Predators are animals that prey on very young, old and sick animals. They are part of the way nature balances the wildlife population. An overabundance of mice, for instance, might be followed by an increased presence of hawks and foxes. These animals will then kill and eat the mice until the mice population has been reduced.

As seen in the mice example, the number of predators in a given area is directly proportional to the population of the primary species they feed on. Besides foxes, other examples of predatory ground animals are coyotes, bobcats and wolves. In addition to hawks, there are flying predators such as falcons, osprey, eagles and owls.