carnivore

A carnivore is an animal whose diet consists mainly of animal tissue. In common usage it refers to animals that primarily eat other animals, though some species are facultative carnivores and will consume plant matter or detritus when meat is scarce. Obligate carnivores rely on animal flesh for most essential nutrients and cannot sustain themselves on plants alone; facultative carnivores are more flexible in their diet.

Carnivores appear across many groups, including mammals such as cats (Felidae), dogs and wolves (Canidae), bears, and mustelids; birds of prey such as eagles and owls; marine mammals like seals and orcas; and reptiles such as many snakes and lizards. Invertebrate carnivores include spiders, scorpions, octopuses, and some crustaceans. Most carnivores are terrestrial, but many aquatic animals are specialized predators as well.

Anatomical adaptations include sharp teeth for grabbing, tearing, and shearing flesh; the canine teeth and, in many predators, the carnassial pair, which function in slicing meat. The digestive tract tends to be relatively short, with highly acidic stomachs and efficient protein digestion. Some targeted nutrients, such as taurine and arachidonic acid, are required by obligate carnivores like cats.

Ecologically, carnivores occupy the role of predators, controlling prey populations and shaping food webs. Carnivory has evolved multiple times in both vertebrates and invertebrates.

Note: while the term carnivore is usually applied to animals, carnivory also occurs in plants (carnivorous plants) that trap and digest animals to obtain nutrients, though they obtain energy mainly through photosynthesis.