Carnivora

Felidae

The order Carnivora (pronounced car-niv o-ra) includes over 260 placental mammals. The name comes from caro (flesh) and vorare (to devour). Almost all of these animals eat meat. The notable exception is the Giant Panda, which is an herbivore, Some eat meat almost exclusively and others, such as bears and foxes, are omnivorous. All of the animals in this order have a characteristic skull shape, and their dentition includes prominent canines and carnassials.

Modern classification systems integrate the findings from molecular techniques for discovering genetic relationships. They generally divide the Carnivora into the suborders Feliformia (cat-like) and Caniformia dog-like), The latter now includes the pinnipeds, which were formerly assigned to their own order. This poster shows representational species from the 14 existing families. (The biological family name ends in idae. There are two extinct famlies - Nimravidae (false sabre-tooths) and Amphicyonidae (the beardogs).

Suborder Feliformia (Cat-like)

Cats. 37 species in 18 genera. This family includes the lions, tigers and other wild cats. They are the most strictly carnivorous of the Carnivora. The first felids emerged during the Eocene, about 40 million years ago. The most familiar feline is the domestic cat or house cat (subspecies Felis silvestris catus). There are many breeds. It first became associated with humans between 7,000 and 4,000 years ago. Its wild relatives still live in Africa and western Asia,

Bobcat Lynx rufus

Canadian Lynx Lynx canadensis Leopard Panthera pardus European Wild Cat Felis silvestris Caracal Caracal caracal Iberian Lynx Lynx pardinus Clouded Leopard Neofelis nebulosa Cornish Rex Felis silvestris catus Snow Leopard Uncia uncia

Cougar / Puma / Mountain LIon Puma concolor

Cheetah Acinonyx jubatus

Leopard Cat Prionailurus bengalensis

Jaguar Panthera onca

Ocelot Leopardus pardalis

Somali Lion Panthera Leo Somaliensis

Siberian Tiger Panthera tigris altaica

Herpestidae

Mongoose and alllies. 35 species in 17 genera The mongoose is a small, cat-like carnivore; they range in size from one to four feet in length. They eat insects, crabs, worms, lizards and other small creatures. They are famous for their ability to fight and kill venomous snakes such as cobras. They can do this because of their speed, agility and cunning.

Hyaenidae

Hyenas and Aardwolf. 4 species in 4 genera Hyenas have some of the strongest jaws in the animal kingdom. Spotted Hyenas can range from dark-brown fur to amber and reddish in color. The Aardwolf looks ike the Striped Hyena but has a smaller and more pointed muzzle, sharper ears, vertical stripes, and a long mane down the middle line of the neck and back. It has warm, sand-colored coat

Viverridae

Civets, Genet & Linsang. 35 species in 20 genera These are small, lithe-bodied animals that look somewhat like a cat, but the muzzle is extended and often pointed, They range in legnth from 17 to 28 inches. They are native to most of the Old World tropics. Palm Civet. 1 species in 1 genus Favoured habitats include woodland, savanna, mountains and, above all, tropical rainforest. The African Palm Civet is a small mammal native to eastern Africa, where they usually live in trees. Their diet is omnivorous, and includes rodents, Binturong insects, eggs, carrion, fruit, birds and fruit bats. Although it physically Arctictis binturong resembles other civets, it is genetically distinct, and thus classified as the only species in their genus and family. Otter Civet Cynogale bennettii

Nandiniidae

Ring-tailed Mongoose Galidia elegans

Indian Mongoose Herpestes javanicus Striped Hyena Herpestes javanicus Aardwolf Proteles cristatus

Small spotted Genet Genetta genegga African Palm CIvet Nandinia binotata

Suborder Caniformia (Dog-like)

Canidae
Dogs, Wolves, Foxes and Jackals. 35 species in 10 genera These animals are all digitigrades, meaning that they walk on their toes. Pet dogs were first domesticated from wolves and huskies at least 15,000 years ago, but recent fossil evidence suggests that it may have been much earlier. Selective breeding has resulted in hundreds of breeds.

