Animalia | Chordata | Vertebrata | Mammalia | Carnivora

An order of Mammals who eat flesh, possess and enlarged first lower molar and fourth upper premolar, and heightened senses. They are typically terrestrial or climbing animals; however, three families of Carnivora are primarily sea-dwelling. (NOTE: some biologists consider the sea-dwelling familes of Carnivora to belong to the separate order Pinnipedia).

Families in Carnivora:

  • Canidae: foxes, dogs, wolves
  • Mustelidae: minks, weasels, badgers, otters, skunks
  • Procyonidae: raccoons, kinkajous, red panda
  • Ursidae: bears, greater panda
  • Otoriidae: sealions
  • Odobenidae: walrus
  • Phocidae: seals
  • Viverridae: civits, genets, mongoose
  • Hyaenidae: hyaenas, aardwolf
  • Felidae: cats

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