Carnivores, in the context of the biological order Carnivora, comprise a diverse clade of mostly mammalian predators characterized by specialized dentition, particularly enlarged canines and carnassial teeth adapted for shearing flesh. Members of Carnivora include families such as Felidae, Canidae, Ursidae, Mustelidae, and others, exhibiting a wide range of dietary strategies from obligate carnivory to omnivory. They share morphological and physiological traits such as a generally well-developed sense of smell, often acute vision and hearing, and cranial and limb adaptations for hunting, scavenging, or opportunistic feeding, making the order ecologically pivotal as apex and mesopredators in many terrestrial and some aquatic ecosystems.
New research shows that the mere smell of predators is enough to change deer behavior and limit browsing damage to tree saplings. The findings, published in the Journal of Applied Ecology, offer a potential tool for forest ...
Plants & Animals
Jan 28, 2026
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345
A 77-pound mountain lion set off a scramble Tuesday as it wandered through San Francisco's wealthy Pacific Heights neighborhood before finally being captured as onlookers safely peered from their home windows or stood across ...
Ecology
Jan 28, 2026
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40
A young mountain lion spotted roaming the streets of San Francisco has been located near a park where wildlife officials are trying to capture it, authorities said Tuesday.
Ecology
Jan 27, 2026
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Millions of dogs enter U.S. animal shelters each year, and while many eventually find new homes, the experience can be deeply stressful. Loud kennels, erratic routines, and isolation all take a toll on their well-being.
Veterinary medicine
Jan 27, 2026
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22
A new study shows that interactions between wolves and cougars in Yellowstone National Park are driven by wolves stealing prey killed by cougars and that shifts in cougar diets to smaller prey help them avoid wolf encounters. ...
Plants & Animals
Jan 26, 2026
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850
Incidents that make us consider the relationship between humans and wild animals are happening all over Japan, from bear attacks to crop damage by wild animals. How should we interpret the current situation, and how should ...
Plants & Animals
Jan 26, 2026
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17
Millions of years of isolation have shaped Australia's extraordinary mammal fauna into species unlike anywhere else in the world, from platypus to koalas and wombats. Tragically, Australia is the world leader in mammal extinctions.
Plants & Animals
Jan 25, 2026
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1134
Colorado will not release more wolves this winter to supplement its reintroduction program after federal officials stopped the planned relocation of wolves from Canada.
Plants & Animals
Jan 22, 2026
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782
Imagine Max, a well-trained border collie, manages to ignore a squirrel in the park when his owner tells him to sit. His owner says, "Max, stop chasing that squirrel and sit down," and Max obeys. Can dogs learn and understand ...
Veterinary medicine
Jan 21, 2026
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44
Research led by the University of Sydney is reshaping scientific understanding of one of the world's most widespread canine parasites, suggesting heartworm disease has a far deeper and more complex evolutionary history than ...
Evolution
Jan 20, 2026
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466
