Every fauna in this world has different characteristics. Even if you look at the type of food they eat, you can differentiate them. Broadly speaking, the types or ways of eating of animals are divided into three types, namely carnivores, herbivores and omnivores.
These three types have very different roles. When you were at school, of course learning about the differences between animals based on their type of food was also discussed. So, is Mudalovers still talking about those three types of animals?
So, in this article we will explain carnivorous animals in more detail. Maybe some of you don’t really understand the meaning of carnivorous animals or other things related to carnivores.
Of course, the explanation of carnivorous animals in this article will provide additional insight. What are you waiting for? Read the review until it’s finished.
Understanding Carnivorous Animals
Before discussing in depth, the first thing we will learn together is the meaning of carnivores. It would be better if we also knew basic information about carnivores starting from their understanding first.
Simply put, carnivores are the term for meat-eating animals. Carnivores can also be interpreted as living creatures that get energy and nutrients in their bodies from food sources from animal tissue. Carnivores also apply to animals that are predators of other animals or animals that only take food from other animals that are dead or rotting.
The use of the word carnivore is taken from Latin, Caro which means meat and the word Voriare which means food. From these two words, it can be concluded that carnivorous animals are animals that always eat meat for the nutritional needs and strength in their bodies.
Because the food source for carnivorous animals is meat, it is not uncommon for this type of animal to obtain a food source by hunting other animals around it. Because of this, most carnivorous animals are given the nickname predators.
Predator in this case does not refer to evil. However, this predator can be said to be an important aspect that has a role as a balancer in the ecosystem that can prevent animal populations.
In the food chain, the position of carnivorous animals is at the very top. However, it’s not just animals, there are also plants that prey on insects or other small animals. This type of plant is also known as a carnivorous plant with the characteristics of eating microscopic animals.
Characteristics of Carnivorous Animals
If we look at the characteristics of the digestive system of carnivorous animals, it turns out that their digestive system is shorter than the digestive system of herbivorous animals. One reason is because carnivorous animals have a type of food that is easier to destroy and is very different from the cellulose components found in herbivores.
Judging from the characteristics of their teeth, carnivorous animals will have strong and sharp teeth. Having strong and sharp teeth makes it easier for carnivorous animals to kill and tear their prey. This process can run smoothly because of the support of a set of sharp and pointed canine teeth and incisors that carnivorous animals have.
Mudalovers, you should never hesitate to introduce or explain types of animals based on their food. The book Getting to Know Herbivores, Carnivores & Omnivores is suitable as a reference for your little one to make it easier to group animals.
Even so, you also have to know that not all animals with characteristic sharp and pointed canine teeth are carnivores. In the digestive process of carnivorous animals, when food has been digested and broken down into a form that is ready to be absorbed. So, the food will be absorbed by the small intestine.
Meanwhile, for other types of nutrition, water, fat and other small amounts of protein will be absorbed by the large intestine. Then carnivorous animals also don’t have digestive enzymes like cellulose. In the animal kingdom, every type of animal in the world has its own characteristics.
This also applies to types of carnivorous animals that have several characteristics or features. Listen to the explanation of the characteristics of carnivores as follows.
- The digestive system in the bodies of carnivorous animals is able to digest material that comes from animals.
- The digestive system in the body of carnivorous animals will have a single stomach with a shorter digestive tract.
- The teeth of carnivorous animals will be sharper and stronger to help in the process of tearing and preying on other animals.
- The nails of carnivorous animals are more resistant, which functions to paralyze their prey.
- Has the ability to run very fast when hunting and devouring its prey.
- Most carnivorous animals are mammals with mammary glands.
- Has poison that can weaken its prey.
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Types of Carnivorous Animals
Did you know that carnivorous animals are divided into several types. Where each type of carnivorous animal will have different meanings and characteristics. If you want to know more about what types of carnivorous animals are, then the explanation below may help.
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Obligate Carnivore
Several types of carnivorous animals are also often referred to as obligate carnivores. It is not uncommon for people to say that obligate carnivores are a type of true carnivore because they depend on nutrition from meat to maintain their life.
Obligate carnivores do not have an adequate digestive system when processing plant material. The body of an obligate carnivore also cannot digest the body properly so it looks like it is just passing through the process of emesis.
The emesis process is the process of forcefully expelling the contents of the stomach through the mouth or nose. This means that plants that enter the stomachs of obligate carnivores will not provide sufficient nutrition.
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Hypercarnivore
Next, there is the hypercarnivore type, which is a group of animals where 70 percent of their food source is meat. Even though hypercarnivores are a type of carnivorous animal, they are not actually obligate carnivores.
The characteristics of the hypercarnivore type are the presence of a strong skull and facial muscles which function to prey on their food, cutting flesh and breaking bones. Apart from that, this type of animal group also cannot digest plants. Therefore, part of the food belonging to hypercarnivore animals is meat.
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Mesocarnivore
The next type of carnivorous animal is meso carnivorous. This type of animal will require around 50 percent meat sources to survive. Because they only need around 50 percent meat, mesocarnivorous animals can also eat fruit, vegetables and mushrooms.
The physical characteristics of this type of animal are usually smaller than hypercarnivores. Most mesocarnivorous animals can live in environments close to humans.
