Carnivores 3 Flashcards
What are the two types of carnivores?
Obligate: purely meat diet
Fucultative: can eat other feed items
What is specialised about carnivore teeth?
They have canines and incisors for gripping prey
Have few molars
What cats/Felids are different in that they are social rather than solitary?
Lions and cheetahs
What does the subcapularis muscle do?
Allows bears etc. to climb without the humerus bone popping out of the socket
What do pandas lack because they are verging on more herbivorous?
Carnassial teeth
What is torpor and hibernation?
A short term reduction of body temp on cool days
Hibernation is an extended period of torpor
What do US zoos feed the majority of carnivores compared to the rest of the world?
Commercial based diets prepared for the species
Rest of world = whole carcass
What are some of the issues with commercial prepared diet?
Can cause teeth issues, compaction and constipation
What are the components of UK carnivore diets?
What is recommended?
Whole carcass Slab meat Whole animal including guts Supplements Complete diet like US
Mixture of whole prey and supplemented meat recommended
What did Bond and Lindburg find when investigating effect of carcass feeding in captive cheetahs?
Carcass feeding group had improved appetites, longer feeding bouts, greater possessiveness of food
What is the difference between feline and canine diets?
Feline diet higher in protein and fat
What are some of the reasons for zoos not feeding carnivores whole carcasses?
Public perception
Animal fussiness
Health/medical reasons: could choke
Un-economical for small zoos
