Vast ecosystems are required to sustain populations of large- and medium-sized carnivores because of the large of amount of prey they must consume to survive (Hunter 2011). The skunk famously uses these scent glands for defensive purposes as well (Waggoner & Smith 1994).Įxisting at the top of the food pyramid, Carnivora are relatively rare. Carnivora are also territorial, marking the bounds of their territories with scent from either urine or scent glands. Their strongest identifying characteristics include enlarged canine teeth, three pairs of incisors on both top and bottom jaws, and molars with a modified shape for meat-chewing. More specifically, Carnivora are placental mammals - those mammals whose young are nurtured in the womb by the placenta (Waggoner & Smith 1994). The giant panda (not a Missouri species) feeds almost entirely on bamboo (Waggoner & Smith 1994).Ĭarnivores are mammals, as the order Carnivora falls within the class Mammalia (Catalogue of Life 2015). However, not all species of Carnivora are solely meat-eaters the black bear’s diet, for instance, consists largely of nuts, berries, and other vegetation. Species that fall under this classification share a common ancestor and a heritage of meat consumption (Hunter 2011). Carnivore in the scientific sense of the word refers not simply to a species that eats meat, but to a species belonging to the order Carnivora. Missouri is home to 13 species of carnivore ranging from the tiny least weasel, weighing a mere 2 ounces, to the 240 pound black bear (Hunter 2011, Reid 2006).
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