Main Characteristics of Carnivores

• There are about 270 species of carnivores. They are divided into “canids” and “felids”.
• Canids include dogs, wolves, foxes, bears, walruses, seals, pandas, skunks and martens.
• The felids include cats, lions, jaguars, leopards, lynxes, tigers, cheetahs, hyaenas and mongooses. Carnivores have teeth and claws to catch, hold and eat other animals.
• Carnivores are carnivores, omnivores or even herbivores (giant panda).
• Carnivores are pack animals or live an solitary life style.
• Carnivores live on land or in water.
• On land, the polar bear is the largest carnivore. In the water it is the sperm whale.
• The smallest carnivore is the dwarf weasel. It weighs 1-7 ounces (30-200 grams) and a body length of 4.3-10.2 inches (11-26 cm).

Carnivore Family Tree

Species List