Carnivores, MAR-TIG
Carnivore, any member of the mammalian order Carnivora (literally, âflesh devourersâ in Latin), comprising more than 270 species. In a more general sense, a carnivore is any animal (or plant; see carnivorous plant) that eats other animals, as opposed to a herbivore, which eats plants. Although the species classified in this order are basically meat eaters, a substantial number of them, especially among bears and members of the raccoon family, also feed extensively on vegetation and are thus actually omnivorous.
Carnivores Encyclopedia Articles By Title
margay
margay, (Leopardus wiedii), small cat (family Felidae) that ranges from South through Central America and, rarely,......
marten
marten, (genus Martes), any of eight species of weasel-like carnivores of the genus Martes (family Mustelidae),......
Mastiff
Mastiff, breed of large working dog used as a guard and fighting dog in England for more than 2,000 years. Dogs......
meerkat
meerkat, (Suricata suricatta), burrowing member of the mongoose family (Herpestidae), found in southwestern Africa,......
Mexican hairless
Mexican hairless, breed of dog that is probably descended from hairless Chinese or African dogs that were taken......
Miacis
Miacis, genus of extinct carnivores found as fossils in deposits of the late Paleocene Epoch (65.5â55.8 million......
Miniature Pinscher
Miniature Pinscher, breed of toy dog originating in Germany, perhaps as early as the 1600s. The dog may have been......
mink
mink, either of two species of the weasel family (Mustelidae) native to the Northern Hemisphere. The European mink......
mongoose
mongoose, any of nearly three dozen species of small bold predatory carnivores found mainly in Africa but also......
monk seal
monk seal, any of three little-known tropical or subtropical seals of the genus Monachus, family Phocidae. Characterized......
mustelid
mustelid, (family Mustelidae), any of about 62 species of ferrets, polecats, badgers, martens, otters, the wolverine,......
Newfoundland
Newfoundland, large breed of working dog developed on Newfoundland island, possibly from crosses between native......
Norwegian elkhound
Norwegian elkhound, breed of dog that originated thousands of years ago in western Norway, where it was used as......
Norwegian Forest Cat
Norwegian Forest Cat, a breed of long-haired domestic cat known for its large size, strong, muscular body, and......
Norwich terrier
Norwich terrier, short-legged terrier breed developed about 1880 in England, where it soon became a fad with Cambridge......
Nova Scotia Duck Tolling Retriever
Nova Scotia Duck Tolling Retriever, breed of hard-working sporting dog developed in the 19th century in the Little......
ocelot
ocelot, (Felis, or Leopardus, pardalis), spotted cat of the New World, found in lowland areas from Texas southward......
Old English Sheepdog (OES)
Old English Sheepdog (OES), shaggy and smart herding dog developed in west England in the 18th century from dogs......
olingo
olingo, (genus Bassaricyon), any of six species of small arboreal carnivores of the raccoon family, Procyonidae,......
otter
otter, (subfamily Lutrinae), any of 13 species of semiaquatic mammals that belong to the weasel family (Mustelidae)......
otterhound
otterhound, dog breed first described in the 14th century. Developed in England to hunt otters on both land and......
Pallasâs cat
Pallasâs cat, (Felis manul), small, long-haired cat (family Felidae) native to deserts and rocky, mountainous regions......
pampas cat
pampas cat, (Felis colocolo), small cat, family Felidae, native to South America. It is about 60 cm (24 inches)......
panda, giant
giant panda, (Ailuropoda melanoleuca), bear with striking black-and-white coloration inhabiting bamboo forests......
Papillon
Papillon, breed of toy dog known from the 16th century, when it was called a dwarf spaniel. A fashionable dog,......
Pekingese
Pekingese, breed of toy dog developed in ancient China, where it was held sacred and kept as a palace dog by members......
pinniped
pinniped, (suborder Pinnipedia), any of a group of 34 species of aquatic fin-footed mammals comprising seals, sea......
pit bull
pit bull, fighting dog developed in 19th-century England, Scotland, and Ireland from Bulldog and terrier ancestry......
pointer
pointer, highly regarded breed of sporting dog of hound, spaniel, and setter ancestry. The pointer derives its......
polar bear
polar bear, (Ursus maritimus), great white northern bear (family Ursidae) found throughout the Arctic region. The......
Polecat
Polecat, any of several weasel-like carnivores of the family Mustelidae (which includes weasels, wolverines, minks,......
