The Order Carnivores unites representatives of the class Mammals, who consume mostly animal food. Wolf and fox, tiger and lion, marten and badger - these animals are known to everyone. This is not surprising, because the Carnivores have adapted to living on all continents, except for the coldest - Antarctica. Let us briefly consider what information biology has collected about these animals to date.
Carnivore Squad
First of all, they are united by the nature of food. It's not just animal. All representatives of the Predatory squad attack their victims themselves, killing them. Some of them feed on carrion, thus clearing their habitats of rotting organic debris.
The main characteristic of the Carnivores detachment is connected precisely with the structural features that allow them to hunt. Therefore, they all have a developed brain, a strong trained body, well-developed differentiated teeth. The fangs are especially prominent, with which they grab and tear their prey. On each side, one molar tooth is modified into the so-called carnivorous. With their helpit is even possible to crush large bones and tear powerful tendons - it is so sharp.
Carnivores are also distinguished from other mammals by a highly developed nervous system, especially the brain. This causes complex forms of behavior of these animals.
Carnivores are quite diverse and number about 240 species. Therefore, a number of families are distinguished in this detachment.
Wolf Family
Describing the detachment Carnivores (mammals), they first of all mention the family that got its name thanks to the tireless orderly of the forest. We are talking about the wolf and its relatives: the fox, jackal, arctic fox, raccoon and domestic dogs.
They are all medium in size and fairly long limbs. The structure of the musculoskeletal system and muscular system allows them to pursue their future prey for a long time and tirelessly.
The most powerful and agile among the representatives of this group is the wolf. Animals prefer to live in large flocks, the number of individuals in which reaches forty. Wolves are not only excellent hunters, but also dangerous predators that can even attack a person. They are rightfully considered the orderlies of the forests, eating a large amount of carrion.
But the fox can eat not only animal food. Her favorite delicacy is the sweet and juicy fruits of forest plants. Foxes live in pairs or whole families. A person especially appreciates the beautiful, warm and fluffy fur of these animals.
Cat Family
We continue to study the Predatory squadfor example … a domestic cat. What kind of predator is this? The real one! Its ancestor is a forest wild cat. And modern pets are the result of their domestication.
In general, representatives of the Feline family are united by large body sizes with elongated limbs that end in retractable sharp claws. Have you seen how a cat hunts a mouse? She does not catch up, but watches her prey. The same behavior is typical for larger cats: tiger, lynx, lion.
Most representatives of this family live in the tropical and subtropical climate zone of our planet. But the Amur tiger is the master of the taiga of the Far East. This is one of the largest predators, second only to the polar bear in mass. Within the boundaries of its range, it always occupies a dominant position. This also applies to links in the food chain, as tigers also prey on other predators, such as wolves.
Miracles of selection
Since the lion and tiger are the most prominent representatives of the entire animal world of the planet, genetic scientists have tried to create their hybrids. This experiment ended quite successfully, since as a result of crossing, viable individuals were obtained, possessing new properties compared to the original forms. So, a liger is a hybrid of a lion and a tigress, capable of unlimited growth. In nature, this feature is characteristic of plants and fungi. Liger grows throughout life, sometimes reaching a length of up to 3 meters.
Usually interspecific hybrids are not capable ofproduce fertile offspring. Tigrolev is an exception to this rule. This is practically the only case in the selection. Females obtained by crossing a tiger and a lioness are capable of procreation.
Cunya Family
We continue to consider the order Predatory mammals on the example of a family that unites individuals with valuable fur. Otter, marten, ermine, mink, ferret - this is not a complete list of representatives of the Kunya family. Many of them are excellent tree climbers, and otters are excellent swimmers. Another representative of the marten is the badger. He especially appreciates meat, which is eaten, and fat, which has healing properties.
Bear Family
The Carnivore Detachment has mastered all climatic zones. Its representatives can be found even in the cold expanses of the Arctic. It is there that the largest representative of predatory mammals lives - the polar bear, whose mass can reach 750 kg. He is an excellent swimmer, hunting fish and pinnipeds.
But in the forests, the Carnivorous squad represents another animal - a brown bear. It can eat both plant and animal food, attacking deer or wild boars. In winter, this species of bears hibernates, and in summer it leads an active lifestyle. It is an object of hunting due to its valuable meat and skin.
The order Carnivores unites a number of families of the class Mammals, in the diet of which animal food predominates. These animals have well developed sharp teeth for hunting. Many species are valued by man because of their valuable fur, meat and fat. Therefore, at present, many species of predatory mammals need protection.
