apex predator: Quick Facts

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Facts

Also Known As	top predator • top carnivore

Photos

Leopard (Panthera pardus) resting on a large rock, looking forward with spotted fur visible against a background of foliage.

killer whale (Orcinus orca)

white shark (Carcharodon carcharias)

gray wolf (Canis lupus)

Side-by-side illustration comparing an ecosystem before and after the removal of top carnivores. The left panel shows a balanced landscape with wolves, bears, foxes, diverse birds, and a variety of plants, while the right panel shows an ecosystem dominated by large herbivores like elk and deer, fewer predators, reduced plant variety, and less songbird diversity.

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Topics

owl tyrannosaur wolf lion tiger white shark megalodon lynx harpy eagle puma carnivorous plant scavenger