Pomeranian
Pomeranian, breed of toy dog that can be traced backâlike the related Keeshond, Samoyed, and Norwegian Elkhoundâto......
Poodle
Poodle, breed of dog thought to have originated in Germany but widely associated with France, where it is hugely......
procyonid
procyonid, (family Procyonidae), any of a group of tree-climbing mammals comprising raccoons, coatis, olingos,......
Pug
Pug, breed of toy dog that probably originated in China and was introduced to England near the end of the 17th......
puli
puli, small sheepdog breed introduced to Hungary about 1,000 years ago by the Magyars (early Hungarians). An agile......
puma
puma, (Puma concolor), large brownish New World cat comparable in size to the jaguarâthe only other large cat of......
raccoon
raccoon, (genus Procyon), any of seven species of nocturnal mammals characterized by bushy ringed tails. The most......
raccoon dog
raccoon dog, (Nyctereutes procyonoides), member of the dog family (Canidae) native to eastern Asia and introduced......
ratel
ratel, (Mellivora capensis), badgerlike member of the weasel family (Mustelidae) noted for its fondness for honey.......
red fox
red fox, (Vulpes vulpes), species of fox (family Canidae) found throughout Europe, temperate Asia, northern Africa,......
Red panda
Red panda, (Ailurus fulgens), reddish brown, long-tailed, raccoonlike mammal, about the size of a large domestic......
retriever
retriever, any of several sporting dogs bred and trained to retrieve game. Retrievers are characterized by water-resistant......
Rex cat
Rex cat, curly-coated breed of domestic cat that has a dense, soft coat lacking any projecting guard hairs, or......
Rhodesian Ridgeback
Rhodesian Ridgeback, South African hound dog breed characterized by a narrow band of hair that grows forward along......
ribbon seal
ribbon seal, (Histriophoca fasciata), earless seal of the family Phocidae found in the North Pacific and the Bering......
ringed seal
ringed seal, (Pusa, or Phoca, hispida), nonmigratory, earless seal (family Phocidae) of North Polar seas and a......
Ross seal
Ross seal, (Ommatophoca rossi), Antarctic seal of the family Phocidae. It has a short face, very large eyes, and......
Rottweiler
Rottweiler, breed of working dog that is thought to be descended from the drover dogs (cattle-driving dogs) left......
Russian Blue
Russian Blue, breed of domestic cat noted for the quality of its short, plushlike coat. Characteristically a quiet......
sable
sable, (Martes zibellina), graceful carnivore of the weasel family, Mustelidae, found in the forests of northern......
sabre-toothed cat
sabre-toothed cat, any of the extinct catlike carnivores belonging to either the extinct family Nimravidae or the......
Saint Bernard
Saint Bernard, working dog credited with saving hundreds of lives in centuries of service as a pathfinder and rescue......
Saluki
Saluki, breed of hound whose ancestors may date to 7000 to 6000 bce. The breed was popular throughout the ancient......
Samoyed
Samoyed, breed of working dog developed in Siberia, where its ancestors were kept by the Nenets (formerly Samoyed......
Schipperke
Schipperke, Belgian dog breed that originated in Flanders (northern Belgium) as early as the 15th century. It was......
Schnauzer
Schnauzer, any of three breeds of dogâthe Miniature, Standard, and Giantâdeveloped in Germany and noted for their......
Scottish deerhound
Scottish deerhound, dog breed called the âroyal dog of Scotland,â known since the 16th century. It was once the......
Scottish fold cat
Scottish fold cat, Breed of domestic cat with ears that fold forward and down. A Scottish shepherd discovered the......
Scottish terrier
Scottish terrier, short-legged terrier breed often held by its admirers to be the oldest of the Highland terriers,......
sea lion
sea lion, any of six species of eared seals found primarily in Pacific waters. Sea lions are characterized by a......
sea otter
sea otter, (Enhydra lutris), completely marine otter species of the northern Pacific, usually found in kelp beds.......
seal
seal, any of 32 species of web-footed aquatic mammals that live chiefly in cold seas and whose body shape, round......
Sealyham terrier
Sealyham terrier, breed of terrier developed during the latter half of the 19th century by Capt. John Edwardes......
serval
serval, (Felis serval), long-limbed cat, family Felidae, found in Africa south of the Sahara, especially in grass-......
setter
setter, any of three breeds of sporting dogs used in pointing game birds. Setters are derived from a medieval hunting......
sheepdog
sheepdog, In general, any dog breed developed to herd sheep; specifically, the border collie. Most sheepdog breeds......
