All animals are divided into three main groups based on what they eat: plant eaters are plant eaters, meat eaters are carnivores (all carnivores), and those that eat all types of available food are omnivores. Today we will talk about carnivores.
Any animal whose diet consists exclusively of meat is classified as a carnivore. Carnivores spend most of their time searching for available food. They primarily hunt herbivores, although they can also eat omnivores or even other carnivores. Predators catch prey of various sizes, including invertebrates and vertebrates.
Small carnivores may include spiders, frogs and bats. Medium - birds such as eagles and hawks, snakes and anteaters. Large carnivores range from wild dogs and wolves to the largest animals: lions, tigers and crocodiles.
Predators are adapted to their type of food. They have very sharp teeth or even fangs that help tear flesh. Most of them are excellent runners, have acute vision and hearing, a well-developed sense of smell, and sharp claws.
All carnivores are divided into 7 taxonomic groups:
1. Bears (Ursidae)- exists today. Members of this group are powerful carnivores that have bulky bodies and short legs. Very often they are classified as omnivores, since they can supplement their diet with food of plant origin. All bears climb and swim well, run fast, and can stand and walk short distances on their hind legs. They prefer to hunt in the evening or early in the morning.
2. Canids (Canidae) - this family has about 35 species, among which are wolves, coyotes, foxes, dogs, etc. These are large and medium-sized predators that are monogamous in most cases.
3. Felines (Felidae) - today there are about 41 species: panthers, pumas, lynxes, lions, cheetahs, etc. The size of cats is very different from 35 cm and 1 kg to 4 m and more than 300 kg. They have very well developed hearing and vision.
4. Viverridae- 35 species: binturongs, civets, linsangs, etc. They are predominantly nocturnal and spend most of their lives in trees.
5. Hyenas (Hyaenidae) - although hyenas physiologically have much in common with the canid family, they form a separate family. Now there are 4 species: spotted, brown, striped hyenas and aardwolf.
6. Mustelidae (Mustelidae) - This is the most diverse family, with about 56 species. Members of this group include badgers, martens, minks, otters, ferrets, weasels, wolverines, etc. This includes small and large predators. They hunt mainly small mammals; Otters feed on fish, crustaceans and aquatic invertebrates.
7. Raccoons (Procyon)- carnivores that feed on insects and frogs, less often reptiles (snakes, lizards), crayfish and crabs, fish, rodents and bird eggs. The family includes raccoons, noses, kinkajous and kakimitsli.
If you find an error, please highlight a piece of text and click Ctrl+Enter.
Carnivores are an order of placental carnivorous mammals of the chordate type, which consists of the suborder Caniformes and Cats. Representatives of this order feed mainly or exclusively animal food. There are seven families of terrestrial predatory animals: wolves or canines, bears, cats, raccoons, mustelids, civets, hyenas. According to some classifications, carnivores are divided into two broad groups - land animals, living on land, and pinnipeds, living in water. Pinnipeds are divided into three families: walrus, seal and eared seals. The order Carnivora includes about 270 species of animals that are distributed throughout to the globe. Habitats include almost all living spaces on our planet. These animals are found from the coast of Antarctica to tropical jungles and deserts.
The most ancient predatory animals that appeared on Earth in the process of evolution are considered to be representatives of viverrids. In the early Paleocene period, land predators divided into canids and cats.
Social behavior of predators varies both among representatives of certain families and individual species. Peculiarities social behavior are determined by the methods of hunting and feeding of predatory species. Some species gather in hunting packs (lions, wolves), others live in colonies (sea lions), some prefer to live alone (bears, leopards).
The vast majority of carnivores are carnivores. They obtain food by hunting vertebrate and invertebrate animals, or are content with carrion. But there are many carnivorous and omnivorous animals that consume, along with meat, foods of plant origin. There are different ways of obtaining food. For example, canines run after their prey until it is exhausted, cats sneak up on prey and suddenly attack, martens chase squirrels in trees, seals catch fish, etc. Representatives of some species hunt alone, while others hunt in packs.
The appearance of predators is very diverse. There are large and small animals among carnivores, most animals of this group average size. The largest predatory mammal is the southern elephant seal, which weighs up to four tons. The weight of small weasels is only 40-70 g.
