Predators and Prey of the Chihuahuan Desert
Presentation from:
Living Desert Zoo and Gardens State Park
Carlsbad, New Mexico
Predators
Predators are animals that eat other animals for food.
Barn Owl
Mountain Lion
Predators’ Eye Position
Predators’ eyes face forward so they can see the animals they
are chasing. This allows them to focus their vision on just the
prey. They have great depth perception, so they can see how
close or far away the prey is.
Predators have their best vision in their binocular area
because they are seeing the prey with both eyes. They
don’t see the prey as well in their monocular areas
because they can only see with the eye on that
particular side.
Notice how these predators’ eyes face forward to give
them a clear view of their prey.
Burrowing Owl Skull
Mountain Lion
Mexican Grey Wolves
Predators’ Feet
Predators usually have sharp claws that they use
to hold on to their prey while they are killing it.
Wolf Feet
Mountain Lion Feet
Predators’ Teeth
Predators are carnivores (mostly meat eaters) or omnivores
(plant and animal eaters), so they have sharp, pointed teeth
for grabbing and cutting their food. They use their long,
sharp canine teeth to kill, hold, and tear the meat. They use
their sharp, pointed back premolar and molar teeth to cut
the food into chunks that are small enough to swallow.
Predators don’t usually chew the meat completely. The
meat is swallowed whole or in chunks.
Predators are carnivores (animals that eat meat) or omnivores
(animals that eat meat and plants). Predators have:
• sharp teeth
• sharp claws
• eyes that look forward (binocular vision) to help them judge
the distance to the prey
This predator has sharp teeth and
eyes that face forward.
Gray Fox
Prey
Prey are animals that are eaten by predators.
Mule Deer
Desert Cottontail Rabbit
Preys’ Eyes
Preys’ eyes are located at the sides of the head, so they have good
side and rear vision. Since prey spend most of their time eating
grass and leaves, it is important for them to see to the side and
rear without moving their heads to allow them to look out for
predators and to eat at the same time. Prey have almost
360-degree vision.
Prey have monocular vision, meaning they use each eye
separately. This allows them to see two different objects on
opposite sides of their bodies at the same time.
Notice how these preys’ eyes are located on the sides of their
heads, so they can see if predators are approaching them.
Black -chinned Hummingbird
Desert Cottontail Rabbit
Mule Deer
Preys’ Feet
Prey that are ungulates (hoofed animals) have hooves
attached to long slender legs that allow them to run quickly
away from predators. Other prey animals have special
adaptations to help them get away from their predators.
This rabbit’s feet allows
it to bound quickly away
from its predators.
This hummingbird uses its
wings to fly away from
predators.
Deer Hoof
Preys’ Teeth
Herbivores (plant eaters) have flat teeth that they use to grind
tough plant materials.
Deer
Deer basically have two types of teeth. The front teeth, or incisors,
are used for cutting the food. The back teeth, or premolars and
molars - are used for chewing and grinding the food. Between the
incisors and molars is an open space along the jaw that has no teeth.
Omnivores’ Teeth
Many animals, including humans, are omnivores. Because they eat both
meat and plant foods they have some teeth (incisors and canines) that are
used to cut, bite, and tear meat and other teeth (premolars and molars)
to chew and grind fruits, vegetables and grains.
Herbivores are always prey. They:
•have flat teeth for chewing plants
• have feet for running
• have eyes that look to the side, so they can see a wide
range without turning their heads.
These animal skulls have
large flat molars for chewing
plant foods.
Their eyes are located on the
sides of their heads so they can
watch for predators.
Deer
Porcupine
Predator or Prey?
By looking at an animal’s feet, eye position, and teeth a person
can usually tell if an animal is a predator or prey. See if you can
determine which of these animals are predators and which are
prey. Remember to look at their feet and eye positions.
Mountain Lion
Kangaroo Rat
Bobcat
Javelina
The Predator Becomes the Prey
Some animals can be both predators and prey. For example,
a Texas horned lizard is a predator when it eats ants,
termites, beetles, and grasshoppers. It is also a prey when it
is eaten by snakes, bobcats, roadrunners and other birds
such as hawks and loggerhead shrikes.
The horned lizard is a predator
when it eat ants and other insects.
A horned lizard is a prey when it is eaten by
birds, snakes, wolves, bobcats, and coyotes.
The animals that are primary consumers and the animals that are tertiary
consumers are easy to identify as prey or predators.
The primary consumers are the ones that eat plants and become prey to
the secondary consumers.
The tertiary consumers are the animals at the top of the energy pyramid.
They will eat both primary and secondary consumers. Because they are at
the top of the pyramid, they don’t usually get eaten by other animals,
so they are only predators. The animals that are at the secondary
consumer level are the ones that can be both predators and prey.
These animals are predators.
They are at the top of their food chain and are
not usually eaten by other animals.
Often these animals can be both predators
and prey.
These animals are only prey.