Shetland Sheepdog
Shetland Sheepdog, small herding dog developed to control the small sheep, poultry, and ponies of Scotlandâs Shetland......
Shiba Inu
Shiba Inu, breed of dog that originated in Japan some 2,300 years ago for small game and ground bird hunting. A......
Shih Tzu
Shih Tzu, Tibetan toy dog developed from the Pekingese and the Lhasa Apso and called in Chinese shih-tzu kou (âlion......
Shorthair Cat Breeds
From Manx cats to the Cornish Rex, purebred shorthairs vary widely in appearance. Here are a few shorthair breeds.......
Siamese
Siamese, popular short-haired breed of domestic cat originally from Thailand, a country whose official name was......
Siberian Husky
Siberian Husky, breed of strong, graceful, and friendly working dog raised in Siberia by the Chukchi people, who......
Siberian tiger
Siberian tiger, (subspecies Panthera tigris altaica), subspecies of tiger (Panthera tigris) inhabiting the Primorye......
silky terrier
silky terrier, Australian breed of toy dog, first shown in 1907. It originated in Sydney and was once known as......
silver fox
silver fox, (Vulpes fulva), red fox of North America in that colour phase when the fur is black with interspersed......
skunk
skunk, (family Mephitidae), black-and-white mammal, found primarily in the Western Hemisphere, that uses extremely......
Skye terrier
Skye terrier, breed of dog that was originated as a hunter on the Isle of Skye, Scotland, and has remained relatively......
sled dog
sled dog, any canine used in Arctic climates to pull a sled across snow and ice. The breeds most commonly associated......
sloth bear
sloth bear, (Melursus ursinus), forest-dwelling bear (family Ursidae) that inhabits tropical or subtropical regions......
Smilodon
Smilodon, extinct genus of large mammalian carnivores known collectively by the common name sabre-toothed cat.......
Snow leopard
Snow leopard, large long-haired Asian cat, classified as either Panthera uncia or Uncia uncia in the family Felidae.......
soft-coated wheaten terrier
soft-coated wheaten terrier, breed of dog developed from the terriers kept as farm dogs in Ireland. It was recognized......
South American fox
South American fox, (genus Lycalopex), any of six South American carnivores of the dog family (Canidae). Although......
spaniel
spaniel, any of several sporting dogs used by hunters to flush game from cover. The earliest spaniels apparently......
spectacled bear
spectacled bear, (Tremarctos ornatus), the only South American bear of the family Ursidae. It inhabits the northern......
sphynx cat
sphynx cat, Breed of hairless domestic cat, founded on two spontaneous mutations in shorthaired cats. The first......
spitz
spitz, any of a group of northern dogsâsuch as the Akita, Pomeranian, and Samoyedâcharacterized by a wolflike or......
sporting dog
sporting dog, dog that scents and either points, flushes, or retrieves birds and other game on land and in water.......
springer spaniel
springer spaniel, either of two ancient breeds of sporting dogs used to flush game from cover and to retrieve it.......
Staffordshire Bull Terrier
Staffordshire Bull Terrier, breed of terrier developed in 19th-century England for fighting other dogs in pits.......
sun bear
sun bear, (Helarctos malayanus), the smallest bear in the world, found in Southeast Asian forests. It weighs only......
Sussex spaniel
Sussex spaniel, breed of sporting dog developed in Great Britain in the late 18th century; like other land spaniels,......
tabby
tabby, type of dark-striped coat colouring found in both wild and domestic cats. One of the most common coat colours,......
tayra
tayra, (Eira barbara), weasel-like mammal of tropical forests from southern Mexico through South America to northern......
teacup dog
teacup dog, unofficial name for any of several breeds of dogs that are bred to be less than 4 to 6 pounds (1.8â2.7......
terrier
terrier, any of a diverse group of dog breeds of various sizesâfrom the diminutive Yorkshire Terrier to the large......
Tibetan terrier
Tibetan terrier, breed of nonsporting dog that originated in Tibet to aid shepherds. It was believed to bring luck......
tiger
tiger, (Panthera tigris), largest member of the cat family (Felidae), rivaled only by the lion (Panthera leo) in......
tigon
tigon, offspring of a tiger and a lioness. The tigon, or tiglon, is a zoo-bred hybrid, as is the liger, the product......