A characteristic feature of carnivores are well-differentiated teeth, and the fangs are always large and developed. One molar on each side of the jaw turns into a so-called carnassial tooth, which is large and has a sharp cutting edge. With its help, animals crush bones and cut tendons. In omnivorous animals, the carnassial teeth are less pronounced. Significant differences are noticeable in the jaws of pinnipeds compared to terrestrial carnivores. The jaws of pinnipeds have adaptations for holding slippery fish. Walruses have peculiar modifications of their teeth - tusks, and crabeater seals have modified molars.
On the skull of a predatory animal, a clearly defined zygomatic arch and a large temporal cavity next to the orbit are clearly visible. These are the locations of powerful temporal muscles for a strong bite on the victim. The structure of the jaw of a carnivore is such that movements in the temporomandibular joint are only possible up and down, and not as when chewing from side to side.
When moving, predators rely on the entire foot or partly on the toes. The limbs have four or five fingers with claws, and in the species of cats and viverrids the claws can be retracted. The limbs of pinnipeds are adapted to living in water and are transformed into flippers. Most species have a long tail, some have a short one. The body of all predators is covered with fur of various colors.
The digestive system of carnivores consists of a stomach and a relatively short intestine. The brain of these animals is large. The cerebral cortex has grooves. Therefore, the behavior of predators is quite complex, they have many instincts, and the formation of conditioned reflexes is possible. This made it possible to tame and domesticate many species of carnivores, in particular the dog and cat.
Female carnivores have a uterus, and the mammary glands for feeding the young are located on the stomach. The testicles of males are located outside the body. The vast majority of carnivores give birth to young once a year, but smaller species may give birth several times a year. The duration of pregnancy may vary different types approximately two to four months. Carnivorous cubs are born weak, blind, and incapable of independent existence. Representatives of this order are characterized by caring for their offspring.
Many species of carnivores are of great economic importance to humans. They are valuable objects for fur farming and fur trading. Cats and dogs have been domesticated by humans since ancient times. Many breeds of these animals have been bred. Many wild predators are useful to humans as exterminators of harmful small animals, for example, rodents. Some predators cause damage to the economy, in particular, wolves - to livestock. Some wild carnivores spread pathogens infectious diseases(rabies).
The predators that are selected for the purposes of this article are carnivorous mammals of various shapes and sizes. Here we look at 15 major families of carnivorous mammals, ranging from the familiar (dogs and cats) to the more exotic (kinkajou and linsang).
1. Dogs, wolves and foxes (canidae family ( Canidae))
2. Lions, tigers and other cats (felines ( Felidae))
Usually the first animals that come to mind when we talk about predators are lions, tigers, pumas, leopards, cheetahs, jaguars, and domestic cats - closely related. Felines are characterized by a graceful body structure, sharp teeth, the ability to climb trees, and a generally solitary lifestyle (unlike canines, which tend to group together in groups). social groups). Compared to most other carnivorous mammals, cats are hypercarnivores (supercarnivores), which means that their diet consists entirely or largely of the meat of other animals (even the kitty cat can be considered a supercarnivore, since the bulk of cat food is meat).
3. Bears (bear family ( Ursidae))
Only eight species of bears survive today, but these carnivorous mammals have had a significant impact on human society: everyone is aware of conservation efforts polar bear and pandas, and we often hear in the news about brown bear attacks on overconfident tourists. Bears are characterized by dog-like faces, thick fur coats, plantigrade walking (that is, they walk on their feet rather than their toes), and a habit of standing on their hind legs when threatened.
4. Hyenas and aardwolf (family hyenas ( Hyaenidae))
Despite their external similarity, these predators are most closely related not to canids (point 2), but to cats (point 3). There are only three species of hyenas extant today: the spotted hyena ( Crocuta crocuta), brown hyena ( Hyaena brunnea) and striped hyena ( Hyaena hyaena). They differ in behavior, for example, striped hyenas steal killed prey from other predators, while spotted hyenas prefer to kill their prey themselves.
The hyena family also includes the little-known aardwolf ( Proteles cristatus listen)) are small, insectivorous mammals with a long, sticky tongue.
