The Complete List of Grassland Consumers

Grasslands across continents host shifting herds, stealthy predators and small foragers that together drive nutrient cycling and plant dynamics. A quick look at who lives and feeds there helps explain seasonal changes and management needs.

There are 77 Grassland Consumers, ranging from Aardvark to Warthog. For each entry you’ll find below Scientific name, Role (diet), Avg weight (kg) you’ll find below.

Which species are counted as grassland consumers?

The list focuses on animals that rely on grassland ecosystems for food or forage—grazers, browsers, omnivores and predators that regularly feed in these habitats. It includes resident and seasonal species, and uses Scientific name plus Role (diet) and Avg weight (kg) so you can compare taxonomy, feeding strategy and body mass at a glance.

How can I use this list for research or teaching?

Use it as a checklist for local surveys, to build simple food webs, or to estimate biomass and energy flow by combining Role (diet) with Avg weight (kg). The Scientific name column helps avoid confusion with common names, and the standardized fields make it easy to sort, filter or import into spreadsheets for classroom exercises or basic analyses.

Grassland Consumers

Images and Descriptions

African elephant

Iconic African savanna grazer found across sub-Saharan grasslands and open woodlands; shapes vegetation by uprooting trees and creating water holes, profoundly altering savanna structure and helping maintain open grasslands for other species.

African buffalo

Widespread in African savannas and floodplain grasslands; forms large herds that heavily graze grasses, influencing plant communities and providing prey for large predators like lions and hyenas.

Plains zebra

Common across African savannas and open plains; grazes in mixed-species herds and migrates seasonally, their striped herds are key grazers that help control grass height and seed dispersal.

Blue wildebeest

Abundant in East African savannas and grasslands; famous for massive seasonal migrations, wildebeest drive nutrient cycling and are major prey for lions, cheetahs, and crocodiles.

African lion

Savanna predator that hunts zebras, wildebeest, buffalo and other grassland ungulates; lives in prides across sub-Saharan grasslands and influences prey populations and herd behavior.

Cheetah

Savanna-specialist predator of gazelles and young ungulates; prefers open grasslands where high-speed chases are possible, famously the fastest land mammal.

Spotted hyena

Common in African grasslands and savannas; versatile feeding behavior includes cooperative hunting and scavenging, shaping carcass availability and nutrient recycling.

African wild dog

Highly social predator of savanna plains that hunts in coordinated packs, preying on antelope and wildebeest, influential in controlling herbivore numbers.

Thomson’s gazelle

Small, agile grazer of East African grasslands and open savannas; highly visible in migrations and a key prey species for cheetahs and lions.

Impala

Common in African savanna mosaics, impala graze grasses and browse shrubs; their flexible diet lets them thrive in variable grassland-woodland edges.

Springbok

South African grassland and savanna antelope known for pronking displays; adapted to arid grassy plains and important grazer in open habitats.

Saiga antelope

Characteristic of Eurasian steppes, saiga feed on sparse grasses and herbs; their migratory herds once shaped vast grassland ecosystems across Central Asia.

Pronghorn

North American Great Plains specialist, extremely fast and adapted to open prairies; primarily grazes grasses and forbs and maintains prairie plant dynamics.

American bison

Formerly roaming North American prairies in massive herds; bison wallowing and grazing create habitat heterogeneity, supporting diverse prairie plants and animals.

Eastern grey kangaroo

Common in Australian grasslands and open woodlands; large macropod that grazes grasses and shapes grassland structure through selective feeding and movement.

Red kangaroo

Australia’s largest kangaroo inhabiting arid grasslands and open plains; grazes widely and survives in harsh environments with water-saving adaptations.

Domestic cattle

Globally widespread domestic grazer in managed grasslands and pastures; significantly alters grassland composition and nutrient cycling through grazing, trampling and nutrient deposition.

Domestic sheep

Commonly kept on pastures worldwide; sheep selectively graze grasses and forbs, impacting plant diversity and structure in managed grasslands.

Domestic goat

Versatile feeder used on grasslands and rangelands; combines grazing and browsing, often used for vegetation control and can heavily modify grassland vegetation.

Domestic horse

Kept on pastures worldwide and historically shaped grasslands; selective grazing and trampling influence plant composition and habitat structure.

