Science glossary film: Prey

An animal that is hunted and killed for food by a predator. In a healthy ecosystem, prey and predator species are in balance, and a certain level of predation helps to keep the numbers of prey at a sustainable level. Prey species can themselves be predators – for example, Pacific salmon that are prey for bears and other animals - prey on krill and small fish such as herring.

In a healthy ecosystem, prey and predator species are in balance, and a certain level of predation helps to keep the numbers of prey at a sustainable level. Prey species can themselves be predators – for example, Pacific salmon that are prey for bears and other animals prey on krill and small fish such as herring.