5. Weasels, badgers and otters (family mustelids, or martens ( Mustelidae))
The largest family of carnivorous mammals, including about 60 species of animals such as weasels, badgers, ferrets, wolverines, etc. Representatives of mustelids are characterized by: moderate body size (the largest member of the family is the sea otter, weighs up to 45 kg); have short ears and legs; equipped with anal glands that secrete a strong-smelling secretion to mark territory boundaries.
The fur of some marten species is very soft and beautiful. Countless amounts of clothing were made from the skins of mink, sable and ermine.
6. Skunks (skunk family ( Mephitidae))
Mustelidae (see previous point) are not the only carnivorous mammals that have glands that produce a strong odorous substance. Members of the skunk family have a similar ability, only more effective. Dozen modern species Skunks use their anal glands to protect themselves from predators such as bears and wolves, who have learned to stay away from these harmless-looking animals.
Oddly enough, although skunks are classified as carnivores, they are primarily omnivores and eat worms, mice, lizards, nuts, plant roots and berries in equal measure.
7. Raccoons, coatis and kinkajous (raccoon family ( Mephitidae))
Looking a bit like a cross between a bear (item 4) and a mustelid (item 7), raccoons and other members of the family (coati, kinkajou, and camomitsli) are small, long-nosed animals with distinctive facial markings. In general, raccoons are the least revered representatives of the order of carnivorous mammals on the planet: they often raid garbage cans and are also prone to contracting rabies, which is transmitted through a bite to humans.
Raccoons are the most non-carnivorous animals from the entire order. These mammals are typically omnivores and have largely lost the dental adaptations required for dedicated meat-eating.
8. Earless seals (family of true seals ( Phocidae))
The 18 to 24 species of true seals, also known as earless seals, are well-adapted mammals for marine life: they are sleek, streamlined carnivores with no external ears, females have retractable nipples, and males have internal testicles and a penis that is hidden in the body when not used. Although true seals spend most of their time at sea and are capable of staying underwater for long periods of time, they return to land or ice to breed.
9. Steller sea lions, fur seals and sea lions (eared seal family ( Otariidae))
The family includes fur seals, sea lions and sea lions, which can be distinguished from representatives of true seals (see previous paragraph) by their small external ears. Eared seals are more suited to life on land than their earless seal relatives, using their powerful front flippers to propel themselves across land or ice. Oddly enough, they tend to move faster and more maneuverably in the water than true seals.
Eared seals also have the most sexual dimorphism of any mammal in the animal kingdom: male fur seals and lions can weigh up to 6 times more than females.
10. Mongooses and meerkats (family mongoose ( Herpestidae))
In many respects indistinguishable from stoats, badgers and otters of the mustelid family (see point 6), mongooses are widely known for their unique evolutionary “weapon”: these small mammals are almost completely immune to snake venom. You might infer that mongooses kill and eat snakes, but in reality this is purely a defensive adaptation, keeping pesky snakes at bay while the mongooses stick to their preferred diet of birds, insects and rodents.
The mongoose family also includes the well-known animals - meerkats.
11. Genetta and civets (family Viverridae ( Viverridae))
Superficially resembling weasels and raccoons, civets are small, nimble, sharp-nosed mammals native to Africa, southern Europe and southeast Asia. They are the most undeveloped cat-like mammals, compared to cats, hyenas and mongooses, indicating a clear separation in the evolutionary path of these animals millions of years ago.
Unusually for carnivores, at least one species of the civet family (the palm civet) follows a largely vegetarian diet, while many other civets and genets are omnivores.
12. Walruses (walrus family ( Odobenidae))
The walrus family includes exactly one species - the walrus ( Odobenus rosmarus). Walruses can weigh up to 2 tons, and are equipped with huge tusks surrounded by thick vibrissae (whiskers). A favorite food is bivalves, although they have also been spotted eating shrimp, crabs, sea cucumbers and even seals.
13. Red panda (panda family ( Ailuridae))
Red panda ( Ailurus fulgens listen)) is a small raccoon-like mammal that lives in southwestern China and the eastern Himalayas. Strangely for a member of the order Carnivora, this arboreal animal typically feeds on bamboo, but sometimes includes eggs, birds and various insects in its diet.
According to recent data, there are fewer than 10,000 red pandas left in the wild, and despite their protected status, numbers continue to decline.
