98Killer carnivores
Many animals are described as carnivorous: it means
that they eat meat. But there is also an order of
mammals called carnivores, which have unique
features such as sharp cheek teeth. Many can kill
prey bigger than themselves.
TAKE A LOOK: JAWS AND CLAWSKiller carnivores have four sharp cheek teeth,
called carnassial teeth, which can cut through
hide, meat, and bone. A huge muscle called
the temporalis muscle gives enough power
for the teeth to break bones or suffocate
prey. Sharp claws are equally important
for some carnivores. Lions and other
cats use their claws to hold
onto prey, in defense, for
climbing, and for grip
when running.Scavengers Not all carnivores are
predators. Hyenas are very good at
hunting, but they will also scavenge—
eat an animal that is already dead,
killed by others or by natural causes.BUILT TO HUNT
A typical carnivore has a body that is adapted to hunting.
It has good eyesight, hearing, and sense of smell to locate
prey, and can run fast or for long distances to give chase.
Cats have sharp claws to grab prey and bring it down,
while powerful jaws and teeth bite to kill.ON THE MENU
O Carnivores Different carnivore species
eat different prey. Lions hunt in prides to
kill large animals such as wildebeest;
otters hunt alone, feeding on fish and
shellfish.
O Herbivorous carnivores Pandas are
largely herbivorous—they rarely eat meat
at all, but fill up on plants. They have flat
cheek teeth for chewing bamboo, rather
than sharp teeth for tearing meat.
O Omnivorous carnivores Many
carnivores, including foxes and skunks,
are omnivorous—they eat all kinds of
food, from plants to birds’ eggs to frogs...
In fact, almost anything they can find.Lion’s sharp claws HYENA SKULLUpper carnassial
toothTemporalis muscleMasseter
muscle
Lower carnassial
Lower canine toothUpper
canineLIVING WORLD
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