Carnivore

A carnivore is an animal that obtains most of its food by eating other animals. Carnivory ranges from hunting live prey to scavenging or consuming animal material.

Predation: An interaction in which one organism captures and consumes another. Many carnivores obtain food by killing and eating live prey.
Omnivore: An animal that regularly eats both plant and animal matter. Unlike a typical carnivore, an omnivore relies substantially on foods from both sources.
Trophic cascade: An ecological chain reaction in which changes at one trophic level affect others. Changes in carnivore abundance can indirectly alter plants and other consumers.
Insectivore: An animal that feeds primarily on insects and other small invertebrates. Insectivores are a specialized kind of animal-eater, often distinguished by prey type.
Scavenging: The consumption of dead organisms that were not killed by the consumer. Some carnivores feed on carcasses rather than capturing prey themselves.
Herbivore: An animal that obtains most of its food from plants or algae. Herbivores occupy the dietary alternative most often contrasted with carnivores.
Keystone species: A species whose ecological effects are disproportionately large relative to its abundance. Some carnivores exert strong ecosystem effects by regulating prey populations.
Piscivore: An animal that feeds primarily on fish. Piscivory narrows carnivory to a diet centered on fish.
Carnassial: A specialized pair of shearing teeth found in many predatory mammals. These teeth cut flesh efficiently in many mammalian carnivores.
Obligate carnivore: An animal that must consume animal tissue to meet its nutritional needs. This narrower dietary category distinguishes strict dependence on animal food.

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