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.
Humans and dogs have been living together side by side for thousands of years, so you would think we know everything about our four-legged friends by now. But we may not understand them as well as we think we do.
Florida's first statewide black bear hunt in a decade is more than halfway over but state wildlife leaders have offered no information on its progress, not even a death count.
Plants & Animals
Dec 22, 2025
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While the spread of raccoons in Europe is often discussed, their companion tends to remain unnoticed: The raccoon roundworm Baylisascaris procyonis arrived in Europe at the beginning of the 20th century with the first raccoons ...
Plants & Animals
Dec 19, 2025
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A new study from North Carolina State University found that neutrophils—white blood cells that are a key part of the immune system—play a role in the early stages of atopic dermatitis flares in dogs. The work is a first step ...
Veterinary medicine
Dec 17, 2025
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Penguins in the coastal steppes of Argentina have a new enemy to worry about: the increasing numbers of pumas in Monte León National Park (MLNP). These powerful mountain cats were once on the brink of disappearing from this ...
Right now, many of us have a bit of moss sitting in our Christmas decorations at home. Some of us picked it ourselves in the forest, others bought it in a shop. But few have probably thought about the fact that moss can be ...
Ecology
Dec 16, 2025
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New research led by the University of St Andrews has created the most comprehensive maps to date of the distribution of gray and harbor seals in Northwest Europe, encompassing the majority of seal populations on the continental ...
Plants & Animals
Dec 16, 2025
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Colorado Parks and Wildlife re-released a wolf into Grand County this week after it had traveled into New Mexico, according to a news release.
Plants & Animals
Dec 15, 2025
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New research reveals a link between rising temperatures and changes in polar bear DNA, which may be helping them adapt and survive in increasingly challenging environments.
Plants & Animals
Dec 11, 2025
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A new study led by researchers from Saint Louis University, the Saint Louis Zoo, and partner organizations recently set out to understand how raccoons use space in one of the nation's largest urban parks.
Plants & Animals
Dec 11, 2025
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