VMD 512: Zoo/Wild Animal Breeding, Management, Nutrition and Health Care (1+1)

CARNIVORA

• The common characters of carnivores are given below:
  • Meat eaters
  • Presence of canine teeth
  • Intestinal tract is short and is adapted to the rapid digestion as well as the assimilation of meat.
  • All species have anal glands. (The species like the striped skunk with a zoological name of Mephitis mephitis may eject the contents of anal gland as a defensive maneuver)
  • Os penis is present in case of males.
  • Lack of clavicle (this helps in the freedom for the movement of forelimb)
  • Ulna is well developed.
  • Toes end in claws

Sub-order of carnivores

• Fissipedia is the sub-order that comprises most known terrestrial carnivorous wild animals like lion, tiger, panther, wolf, hyaena, wild dog, jackals etc.