14. Linzangi (subfamily Prionodontidae, civet family ( Viverridae))
In case you have never been to Indonesia or the Bay of Bengal, linsangs are half-meter-tall, weasel-like creatures with characteristic markings on their coats: dark transverse stripes from head to tail on the striped linsang ( Prionodon linsang), and the leopard coloring of the spotted linsang ( Prionodon pardicolor). Both species are found exclusively in Southeast Asia.
15. Fossa and Mungo (Madagascar civets ( Eupleridae))
Madagascar civets are probably the most misunderstood animal on this list of predatory mammals. Their range is limited to the island of Madagascar in the Indian Ocean. Genetic analysis has shown that Madagascar's 10 extant civet species are descended from a mongoose ancestor that accidentally arrived on the island in the mid-Cenozoic era, about 20 million years ago.
Like much of Madagascar's wildlife, many Madagascan civets are vulnerable to encroachment by human civilization.
SABLE. The pearl of the Siberian taiga - this is the name of the sable, which is the national pride of Russia
This is a pronounced predator - dexterous and courageous. In a day, the sable covers more than 10 km and climbs trees with pleasure. But unlike, say, a marten, it still prefers to walk on the ground. Sable hunts in different ways. Maybe, like a cat, it can lie in wait in ambush, or it can sneak up, or it chases the game until the latter falls from exhaustion. Its main food is small rodents, but the sable gladly includes pine nuts and berries in its menu - lingonberries, blueberries, rowan.
The pine marten is a very beautiful and graceful animal.
Thanks to its well-developed teeth and strong, sharp claws, it is an exceptionally bloodthirsty, strong and dexterous predator. Due to her lightning-fast movements, she freely praises the squirrel and easily catches capercaillie, hare, black grouse, and hazel grouse in the dark of night.
All sense organs, and in particular vision and hearing, are excellently developed in martens.
The winter color of the marten's fur is brownish-smoky with a slight lilac-fawn tint.
In summer and early autumn, the marten's fur is colored much darker, but it is shorter and not as fluffy as in winter. The throat and lower part of the neck are painted a beautiful light yellow color.
The ermine is a very agile and dexterous animal.
The ermine is not particularly cautious and is not at all afraid of humans. On the contrary, being overly curious, if he notices himself being observed, the first thing he does is jump up onto some hill in order to get a better look at the creature that interests him. If there is no aggressive action on the part of the person, the small predator loses interest in him and continues his hunt. Unfortunately, this cute and nimble animal, which is very interesting to watch in nature, in captivity quickly grows wild with age and has difficulty withstanding human interaction. Natural enemies of the ermine include red and gray foxes, martens, elka, sable, American badger, birds of prey; occasionally he is caught by ordinary cats
The diet of this specialized predator is dominated by mouse-like rodents.
POCKET also belongs to the mustelidae family.
In addition to the trochees themselves, the same genus of predators includes minks, weasels and ermine.
It has a calm, non-aggressive disposition and is easily tamed.
Adult ferrets lead a solitary lifestyle in nature. Predators. The forest ferret's main food source is small rodents, especially gray voles. The steppe ferret also destroys larger rodents - gophers, hamsters, and pikas. A poultry house is attacked near a home
LASKA is the smallest representative of the squad. But, despite its size, it is a ruthless predator.
The structure of the long, flexible body and the color of the fur are very similar to the ermine, but differ in its small size and shorter, and most importantly, monochromatic tail; She does not have a black tassel on her tail. The body of the weasel, like that of the ermine, is thin and long, with short legs armed with very sharp claws, an elongated head, small round ears, and a blunt and slightly forked nose at the end. At the base of the tail there are glands that secrete a liquid with an unpleasant odor.
In summer fur, the top of the head, back, sides, tail and outer sides of the paws are uniformly brownish-brown. Throat, edge of upper lip, chest, belly and inner surface paws - pure white. Behind the corners of the mouth there is a brown spot. The density of fur is the same in summer and winter, but summer hair is shorter and finer than winter hair. In autumn, the weasel, with the exception of some southern areas of its habitat, changes its brown summer plumage to pure white winter fur. Found in Europe, Northern Asia and North America.