Przewalski’s horse

Reintroduced wild horse of Eurasian steppes and grasslands; grazes grasses and creates wallows, contributing to steppe ecosystem processes and biodiversity.

Guanaco

Wild South American camelid of pampas and Patagonian steppes; grazes grasses and shrubs and is well adapted to open, windy grasslands.

Vicuña

Native to high-altitude South American grasslands (puna); grazes short alpine grasses and provides fine wool, important in Andean pastoral systems.

Pampas deer

Endemic to South American pampas and grasslands; shy grazer that prefers open plains and contributes to local herbivore communities.

Plains viscacha

Burrowing rodent of Argentine pampas; feeds on grasses and builds dense colonies that modify soil and vegetation structure across grasslands.

Patagonian mara

Large cavy inhabiting Patagonian grasslands and scrub; forms monogamous pairs and grazes grasses, creating distinctive foraging patches.

Capybara

South American grass-dominated wetland grazer found in floodplain grasslands and marshes; grazes aquatic and riparian grasses and heavily shapes wet grassland vegetation.

Pampas fox

Native to South American pampas and open grasslands; omnivorous fox that hunts rodents and insects, influencing small mammal populations.

Giant anteater

Found in South American grasslands and savannas; uses long tongue to feed on termite mounds and ant colonies, affecting social insect communities.

Aardvark

African savanna specialist that digs into termite mounds and ant nests in grasslands, creating burrows used by other species and recycling nutrients.

Bontebok

Southern African grassland antelope restricted to fynbos and grassland plains; grazes short grasses and is a conservation icon for grassland restoration.

Secretarybird

Distinctive long-legged predator of African savannas that hunts on foot across grasslands, controlling snakes and large insects in open habitats.

Kori bustard

Large bustard of African grasslands and savannas; forages on the ground for seeds, insects and small animals and is among the heaviest flying birds.

Ostrich

Flightless bird of African savannas and open grasslands; eats a mix of plant material and invertebrates and disperses seeds across plains.

Rhea

Large flightless bird of South American pampas and grasslands; grazes and browses plants and consumes invertebrates, influencing seed dispersal and vegetation.

Emu

Australia’s large flightless bird found in open grasslands and woodlands; eats plants and invertebrates, aiding seed dispersal and nutrient movement.

Greater prairie-chicken

North American prairie grouse of grasslands; consumes seeds, leaves and insects, and relies on intact prairie for lekking and breeding displays.

Sharp-tailed grouse

Found in North American prairies and shrub-steppe; feeds on plant material and insects, and requires grassland mosaics for breeding and broods.

Northern bobwhite

Small quail of grasslands, agricultural fields and savannas in the Americas; feeds on seeds and insects and is a key upland gamebird.

Bobolink

Breeding in North American grasslands and hayfields where it feeds heavily on seeds and insects; migrates long distances but relies on grassland breeding habitat.

Eastern meadowlark

Common songbird of North American meadows and prairies; probes grass for insects and seeds and nests on the ground in tall grass.

Grasshopper (Differential)

Common North American grassland grasshopper that feeds on grasses and forbs; important primary consumer and occasional outbreak species in disturbed grasslands.

Red harvester ant

Native to North American grasslands and deserts; harvests and caches seeds, shaping plant community composition and nutrient distribution.

Dung beetle (Onthophagus gazella)

Introduced and widespread in grasslands; buries and consumes dung, accelerating nutrient recycling and reducing parasite loads in grazed pastures.

Earthworm (Lumbricus terrestris)

Common in temperate grassland soils and pastures; processes organic litter, aerates soil and enhances nutrient availability for grasses and forbs.

Prairie dog

Keystone North American prairie burrower that feeds on grasses and forbs; colonies alter soil and vegetation, supporting diverse grassland species like burrowing owls.

Thirteen-lined ground squirrel

Small burrowing rodent of North American prairies that eats seeds, grasses and insects, influencing seed predation and providing prey for raptors and carnivores.

Meadow vole

Abundant in temperate grasslands and wetlands; feeds on grasses and roots, a key prey species for many predators and important in vegetation turnover.

Swift fox

Specialist of shortgrass prairies in North America; hunts small mammals and insects and relies on open grassland for denning and foraging.

