The mammalian order carnivora includes cats, dogs,bears, raccoons, pandas, weasels, badgers, skunks, otters, civets, mongooses, and hyenas. The order’s name is derived from the fact that most of its members are carnivores (flesh -eaters). Typical carnivore features therefore reflect a hunting life-style: speed and agility; sharp claws and well-developed canine teeth for holding and killing prey; carnassial teeth (cheek teeth) for cutting flesh; and forward-facing eyes for good distance judgment. However, some members of the order—bears, badgers, and foxes, for example— have a more mixed diet, and a few are entirely herbivorous (plant-eating), notably pandas. Such animals have no carnassial teeth and tend to be slower moving than pure flesh-eaters.
The mammalian order carnivora includes cats, dogs,bears, raccoons, pandas, weasels, badgers, skunks, otters, civets, mongooses, and hyenas. The order’s name is derived from the fact that most of its members are carnivores (flesh -eaters). Typical carnivore features therefore reflect a hunting life-style: speed and agility; sharp claws and well-developed canine teeth for holding and killing prey; carnassial teeth (cheek teeth) for cutting flesh; and forward-facing eyes for good distance judgment. However, some members of the order—bears, badgers, and foxes, for example— have a more mixed diet, and a few are entirely herbivorous (plant-eating), notably pandas. Such animals have no carnassial teeth and tend to be slower moving than pure flesh-eaters.