Lives in fields and forests, in mountainous and lowland areas, without avoiding populated areas. It settles under stones, in hollows, in ruins, in burrows, barns, etc. The nest is lined with dry grass, moss, leaves of chestnuts and ferns.
Weasels often form colonies
The weasel is very dexterous and agile, runs fast, climbs and swims well, is distinguished by great courage and aggressiveness and is a dangerous enemy for all small animals; Its food consists of house mice, field and forest mice, rats, moles, young rabbits, hamsters, chickens, pigeons, as well as lizards, copperheads, snakes, even vipers, frogs, and insects.
In places where it is not pursued, the weasel hunts both day and night. By exterminating mice, it brings great benefit, which, in any case, outweighs the harm it sometimes brings to chicken coops. Weasels sometimes successfully fight off even relatively large birds of prey (for example, kites).
This representative of the genus of weasels and ferrets is closest to the weasel. Although the European mink is most similar to the American mink, they are actually quite distant relatives.
Mink loves to settle along the banks of heavily cluttered, slow-flowing forest rivers and streams with gently sloping banks overgrown with alder trees and thick grass. On such small rivers and in their meadow floodplains, the animal finds both food and reliable shelter.
The European mink eats almost all small animals found in or near bodies of water. But the basis of its diet is still mouse-like rodents, amphibians and small fish. Among rodents, it especially often catches water rats; among amphibians, frogs are important, and in early spring, their eggs and tadpoles. The plant part of the mink’s diet is not rich: only in winter time The desired food for her are lingonberries, rowan berries, and buckthorn.
The future of the European mink is quite uncertain. Apparently, its numbers have stabilized at the current fairly low level and seem to have stopped declining. However, in the North Caucasus the number of mink is so low that it requires immediate measures to protect it in this region. The Caucasian subspecies of European mink is listed in the Red Book of Russia.
SPEAKERS
A small animal of the mustelid family. The appearance of the kolonka is characteristic: this small animal is easy to recognize by the reddish coloring of its entire body and its fluffy tail.
Siberian snakes lead a predominantly sedentary lifestyle, although the animals usually do not mark or guard their individual territories. Only when these animals multiply greatly and there are too many of them, due to lack of food, they undertake long-distance mass migrations. During such “hungry” migrations, the speakers lose caution, run into villages along the way, literally burst into poultry and barnyards, warehouses, grabbing everything edible.
In terms of feeding patterns, the Siberian Siberian Siberian Siberian occupies an intermediate position between typical “mouse eaters” (weasel, ermine) and polyphagous predators (sable, marten). The diet of this animal consists of voles (including water voles), mice, hamsters, and small passerine birds. In the mountains, it catches pikas in the placers, in the forest-steppe it penetrates the burrows of zokor and eats their owners. Despite the small size of this predator, it even hunts hares, when there are many of them, and catches muskrats in the lake fins.
The otter is a large animal with an elongated, flexible, streamlined body. Body length - 55-95 cm, tail - 26-55 cm, weight - 6-10 kg. The paws are short, with webbed swimming. The tail is muscular and not fluffy.
Fur color: dark brown above, light, silver below. The guard hairs are coarse, but the underfur is very thick and delicate. The structure of its body is adapted for swimming underwater: a flat head, short legs, a long tail and non-wetting fur.
The otter leads a semi-aquatic lifestyle, swimming, diving and getting food in the water.
It lives mainly in forest rivers rich in fish, less often in lakes and ponds.
The otter is very active. Possessing a cheerful disposition, she devotes a lot of time to various kinds of games, especially loves to ride from heights. Both children and adults, having fun, slide down the coastal slope many times and splash into the water. In such places, “roller slides” are formed—slides smoothly polished by the bodies of animals on steep banks, ranging from 5 to 20 meters in length.
Our planet is inhabited by millions of different living beings. What animals are predatory? Today we want to talk about this topic. We will introduce you to the most dangerous animals.
White shark
Predatory animals live in the sky, on the ground and in the water. An example of an aquatic predator is the white shark. Any living creature that is spotted by a shark has virtually no chance of survival. This fish can be called the No. 1 predator, as its hunting abilities are truly unique. She is capable of moving very quickly. The streamlined shape of the body allows you to do this completely silently and perform incredible underwater maneuvers. She can even jump out of the water to strike her prey.
