Scavenging

Scavenging is feeding on animals that have died or were killed by other predators. It lets consumers obtain food without killing the animal themselves.

Carrion: The decaying flesh of dead animals, consumed by scavengers and decomposers. It is the food resource at the center of scavenging.
Nutrient cycle: The movement and reuse of chemical elements through organisms and the environment. Scavengers return nutrients from carcasses to food webs and ecosystems.
Predation: An interaction in which one organism kills and consumes another organism. Predation involves killing prey, whereas scavenging consumes animals already dead or killed by others.
Carrion ecology: The study of how animal carcasses influence ecological processes and communities. It examines scavenging as one part of the wider ecological effects of carrion.
Olfaction in animals: The detection and interpretation of chemical signals through an animal’s sense of smell. Many scavengers locate carcasses by following odors released during decomposition.
Ecosystem services: Benefits that people obtain from ecosystems and their functioning. Carcass removal by scavengers can reduce waste and limit exposure to pathogens.
Detritivore: An organism that feeds on decomposing organic matter, including fragments of dead plants and animals. Detritivores generally consume processed or fragmented remains rather than whole carcasses.
Trophic cascade: An ecological effect in which changes at one trophic level indirectly alter other levels. Changes in scavenger abundance can reshape interactions among predators, prey, and decomposers.
Vulture: A bird of prey that primarily feeds on carrion. Vultures are specialized scavengers with adaptations for finding and consuming carcasses.
Anthrax: A serious infectious disease caused by the bacterium Bacillus anthracis. Scavenger feeding and carcass handling can alter how anthrax spores spread across landscapes.

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