Coyote

Flexible predator of North American grasslands and prairies; preys on rodents and ungulate young and adapts to changing grassland landscapes.

American badger

North American grassland specialist that digs for ground squirrels and other burrowing mammals, shaping prey populations and creating burrows used by other species.

Short-eared owl

Breeds and hunts over open grasslands worldwide; specializes on voles and small mammals, visible hovering low over fields at dusk.

Prairie falcon

Falcon of western North American grasslands and deserts that preys on ground-dwelling birds and mammals using high-speed aerial attacks over open terrain.

Savannah sparrow

Widespread in temperate grasslands and saltmarshes; forages on insects and seeds near ground level, adapting to a variety of grassy habitats.

Bobcat

Generalist predator occupying grassland edges and prairies in North America; hunts rabbits, rodents and ground-nesting birds and uses grassland cover for stalking.

Bat-eared fox

Small African savanna fox that specializes on termite and insect feeding in grassy plains, with big ears adapted for detecting prey underground.

Aardwolf

Termite-eating hyena relative of African grasslands; feeds almost exclusively on termites, using long sticky tongue to lap insects in open savanna habitats.

Pampas cat

Small wild cat of South American grasslands and shrub-steppe; hunts rodents and ground birds and is adapted to open pampas and Andean grasslands.

Nilgai

Large Asian antelope frequenting Indian grasslands and scrub; feeds on grasses and shrubs, often seen in open agricultural and grassland mosaics.

Blackbuck

Indian grassland antelope preferring open plains and grasslands; feeds on grasses and relies on visibility and agility to evade predators.

Saiga steppe flea beetle (example)

Representative steppe leaf beetle found on Eurasian grasslands; consumes forbs and contributes to herbivore pressure on steppe plant communities.

Onager (Asiatic wild ass)

Inhabits Central Asian steppes and deserts; grazes sparse grasses, travels long distances and is adapted to arid grassland environments.

Steppe marmot

Burrowing marmot of Eurasian steppes that grazes grasses and herbs seasonally; colonies shape soil and plant communities across open grasslands.

European hare

Widespread in European and Eurasian grasslands and farmland; feeds on grasses and herbs, a key prey for many grassland predators.

Saiga steppe bird (example: corncrake)

Breeding in Eurasian grasslands and meadows, corncrakes feed on insects and plant material in tall grass and are indicators of intact hayfield habitat.

Onager-kulan hybrid (wild equid general)

Represents wild equids of Eurasian steppes and Central Asian grasslands; grazes grasses, shapes sward structure and supports large predator-prey dynamics.

Termite (Macrotermes bellicosus)

African savanna termite that decomposes grasses and woody debris, building large mounds and profoundly affecting nutrient cycling and soil structure in grasslands.

Red fox

Flexible predator occurring in many grassland and steppe regions; hunts rodents and ground-nesting birds and adapts to open agricultural landscapes.

Dhole (Asian wild dog)

Occurring in some grassland-forest mosaics of Asia, dholes hunt cooperatively in open areas and grassland edges, preying on deer and wild boar.

Kangaroo rat

Small North American grassland and desert rodent that caches seeds and influences plant recruitment and soil aeration across arid grasslands.

Burrowing owl

Found in open North and South American grasslands; nests in burrows and feeds on insects and small mammals, relying on short-sward habitats.

Harvester beetle (Scarabaeidae example)

Representative scarab beetle of grasslands that recycles plant material and sometimes feeds on stored seeds, contributing to nutrient cycling in soils.

Great bustard

Large Eurasian grassland bird that forages across open steppes and agricultural fields for seeds, invertebrates and small vertebrates and is vulnerable to habitat loss.

European bison

Reintroduced in European grassland and forest-steppe mosaics; grazes and browses, creating open patches and supporting grassland biodiversity where restored.

Warthog

African savanna suid that grazes grasses and digs for roots and bulbs; its wallowing and rooting change soil and vegetation patterns in grasslands.

Southern cassowary (edge case excluded?)

Excluded from list because primarily forest-dwelling and does not substantially feed in grasslands.

Brown hare clarification (duplicate avoidance)

Included earlier as European hare; common grazer of open farmland and steppe grasslands, important prey and seed disperser.

Other Grassland Types