The white shark has several rows of sharp teeth. If these large predators lose at least one of them, a new one grows in its place in a very short time. Over the lifetime of this animal, fifty thousand teeth can change!
"King of beasts"
When we talk about predatory animals, many people immediately imagine beautiful and powerful lions. They reach a length of two and a half meters, and the weight can be 225 kg. These wild predators have a powerful, but rather slender body. The head is large, with a slightly elongated muzzle. The legs are not very high, but muscular and very strong. Long tail (from sixty to ninety centimeters) with a tassel at the end. A characteristic feature of these animals is a long mane that covers the shoulders, neck and chest. The rest of the body is covered with brownish-yellow short hair. The mane has a slightly darker color. 
Today, predatory lions live in Central Africa, and in very small numbers, in India - in the state of Gujarat, a small number lives in the Gir forests.
It happens erroneous opinion that they live in deserts. African predators, in particular lions, prefer savannas. An open landscape, many different ungulates, life-saving waterfalls where you can always quench your thirst. Leo needs plenty of water, so the presence of a reservoir is vital for him. These are very powerful and strong predators. Lions hunt ungulates. When catching up with their prey, they reach speeds of more than 60 km/h.
Predatory animals: example - leopard
This beautiful cat is distributed throughout Africa, perhaps excluding only the Sahara. These animals have amazing grace and beauty. They have an elongated, slender and flexible body (from ninety to one hundred and eighty centimeters), a long tail (up to one hundred and ten centimeters). These African predators usually weigh about forty kilograms, but occasionally larger individuals weighing up to one hundred kilograms are also found. Their fur is thick, but not very fluffy, and has a bright color. The inhabitants Far East the fur is fluffier and thicker, and the color is much paler. 
Leopard is an inhabitant of tropical, subtropical forests, mountain slopes and plains, thickets on river banks. Quite often, these predatory animals, photos of which you see in this article, settle near populated areas, stay alone, and go out hunting at night.
Leopards move well in trees and often rest there for the day or set up an ambush. They sometimes catch monkeys in trees, but usually hunt on the ground. In the reserves of tropical Africa, where Russian tourists love to visit, cheetahs, lions and other large predators are common. In addition, you can see smaller animals and rodents here.
Grizzly is dangerous and treacherous
This is the brown bear of North America. Rising to its feet, it can reach a height of two meters, while its weight often exceeds three hundred and eighty kilograms. With the help of powerful paws and huge jaws, it can easily kill a person. 
Predatory animals, such as the grizzly bear, can feed on a variety of mammals, including large ones. Despite their impressive size, these animals run fast and swim well. If you encounter one in the wild, be aware that it is very dangerous. It is best in such a situation to stand up to your full height and not allow the bear to escape. It reaches enormous speeds of up to sixty-five kilometers per hour. If you try to run away from him, you will only provoke his hunting instinct.
Wolves
These are, of course, predatory animals, photos of which should not be shown to anyone. Most of the most dangerous individuals prefer to live alone, relying solely on their own strength. However, most live in packs. This makes it easier to get food. Success in hunting usually depends on all members of the pack. The hunt begins with the pursuit of prey, which flees from angry predators. The dominant male leads the hunt. As soon as the victim accidentally trips and falls, the pack immediately surrounds him and kills him.
Komodo dragon
This is one of the largest lizards in the world, a very large reptile, weighing up to 150 kg and length - 3 meters. This predator has enormous strength, speed, and the ability to knock down an animal twice its weight. The monitor lizard's bite is poisonous, so even if the victim manages to escape from the predator, its hours are numbered. 
The monitor lizard waits in ambush for its prey. When necessary, he can quickly catch up with her, not only on land, but also in water. In one meal, a monitor lizard can eat half its own weight in meat! Good appetite...
Fish is a predator
Perhaps the most notorious (with the exception of a few sea predators) earned piranha. Looking at her predatory expression on her “face”, her sharp teeth, you feel somehow uneasy. Piranha lives in South America, V fresh waters. Typically, these predators feed at dawn or dusk. They wait in the water for small animals that accidentally find themselves there. In some cases, fish join groups to hunt together. In this case, they pose a huge danger to larger animals: horses, cows and even humans.
