Carnivorous animals are people who feed predominantly on the meat of different animals.
Known as predators, they’re shoppers that may be recognized in two alternative ways:
- secondary shoppers: if the meals supply is herbivorous animals.
- tertiary shoppers: if the meals supply is one other carnivorous animal.
Thus, these animals play an necessary function within the meals chain, as they steadiness the ecosystem in an effort to management the populations of the species they feed on.
One of many foremost traits of those animals is that they’re hunters and predators, as they should kill different animals to feed themselves and survive.
Given this situation, carnivorous animals have traits that help their feeding. They’ve a differentiated organism with the next peculiarities:
- They don’t include ptyalin (an enzyme answerable for digesting cereals);
- Its abdomen is straightforward and rounded in form;
- A considerable amount of hydrochloric acid within the abdomen is used to digest meat;
- They’ve small salivary glands;
- Saliva and urine are acidic.
Moreover, carnivorous animals even have completely different bodily traits, see under:
| Options | Examples of carnivorous animals |
| The robust and sharp enamel | Shark, fox. |
| The jaw is often elongated and ahead | Alligator, crocodile, bear. |
| Listening to and scent are properly developed | Lobe. |
| The claws and beaks are sharp | Hawk, falcon, pelican, stork, heron. |
| Saliva is acidic | Snake. |
Listing of Carnivorous Animals
To study extra about these animals, see under an inventory of 10 carnivorous animals:
Eagle
The eagle is a chook of prey thought of one of many biggest predators, because it has sharp imaginative and prescient that makes it simple to determine prey from dozens of meters above sea stage. As well as, it additionally makes correct dives to seize its meals.
The velocity at which the eagle flies can be a attribute that contributes to searching. The beak and claws are sharp sufficient to catch the prey on the primary try.
The animals most hunted by eagles are fish, rodents, snakes and birds.
See additionally: Brazilian Birds
Snake
Snakes are a species of reptile that feed completely on different animals. Relying on the dimensions of the animal, the snake can go as much as a yr with out consuming, as is the case with the anaconda.
Prey is often captured by ambush. Snakes swallow the animal complete as a result of they don’t have enamel able to chewing; their perform is to carry the prey of their mouths.
The animals that make up the snake’s food regimen are wide-ranging, together with rodents, birds, eggs, small mammals, reptiles, amphibians and fish.
See additionally: High 10 Predators within the Animal Kingdom
Owl
The owl is a nocturnal chook, and subsequently searches for its prey throughout this era to extend the possibility of success, because the lack of sunshine and safety from different animals is hampered.
When capturing its prey, the owl swallows it complete after which vomits the components that can not be absorbed by its physique, akin to bones. They’re very agile and have a pointy beak that helps them seize their prey.
The owl feeds on small mammals, bugs , spiders and even small birds.
See additionally: Owls .
Alligator
The alligator is a reptile identified for its robust jaw, able to tearing the shell of a turtle. With its robust enamel and chunk, this animal often assaults its prey from the facet, thus holding and swallowing its meals in a single go, with out chewing.
Alligators can go lengthy intervals with out consuming as a result of they’ve a particular organ that’s wealthy in fats and helps keep their our bodies.
The animals most hunted by alligators are fish, crabs and bugs. Some species additionally feed on turtles, capybaras and deer.
See additionally:Reptiles
Lion
Lions are carnivorous animals well-known for his or her means to hunt their prey. Females are the principle hunters.
To hunt, lions set up themselves into teams to encompass their prey and assault. The primary animals hunted by lions are massive animals, akin to zebras, buffaloes, antelopes and wildebeests. They will additionally assault small and medium-sized animals.
See additionally: Felines
Pelican
The pelican is a carnivorous chook that lives in coastal areas and could be discovered within the water or in small bushes.
It has a gular pouch, also referred to as a crop, which helps it hunt for meals, because it shops the prey and prevents it from escaping. Because of its elastic capability, the crop can retailer as much as 13 liters.
To feed themselves, pelicans reap the benefits of their diving means and hunt fish at depths of as much as 20 meters.
See additionally: Birds
Tree frog
The tree frog is an anuran amphibian that feeds on different animals as an grownup. It has nocturnal habits and, as a protection technique, emits a cry that scares off its predator.
To seize its prey, the frog releases a venom that’s produced by a particular gland.
The feeding habits of tree frogs embrace bugs, small molluscs and vertebrates and, in some circumstances, small mammals can be eaten.
See additionally: Amphibians
Penguin
Penguins are seabirds that reside in chilly water areas, spending a part of their time within the water and on land.
As a result of they’ve nice swimming abilities, penguins feed primarily on small fish andmolluscs, hunted throughout dives.
Octopus
The octopus is a marine mollusk that lives within the oceans and, more often than not, is discovered connected to rocks and corals to cover from predators.
Octopuses are nocturnal and seize their prey utilizing their arms and suction cups. Some species feed in the course of the day.
The animals most consumed by the octopus are fish and crustaceans, together with crabs, shrimp and lobsters.
See additionally: Crustaceans: what they’re and their traits
Sea turtle
The ocean turtle is a sort of reptile that breathes by means of lungs, however has the flexibility to stay submerged for lengthy intervals of time.
The food regimen of sea turtles varies in accordance with the species, and so they can feed on each plant and carnivorous sources. The animals consumed by turtles are molluscs, crustaceans and fish.
See additionally: Leatherback turtle
Different examples of carnivorous animals
Along with these animals, the next are additionally carnivores:
- pet
- cat
- seal
- walrus
- hyena
- whale
- dolphin
- tiger
- cheetah
- leopard
- ounce
- lynx
- ocelot
- large otter
- otter
- coati
- Tasmanian satan
- skunk
- marsupials
- squid
- starfish
- jellyfish
- seagull
- boa constrictor
- anaconda
- frog
- frog
- spider
- Scorpio
You possibly can develop your research of animal diet by studying about:
- Autotrophic and heterotrophic beings
- Herbivorous animals
- Omnivorous animals
- Meals chain
- Workouts on meals chain
- Tooth