Can you name 5 carnivores that you know?
Did you know that, after primates, carnivores are the group of animals of most intest to humans?
And did you know pandas are considered Carnivores, although they are herbivores?
Carnivores are an order of placental mammals that have specialized in primarily eating flesh, although some species are omnivorous (racoons and bears) and few species are herbivores.
They distinguished from other mammals by having powerful jaws and teeth adapted for stabbing, tearing, and eating flesh. They have an heterodont dentition, like most mammals, which means they have, like us, different types of teeth. Some species, like pinnipeds, have homodont teeth that have evolved to grasp fish. Carnivores are quadrupeds and usually have five digits at the front paws and four digits at the back paws. In pinnipeds the limbs have being modified into flippers, giving them an unique type of locomotion in each of the pinniped families.
They are a very diverse group and, aside from an accumulation of characteristics in the dental and cranial features, there are not many anatomical characteristics that unites them as a group. They come in a huge array of different body types in very diverse shapes and sizes: ranging from 11 cm (and 25g) to 6,7 m (and 5000kg).
Their fur also varies, in length and density, depending on the environment the species lives. In warm climate species the fur is often short in length and lighter. In comparison to cold climate species the fur is either dense or long, often with an oily substance to keep them warm. The fur coloration is extremely diverse, often including black, white, orange, yellow, and many shades of gray and brown. The pelage can also present colored patterns: striped, spotted, blotched, banded, or otherwise boldly patterned. In this case, the pattern is unique to each animal, and helps scientists to identify each individual. There seems to be a correlation between habitat and color pattern: spotted or banded species tend to be found in heavily forested environments. But this is not unique to carnivores, it seems to be the case in several groups, and it can be explained by the need to hide. Carnivores are usually predators and need to be able to hide to hunt, but not only: they need to be able to hide their offspring from other predators.
Can you name all 6 species of carnivores that are showed in the photos?
There are about 280 species of carnivores living on almost every corner of our planet and in an absolutely incredible variety of habitats: ranging from the extremely cold polar regions to the hyper-arid region of the Sahara Desert and also to the open seas.
All species of modern carnivores have descended from a group of mammals which appeared in North America, about 6 millions years after the last extinction event, and were related to today's pangolins.
Carnivora can be divided into two subclades: Feliformia, or cat-like featured, and Caniformia, or dog-like featured. We can differentiate them based on the structure of their ear bones and cranial features. They share many unique traits: the most important being the presence of the carnassial pair of teeth (the fourth upper premolar and the first lower molar teeth). There can be some variation among the carnassial pair according to the family.
The feliform subclade include families like cats, hyenas (I know it's probably a chock to you, but they are not like dogs!), mongooses and viverids. Most of the species are found on what we call the "Old World", which means Africa and some parts of Asia, though the cats and one extinct genus of hyenas have successfully diversified to the American "New World" continent.
The caniform subclade include families like dogs, bears, racoons, weasels and pinnipeds. They can be found worldwide and have an amazing diversity in their diet, behavior and morphology.
Did you know that dogs were the first species of carnivores to be domesticated?
They were also the first species of any organism! In the last 10-12.000 years humans have selectively bred dogs for a variety of different tasks and today there are well over 400 breeds. They all belong to the same species, but they are extremely diverse.
Cats are also a domesticated carnivore and they are considered one of the most successful species on the planet: thats due not only to their close proximity to humans but mainly because of their popularity as pets.
There are so many popular species among carnivores, specially in the megafauna. Many civilizations have carnivores incorporated into their culture, as symbols: the lion is often viewed as royalty, the king of the jungle.
Unfortunately many species of predators, such as wolves, bears or big cats have been broadly hunted, some even led to extinction. Habitat loss, poaching, human encroachment as well as climate change are the primary causes of the decline of many species and even to their extinction.
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