17 Animal Food Chains

Animal Food Chains written by John Lockyer

food chain A food chain shows us who eats what. Most food chains begin with green plants. Green plants make their own food from water, the sun and the dirt. This gives them energy to grow bigger and to grow leaves, flowers, fruit, or nuts. Animals cannot make their own food. They must move around to find it. The food they eat gives them energy to grow, walk, run, fly, jump and think.

elephant Some animals just eat plants. They are called herbivores. Elephants are herbivores. Some animals just eat meat. They are called carnivores. Lions are carnivores. Some animals eat both plants and meat. They are called omnivores. Bears are omnivores. All animals are part of a food chain. This is how they stay alive.

grasslands Grass grows everywhere. Grasshoppers eat the grass. Rats eat the grasshoppers and snakes eat the rats. Small birds eat seeds and grasshoppers, while big birds eat rats and snakes. Zebras, elephants and giraffes eat the grass too. They must take care because big cats like lions will eat them.

rain forest The rainforest is a warm and wet place. Many trees in the rainforest grow fruit or nuts. Birds like to eat fruit and nuts. Monkeys like to eat them too, but they will eat little animals as well if they can catch them. Monkeys must take care on the ground and in the trees, because of large snakes and big cats, who would eat them.

deserts There is never enough food for animals that live in the desert. Insects eat any seeds they can find. Lizards and small birds eat the insects. Small animals know they must take care around rocks because that's where snakes like to hide. Flying eagles are always on the lookout for birds, rabbits, snakes, and lizards to eat.