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Hypocarnivores
Hypocarnivores are a type of carnivorous animal that only requires meat for its body, only around 30 percent of its entire diet. This type of carnivorous animal can not only eat meat, but can also eat other types of food.
For example, fruit, fish, roots and nuts. Because they are able to consume quite a lot of types of food, this type of carnivorous animal can also be classified as an omnivore.
Examples of Carnivorous Animals
When talking about examples of carnivorous animals, perhaps what often comes to mind are predatory animals such as lions or tigers. However, did you know that in this world there are many types of carnivorous animals that you can find directly or through other media such as information on the internet.
Well, below are several examples of carnivorous animals that you can read in full.
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They are
Did you know that snakes are included in the group of carnivorous animals. Snakes, which are also included in the group of legless reptiles with long body characteristics, are widespread throughout the world. According to existing records, all types of snakes also belong to the suborder Serpentes and are also members of the order Squamata or whispering reptiles along with lizards.
However, snakes are also classified as belonging to the Ophidia branch of the clade or creeping reptiles, a group of reptiles without or with legs, with long bodies and a physiology that is different from lizards.
Snakes’ prey are usually various types of animals that are smaller than their body size. Tree snakes and land snakes usually prey on birds, mammals, frogs or other types of reptiles complete with their eggs.
Meanwhile, large snakes such as reticulated pythons will prey on animals that are the same size as them. For example, goats, deer, deer or even humans. When attacking its prey, this type of snake will coil around the prey to stop its movement.
Snakes in the waters will prey on types of animals such as fish, tadpoles, frogs and fish eggs. Snakes are able to crush the entire body of their prey without leaving anything left.
Snakes even have the ability to consume prey three times the size of the snake’s head. This is because the characteristics of the snake’s jaw are lower and have the ability to separate from the upper jaw.
So that prey does not escape, snakes also have the ability to hold their prey in their mouths. Therefore, the snake’s teeth will face backwards.
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Komodo dragon
The next example of a carnivorous animal is the Komodo dragon. Komodo has the Latin name Varanbus Komdoensis. Then the Komodo can also be interpreted as a species of large monitor lizard found in the eastern region of Indonesia, namely Komodo Island, Rinca, Flores, Gili Motang and Gili Dasami in East Nusa Tenggara Province.
Local residents give Komodo the name Ora. Komodo is the largest species in the Varanidae family and also the largest lizard in the world.
It is called the largest lizard in the world because the Komodo dragon’s body size can reach two to three meters and weigh up to 100 kg. Komodo is a type of predatory animal that is at the top of the food chain. This is also because until now it is not known that there are other types of carnivorous animals in its geographical environment.
The Komodo’s seeing ability is also amazing because it can see up to 100 meters away. Even so, Komodo animals don’t see very well when they are in the dark of night. This is because the Komodo dragon’s retina only has cone cells.
Apart from that, Komodo dragons use their tongues to smell their prey. It should also be noted that the Komodo tongue has the ability to capture odor particles in the air which will then deposit them on the organ on the roof of its mouth. This organ is called the Jakobson’s organ and its function is to detect signs of the smell.
Komodo dragons also have the ability to detect the presence of carrion at a distance of four to 9.5 km with the help of the habit of turning their heads to the right and left and the support of the surrounding wind.
Komodo dragons have nostrils that can only function for breathing without being able to capture odors. This is because Komodo dragons do not have a membrane organ that receives odors in their nose.
Komodo dragons are able to start hunting their prey while they are alive. The method is to sneak up followed by a sudden attack on the prey. When the prey is within reach, the Komodo dragon will attack by biting the prey’s lower body or throat.
Meanwhile, the Komodo’s way of finding its prey is by using its tongue which can sense the smell of carcasses or dying animals at a distance of 9.5 km. Meanwhile, the Komodo dragon’s way of eating its prey is by tearing large pieces of the prey’s flesh followed by swallowing it and the front limbs will support the prey’s body.
Komodo is an animal that has been around for hundreds of years. Talking about old animals, not always there are those that are still alive today, such as dinosaurs.
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Owl
Owls are also included in the list of carnivorous animals. Apart from that, owls are also included in the order Strigiformes. Owls can be included in the group of carnivorous animals because this animal is considered a wild animal that eats meat and is also a nocturnal animal.
The characteristic of owls that we most easily recognize is the large eyes that face forward. The eyes of owls are also different from other types of birds. The reason is, the owl’s eyes will have a sharp downward curve and the arrangement of the feathers on the head area will circle to form a circle of the face. Meanwhile, other birds generally only have eyes facing to the side.
It cannot be denied that the owl’s facial appearance looks very impressive. But sometimes owls also look scary. Because of this, this animal is often called an owl.
Another unique feature of owls is that their neck is flexible, making it capable of rotating 180 degrees backwards. Then this type of bird also has the ability to hunt at night. Having a forward-facing eye texture allows the owl to more accurately gauge its range of prey.
Another characteristic possessed by owls is their sharp and strong beak which, combined with their nimble feet, makes it easier to grip their prey more firmly. Interestingly, owls also have the ability to fly silently and this is the support they need when hunting at night.
That’s the discussion about carnivorous animals, I hope all the discussion above is useful for you, OK? If you want to look for articles about animals, you can get them at Mudabicara.com.
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