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.
Ever woken up to find that a crafty raccoon has overturned your garbage bin and spread the discarded contents of your life across the street? Raccoons—sometimes referred to as "trash pandas"—are renowned as excellent innovators ...
Plants & Animals
Mar 28, 2026
0
67
New research from the Dog Aging Project and Texas A&M University highlights that for many families, losing a dog means losing a family member—and that the grief is profound regardless of how a pet dies. The studies underscore ...
Plants & Animals
Mar 25, 2026
1
13
An international team of researchers led by the Francis Crick Institute, the University of East Anglia and the Max Planck Institute for Evolutionary Anthropology has found that dogs were domesticated more than 14,000 years ...
Evolution
Mar 25, 2026
0
114
To protect the vulnerable biodiversity of the Arctic, researchers from the University of Alberta and San Diego Zoo Wildlife Alliance (SDZWA) have identified a new conservation strategy in western Hudson Bay: using polar bears ...
Ecology
Mar 25, 2026
0
26
Delegates are gathering in Campo Grande, Brazil, for the 15th Conference of the Parties (COP15) on the Convention on the Conservation of Migratory Species of Wild Animals. The meeting aims to address growing threats to migratory ...
Ecology
Mar 24, 2026
0
9
Studying endangered animal species without disturbing them and disrupting their natural habitat could be highly advantageous, as it would contribute to their protection and prevent unnecessary stress. Conventional methods ...
Opioid-class drugs are commonly prescribed as powerful pain medications in both humans and animals, though they can also be accessed or used illicitly. These substances carry a significant risk of overdose in people and in ...
Veterinary medicine
Mar 21, 2026
0
22
A critically endangered monkey has given birth just months after pioneering surgery saved her from undergoing an amputation. Masaya, a 15-year-old roloway monkey at Chester Zoo, had a golf-ball-sized mass removed from her ...
Plants & Animals
Mar 21, 2026
0
580
When the H5N1 highly pathogenic avian influenza virus was discovered on a poultry farm in Asia in 1996, there was little indication that it would become so widespread and so destructive. Within 30 years, it reached every ...
Plants & Animals
Mar 19, 2026
0
91
Coyotes may be building dens and having litters of pups near you, according to new research from the University of Georgia. But chances are you won't see them—even if they are denning right next door. In one of the first ...
Plants & Animals
Mar 16, 2026
0
215
