Pampar deer(Cervidae) and gray fox(Urocyon cinereoargenteus).Also live on this grassy plain. Small herds of guanacos (Lama glama) live in the wild here. They are perfectly suited for the pampas. Their long necks help them see danger coming, and they can run quickly across the rocky plains. Newborn guanacos are on their feet within fifteen minutes of birth, and within an hour they are speeding along next to their mothers. A few herds of rhea(Rhea pennata).An ostrich (Struthio camelus) like bird, still roam the grasslands. One male protects a group of females and their eggs from hunting foxes or skunks. He then goes on to raise the young. The rhea cannot fly and have been hunted for their meat, for their feathers, and for sport almost to extinction. |
Other plants found on the Pampas have adapted themselves to the windy and warm,
humid climate of the grasslands. Plants include cattails(Typha) , water lilies and reeds, all of which prefer wetlands but have adapted to the drier climate here. Grasses can survive fires because they grow from the bottom instead of the top. Plants have long roots to dig into the fertile soil. And the ability to store water in their roots for long times. main adaptations are thick bark on trees to resist fire. |
Habitat:
Much of the pampas are dry and sandy. The areas that have water have been taken by the people of Argentina. There are still some of the natural grassland left, and with it, some of the wildlife.
Food Web