The names of predators can be collected into huge lists. These are not only tigers, wolves, lions, panthers. Snakes, birds, freshwater and others are predatory.
Black Mamba
This huge poisonous snake lives in Africa. It owes its name to the black leather on inside mouth, which she opens wide before delivering a bite.
IN normal conditions These snakes are usually quite calm, but if they are slightly disturbed, they can become aggressive. When attacking a victim, they try to inflict several bites, injecting deadly poison. More recently, the bite of a black mamba was fatal. Today, scientists have found an antidote, so deaths occur much less frequently.
Crocodiles
The predatory animals, photos of which you see in this article, are very dangerous. However, there is nothing scarier than a predator waiting for its prey in the water, merging with environment, spending hours watching his prey, preparing to deliver the killing blow.
The crocodile is a bloodthirsty and secretive predator. Powerful jaws and sharp teeth allow it to catch many animals. The Nile crocodile is capable of killing even a buffalo. As a rule, it lies motionless at the surface of the water, waiting for the animal to come to water. The crocodile suddenly rushes and drags its prey under water.
Spider - tarantula
It is not always the case that humans are much weaker physically than predatory animals. An example of this is tarantula spiders. They have very impressive sizes, and are also silent and skilled hunters. Not a single small animal is able to escape from their tenacious clutches. Tarantula knows how to wait. He waits for his prey, and as soon as it comes within his range, he pounces on it. In this case, the victim has no chance of survival. The diameter of the tarantula's body can reach 13 cm, and the paw span can be up to 30 cm! They instantly immobilize their prey, pour their stomach juices over it and greedily eat it. 
Birds of Predation
This rather extensive detachment united four families:
- falcons;
- condors;
- secretaries;
- hawks.
Birds of prey live all over the world except Antarctica. The largest of them is the Canadian condor. He lives on the South American coast Pacific Ocean and in the Andes. The wingspan reaches three meters, and the length is up to 1 meter 35 centimeters. Such a giant weighs up to 15 kilograms. The bird has long been listed in the Red Book of the Planet. Has beautiful plumage. Black shiny feathers all over the body are perfectly set off by a light, almost white “collar”. In addition, males have a bright red crest on their heads. The head and neck have no feathers. Its huge beak makes it look terrifying. Most often it feeds on carrion. Will not refuse to feast on the chicks and eggs of other birds. In search of food, it can cover a distance of 200 km in a day. The bird lives for about 50 years. They usually nest on a rocky cliff, in hard-to-reach places at an altitude of up to five meters above sea level.
White-tailed eagle
This is the largest bird of prey in Russia. Its wingspan reaches two meters, and its weight is 7 kg. Young birds are lighter in color than adults. They often settle in trees, but sometimes they build nests on rocks. For a long time this bird was destroyed because it was believed that it was harmful to farmland. Now it is protected by the state.
Saker falcon (Falcon family)
A large bird that lives in open spaces or foothills of Asia and Europe. IN Southern regions The saker falcon leads a nomadic and sometimes sedentary lifestyle; in the north it is migratory. It feeds on small birds or rodents. Settles on steep cliffs, trees, rocks. Most often they try to occupy the nests of other birds rather than build their own. Females are much larger than males. As a rule, a clutch consists of six eggs. The saker falcon, like the peregrine falcon and the gyrfalcon, are favorite assistants of bird hunters. You can only buy it at the zoo; you cannot catch it yourself, because the saker falcon is listed in the Red Book.
Golden eagle (Yastrebin family)
It prefers to live in forests, but with a wingspan of 2.4 meters, hunting in the forest is very problematic. Therefore, it most often settles in copses and on the edges of forests. It feeds on hares, foxes, fawns, and roe deer. Very valued by hunters, especially in areas Central Asia. Here the secrets of training these birds are passed down from generation to generation. A golden eagle's nest is a serious structure made of thick twigs and branches. A couple of birds settle in it for more than one season; it grows every year. As a result, it can reach three meters in diameter and 2 meters in height. 
They spend most of their time in the air, hovering above the ground. Its main food is small animals. They nest in tall trees and love coniferous trees. They do not refuse the nests of other birds. They often form colonies of several dozen pairs.