten animals up to several hundred animals. This graceful animal is very fast and can run up to 40 miles per hour to evade predators.
Prairie dogs are also at home on the Great Plains in the western United States. Prairie dogs eat grasses and other plants. They live in very social communities and burrow in underground tunnels. Prairie dog tunnels can reach 100 feet long. Prairie dogs are relatively small animals weighing between 1 and 3 pounds.
Red-tailed hawks are found in grasslands from Central America, throughout Mexico and the United States and up into Canada. These birds weigh approximately 2 to 4 pounds. They eat small mammals including rabbits, small and medium-sized birds, and various reptiles such as snakes.
