CARNIVORES - Animals that eat other animals The characteristics in common amongst carnivores are that these animals live on protein diets - and have an excellent sense of smell. Each has its own physical characteristic - sharp teeth / beaks for biting, gripping and tearing flesh, and claws for grasping, stabbing and shredding. Carnivores tend to be agile and fast with strong, powerful bodies.
Carnivores relying solely on animal flesh for their nutrient requirements are considered obligate carnivores
Carnivores that also consume non-animal food are considered facultative carnivores
There are different types of feeding strategies for meat eaters. Here are some examples:
Avivore - Bird eaters ... Falcons
Insectivore - Insect eaters ... Spiders
Piscivore - Fish eaters ... Sea Lions
Sanguinovre - Blood suckers ... Vampire Bats
Scavengers - Dead animals ... Vultures
HERBIVORES - Animals that eat plants Herbivores are gentle creatures that eat plants. As plants are not high in fat and protein, herbivores have to eat a great deal in order to maintain their bodies. Animals that eat the most nutritious parts of plants - nuts, seeds and fruit) may only eat a modest amount, but animals that eat low-quality plants or parts of plants - grass , bark and leaves, have to eat a great deal to stay healthy. Herbivores spend much time foraging for their food and have to eat regularly to keep up their energy.
The feeding strategies for herbivores are:
Foliovores - Leaf eaters ... Koalas
Frugavores - Fruit eaters ... Fruit Bats
Granivores - Grain eaters ... Parrots and Pigeons
Graminivore - Grain eaters ... Cattle
Mucivores - Plant fluid consumers ... Aphids
Nectavores - Nectar consumers ... Honey Possum
Palynivore - Pollen eaters ... Bees
Xycophages - Wood eaters ... Termites
OMNIVORES - Animals that eat both other animals and plants Omnivores eat both plants and animal matter and have. therefore, more sources of food available. Some omnivores include: Bears * Turtles * Squirrels * Monkeys, Apes and Baboons * Rats * Badgers