Ursidae

Bears. 8 species in 4 genera Bears have a large body with powerful limbs and are capable of standing up on their hind legs. They have broad paws, long snouts, and round ears. Their teeth are used for defense and tools and depend on the diet of the bear. Their claws are used for ripping, digging, and catching. They have excellent senses of smell and hearing, five un-retractable claws, and long, dense, shaggy fur. The Giant Panda is now usually classified in the bear family. Its main food is bamboo, but they may eat other foods such as honey.

Gray Wolf Canis lupus

Gray Fox Urocyon cinereoargenteus

Bat-eared Fox Otocyon megalotis

Sun Bear Helarctos malayanus Sloth Bear Melursus ursinus Maned Wolf Chrysocyon brachyurus

Giant Panda Ailuropoda melanoleuca

Raccoon Dog Nyctereutes procyonoides Coyote Canis latrans

Spectacled Bear Tremarctos ornatus

Brown Bear Ursus arctos middendorffi

African Hunting Dog Lycaon pictus

Black-backed Jackal Canis mesomelas

Cocker Spaniel Canis lupus familiaris

American Black Bear Ursus americanus

Asian Black Bear Ursus thibetanus

Mustelidae

Weasels, Martens, Badgers, and Otters. 55 species in 24 genera This is the most successful and diverse familiy in order Carnivora. Mustelids range from the Least weasel whiich not much larger than a mouse, to the wolverine, a 50 pound animal that can kill reindeer and has even been known to drive bears from thier kills.

Procyonidae

Raccoons and allies. 19 species in 6 genera Because of their general build, the Procyonidae are looked upon as being small cousins of the bears. This is apparent in their German names: a racoon is called a Waschbr (washing bear, as he washes his food before eating), a coati is a Nasenbr (nose-bear) while a Kinkajou is a Honigbr (honey-bear).

Ailuridae

Red Panda. 1 species in 1 genus. The Red Panda is a mostly herbivorous mammal, slightly larger than a domestic cat. It was formerly classified in the raccoon family and then in the bear family. Recent DNA research indicates it is unique and it is now placed in its own family,

Mephitidae

Skunks and Stinkbadgers. 10 species in 3 genera These are moderately small mammals with black-and-white fur. Skunks are known for their ability to spray musk. The word skunk is a corruption of an Abenaki name for them, segongw or segonku, which means one who squirts Wolves, foxes and badgers seldom attack skunks,

Least Weasel Mustela nivalis

American Badger Taxidea taxus European Otter Lutra lutra

Cacomistle Bassariscus sumichrasti Common Raccoon Procyon lotor

Small-clawed Otter Amblonyx cinereus

Striped Polecat Ictonyx striatus

Red Panda Ailurus fulgens

Patagonian Skunk Conepatus humboldtii

Andes Skunk Conepatus chinga

Phocidae

True Seals. 19 species in 9 genera Phocids are more streamlined than fur seals and sea lions, and can therefore swim more effectively over long distances. True seals lack external ears and cannot bring their hind flippers under their body to walk on them. This makes them very clumsy on land as they have to wiggle forward on their front flippers and abdominal muscles. Because of this, they sometimes called crawling seals. True seals do not bark like the fur seals and sea lions. They communicate by slapping the water and grunting.

Southern Elephant Seal Mirounga leonina

Odobenidae Walrus. 1 species in 1 genus The walrus is a large semi-aquatic mammal that live in the cold Arctic seas of the Northern Hemisphere. Two subspecies exist: the Atlantic, Odobenus rosmarus rosmarus, and the Pacific, Odobenus rosmarus divergens. The Pacific walrus is slightly larger, the male weighing up to 1800kg.

Otariidae

Fur Seals and Sea Lions. 14 species in 7 genera The eared seals, or walking seals, fur seals and sea lions are adapted to a semi-aquatic lifestyle. They feed and travel in the water but breed and largely rest on land, or in some cases, on ice. They are slightly less adapted to the aquatic lifestyle than are the true seals.

Ribbon Seal Phoca fasciata

Australian Sea Lion Neophoca-cinerea

Stellars Sea Lion Eumetopias jubatus

Northern Fur Seal Callorhinus ursinus

Harp Seal Phoca groenlandica

Walrus Odobenus rosmarus Mediterranean Monk Seal Monachus monachus Hooded Seal Cystophora cristata Antarctic Fur Seal Arctocephalus-gazella South American Sea Lion Otaria byronia