Temperate+Grasslands

Temperate Grasslands: Will [] In this habitat, it will be a large square area with mostly just grasslands and some small ponds and rivers flowing through. We will need the river so the frogs can live near their water source, and whenever you find water you have a good chance of finding insects, which are a large part of what feeds the animals in this biome. A lot of grass in necessary in order to feed the american bison and the elk and still keep some for the smaller animals to live in as well. There will need to be some bushes put in and some shrubs so the insects have places to live, and also the spiders too.

Recieve 20-35 inches of rainfall each year-mostly in snow form located on every continent but Antarctica Temperature varies with the seasons, reaching below 0 degrees F in the winter and over 90 degrees F in the summers Found north of 23.5 degrees North and south of 23.5 degrees South Phyla: Chordata, Arthropada, and Nematoda

Class Amphibia __Rana blairi-Plains Leopard frog:__ can grow from 2-4 inches long and solid brown in color. almost always found near fresh water sources such as a lake, pond or river. they eat whatever they are able to over power, but usually this is just insects. they are nocturnal so they come out mostly at night. The plains leopard frog would be a good fit for temperate grasslands because they would have plenty of food and could live near many fresh water sources. people would love to see these frogs because they are not easy to find. __Hyla chrysoscelis-Western Gray Tree Frog:__ usually a gray or green color, live in the brush and small trees near streams and ponds. The diet of these frogs is mainly insects, and they can grow anywhere from 3 to 5 inches long. this animal would be good for the temperate grasslands because he can live near one of the many rivers and little ponds that exist in the temperate grassland. also, the western gray tree frog can eat the many insects that occur naturally in the temperate grasslands. it would be a good fit at the zoo because it is a pretty color and are rare to see in the wild. Class Mammalia __Bison bison-American bison:__ The american bison grows from 2-3.5 meters head to toe, and stand over 5-6 feet tall. in the winter their coat is a dark brown, but the sunlight in the summer makes thier fur a lighter brown. The american bison is a grazing animal that needs alot of grass to eat everyday. these animals live in the prairies and in grasslands. the American bison would be a good fit for the temperate grasslands because they would have much grass to eat and the living conditions are perfect for them. not many people will ever see a wild bison, so it would be great to have at the zoo. __Cervus canadensis-Elk:__ Elk also eat only grasses and plants, and eat 8 to 15 pounds of it everyday. they weight up to 710 pounds, and are anywhere from 4 to 5 feet tall. The hair on an elk is mostly brown but has a reddish tinge to it with the sun on it. the female elk can give birth to one or two elk at a time, and the gestation periods last about 240 days. they live in herds, but when they are about to give birth they isolate themselves from the herd. they have antlers that shed every year. in the winter, the elk grow a thicker set of hair to keep them warm. the elk would be a good addition to the temperate grasslands because just like the bison, they would have plenty of food to eat, and grass is very cheap to own. also, in the cold winter of the temperate grasslands, the elk will survive just fine with their thick coats of fur. elk are like deer, but prettier with their reddish fur, and alot of people would love to see this animal. Class Reptilia __Tantilla nigriceps-Plains Blackhead Snake:__ the plains blackhead snake is a small snake that can grow up to about 15 inches long or so. this snake is usuall a light tan color or cream colored with a dark brown or black colored head. this snake eats a variety of insects and centipedes.the plains blackhead snake lives in the semi-dry grasslands. the plains blackhead snake lays about three eggs at a time and usually they hatch in the summer this snake would be a good addition to this area because we would already have a natural predator-prey relationship between the insects and centipedes and the snake. also, in the winter the snake goes into hibernation so it would allow the insect population to reproduce. this is a rarer snake in nebraska, and people wouldnt see it, so it would be a great fit for the zoo. __Thamniphis elegans-Western Terrestrial Garter Snake:__ this snake grows from 18 to 41 inches. they live in high altitudes of coniferous forests, and eat almost anything they can find. this snake is ovoviviparous which means it doesnt lay eggs. it is one of few snakes to give live birth to 8-12 children at a time. this would be a great animal at the zoo because it wouldnt be something you normally see in the grasslands, and people would love to see it. Class Arachnida __Argiope trifasciata-banded garden spider:__ the banded garden spider is a very pretty spider, with red, yellow and black in colors on their body. they can live in any are with shrubbery and large vegetation. in the winter they hide in a sack made by their web so as to escape the cold. these spiders can only last for about one year. the banded garden spider mates in late summer and can produce as many as 1000 eggs each time. the spiders eat any insects that wanders into their web. people would love to see a beautiful spider like this, and it would survive very well in this environment. __Argiope aurantia-Black and yellow garden spider:__ this spider can be from 5 to 9 millimeters long, and is black and yellow. they live in anywhere they can set up their webs, which is mainly areas with large vegetation. These spiders only reproduce once a year, with an egg sack the size of the largest female, almost an inch! once the woman is impregnated, she will usually eat the male spider who did it. the black and yellow garden spider will eat any insect that wanders into its web. this is another good addition to the zoo because people dont see them alot and they are pretty. Class Chilopoda __Scolopendra polymorpha:__ this centipede has many colors, and they are random so it always looks pretty. it usually inhabits dry areas and burrows under rocks to live. this species has been known as the tiger striped centipede, due to the fact they have a single orange stripe down their belly. this would be a good addition to the zoo because it would be difficult to ever see these without having them at a zoo, and they are a pretty colored centipede too. __Scutigera coleoptrata:__ it is a yellowish grey centipede. these are also known as common house centipedes. they lay their eggs in the spring and can lay up to 150 eggs at a time. house centipedes need to live in cool and damp areas, so they usually burrow underground and under rocks. People would want to see this centipede so they can see what they look like. not alot of people come across centipedes regularly. Class Insecta __Camponotus pennsylvanicus-black carpenter ant:__ these ants are very small, and live in large colonies. these colonies have been known to have over thousands of ants at a time. these ants are mostly nocturnal, and will forage almost a hundred yards for food. they can eat insects or even just plants. although the black carpenter ant is common and nocturnal, i'm sure alot of people would love to see what a colony looks like together and how they interact with large groups. __Acrolophitus hirtipes-green fool grasshopper:__ these grasshoppers like to live in short and weedy vegetation areas. they like to feed on herbaceous perennial plants, which are basically just plants. they lay eggs primarily in the summer for reproduction. this is an uncommon grasshopper in these parts and it is a very pretty green color. people at the zoo would love this insect, and it would be a perfect fit.
 * Chordata**
 * Arthropoda**