Content
- What is predation?
- Types of predators
- examples of predators
- More predatory wildlife
- Importance of predatory animals
Within an ecological community there are hundreds of different interactions between different species, all of these interactions have the purpose keep the balance within the community and therefore the ecosystem.
One of the most important relationships is the one created between a predator and its prey, so in this PeritoAnimal article, we'll talk about what are predatory animals, explaining various details of this feature, what types exist and we will also see some representative examples.
What is predation?
Predation occurs when one organism kills and feeds on another, without necessarily both organisms belonging to the Animal Kingdom. Thus, the meaning of predator is that organism that hunts, kills and eats other beings.
The act of predation is a process that normally consumes a lot of energy, both in the hunting animal and in the hunted animal. But it also provides energy to maintain the predator's vital functions, with the death of its prey. Predation, therefore, has two ecological functions at the individual level, as the physical state of the prey is reduced.
When we think about predation, the first thing that comes to mind is the carnivorous interaction in which one animal kills another, like an owl hunting a mouse or foxes attacking a rabbit. Perhaps the least obvious interactions are those involving multiple predatory individuals hunting larger prey, such as a pack of wolves chasing a deer or a pack of killer whales chasing a larger whale. This kind of group predation it is also very common in ants, wasps or social spiders.
Even less obvious is that of seed predation which can sometimes constitute predation. Seeds are organisms that, under ideal circumstances, will grow into a plant. Therefore, consuming a seed kills the plant before it grows.
On the other hand, not all predators are animals. At carnivorous plants, like the Venus trap, consume insects to get the supply of nitrogen they need and lack in the soil where they live.
Types of predators
Focusing on the Animal Kingdom, we can differentiate between various types of predatory animals:
- True predators or carnivores: are the animals that hunt their prey (always another animal), kill them and consume them in a short period of time. Find out more about carnivorous animals.
- Herbivores: are animals that feed on green plants, seeds or fruits. In principle, they need not end the individual's life, but they can inflict varying degrees of harm. Find out more about herbivorous animals.
- Parasitoids: are insects that parasitize other insects in such a way that a female lays eggs inside or on other insects and, as the eggs hatch, the larvae devour their host to death.
- parasites: there are animals that parasitize other animals, causing light or serious damage, including death. Find out more about parasitism in animals.
- cannibals: are animals that feed on individuals of their own species. Usually this fact occurs at specific times in the animal's life cycle.
You may also be interested in this video with 10 wild animals from the African savanna:
examples of predators
Among the examples of predatory animals, we can mention a few:
- Polar Bear (Ursus Maritimus)
- Blue Whale (Balaenoptera musculus)
- Wasps (Ampulex compress)
- Lion (panthera leo)
- Bullfrog (Lithobates catesbeianus)
- Leopard seal (Hydrurga leptonyx)
- Mantis (Cloak)
- Scolopendra (Scolopendra)
- White shark (Charcharodon carcharias)
- hyena (Hyaenidae)
- Crocodile (crocodylid)
- Orca (orcinus orca)
- grizzly bear (Ursus arctos horribilis)
- Anaconda (good constrictor)
- Ferret (Mustela putorius bore)
- Guara wolf (Chrysocyon brachyurus)
- Fox (Vulpes Vulpes)
- Jaguar (panthera onca)
There are many predatory animals, some of large, like the polar bear, probably the world's largest land-surface predator, reaching up to 10 feet tall if standing on its hind legs. This animal that inhabits the Arctic feeds mainly on seals and fish.
Another big predator is the Blue Whale, capable of ingesting thousands of fish and krill (the collective name of a species of shrimp-like animals) when it opens its mouth. In the ocean we also find tuna, powerful and fast marine predators.
On the other hand, a good example of parasitoid predators healthy wasps of the Braconidae family. Female wasps lay their eggs inside certain species of caterpillars. When the larvae hatch from the eggs, they begin to slowly devour the interior of the caterpillar, until they die and emerge from it.
Although it may seem strange, cannibalism is very common in nature, although the species that practice it only do so at certain times, like a male lion devouring the young of its defeated rival. THE bull frog, can also feed on younger individuals of its same species when there is overpopulation. THE leopard seal, in times of famine, you can eat your own offspring or that of other seals.
The praying mantis is one of the predatory insects more voracious, also practicing cannibalism when the female eats the male during the dome. Another predatory arthropod, although not an insect, is the scolopendra (a genus of centipedes), which can even hunt small birds or rodents.
More predatory wildlife
Another great predatory animal is the ferret, which feeds mainly on little animals, sometimes even larger than their own size, such as rodents, birds, terrestrial, lizards, snakes, frogs and fish.
Maned wolves, on the other hand, eat fruits, insects, rats, lizards, snakes and wild birds, while foxes can feed on almost anything.
One of the best known predatory animals is the Jaguar, which is the largest land surface carnivore in Brazil. As an adult, it can measure up to 2.5 meters in length from the nose to the tip of the tail, reaching up to 80 centimeters in height. Jaguars are considered opportunistic hunters and can feed on domestic animals such as cattle and goats. Very agile, its attack can be performed even in the water, as she is able to carry her prey while swimming.
Importance of predatory animals
Several of the predatory animals are among the most beautiful and fascinating animals of our fauna. Some species are even of great importance for the tourist sector, attracting thousands of visitors to different biomes both in Brazil and in several other countries.
Although many of them are feared, predatory animals are extremely important to nature. Your food allows the direct and indirect control of populations of different species of animals and plants, preventing them from growing more than they should.
If you want to read more articles similar to Predatory Animals - Meaning, Types and Examples, we recommend that you enter our Curiosities section of the animal world.