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BIO113 Studying Mammals Unit 5: MEAT EATERS - OPEN University

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Open University

S182_5
10 Hours 

Level
Introductory


Course Home (Click Here)

Course Description

In this unit, we will examine the biology of the impressive meat eaters (e.g. wolves, lions and cheetahs), focusing in part on the biological ‘equipment’ – slashing and gripping teeth, for example – and on the less obvious behavioural characteristics that have contributed to the undoubted success of these fearsome hunters. Many of the meat eaters live and hunt in groups, which raises intriguing questions about the advantages of group living and the types of social behaviour between individuals that help maintain group coherence.

This is the fifth in a series of units about studying mammals. To get the most from these units, you will need access to a copy of The Life of Mammals (2002) by David Attenborough, BBC Books (ISBN 0563534230), and The Life of Mammals (2002) on DVD, which contains the associated series of ten BBC TV programmes. OpenLearn unit S182_8 Studying mammals: life in the trees contains samples from the DVD set. You should begin each unit by watching the relevant TV programme on the DVD and reading the corresponding chapter in The Life of Mammals. You will be asked to rewatch specific sequences from the programme as you work through the unit.

Learning Outcomes

By the end of this unit you should be able to:

  • describe some of the characteristic features of carnivores;
  • outline the dentition of carnivores and its link with diet;
  • outline some of the behavioural and sensory characteristics of carnivores, with examples;
  • explain, with examples, the roles that vision and smell play in the lives of carnivores;
  • explain the variety of ways in which carnivores assemble in groups;
  • discuss the advantages and disadvantages of group living;
  • explain the factors that may influence hunting success in carnivores;
  • give examples of ways in which conflict within groups is minimised.


 

Introduction

  • Introduction Resource
  • In this unit, we will examine the biology of the impressive meat eaters (e.g. wolves, lions and cheetahs), focusing in part on the biological ‘equipment’ – slashing and gripping teeth, for example – and...

 

1 The hunters

  • 1 The hunters Resource
  • As you work through this unit you will come across boxes, like this one, which give you advice about the study skills that you will be developing as you progress through the unit. To avoid breaking up...

 

2 The Carnivora

  • 2.1 Introducing the Carnivora Resource
  • Table 1 in this section lists the scientific names of the families of the Carnivora, as well as their common names. You are not expected to recall the family names, though you will probably be able to...
  • 2.2 What are the common features of Carnivora? Resource
  • As LoM and the TV programme reveal, there is great variation in the size and shape of carnivores and also in their lifestyle and behaviour. They have a worldwide distribution – from arctic foxes to equatorial...

 

3 Characteristics of the hunters

  • 3.1 Speed and endurance Resource
  • The first question in this section is a mathematical one, in which you are asked to convert from one set of units to another. If you have been following the advice in previous units in this series, you...
  • 3.2 Other specialisations found in hunters Resource
  • Claws are important for grabbing prey. They must be kept sharp and trees (or chair legs, as domestic cat owners can confirm) are used as scratching posts. In all cats other than the cheetah, the claws...
  • 3.3 Senses: vision Resource
  • Vision needs to be effective to spot prey, and in many species to allow precise calculation of distances when it comes to the final pounce. In terms of success, an individual can't ‘afford’ too many failures;...
  • 3.4 Senses: hearing Resource
  • Hearing involves the capacity not simply to hear sounds of particular frequencies, but also to locate their source.
  • 3.5 Senses: smell Resource
  • Smell is rightly emphasised in LoM as important to carnivores. It offers advantages over visual and sound signals, which may be difficult to detect, for example at night or in dense vegetation. Furthermore,...

 

4 Living in groups

  • 4.1 The advantages Resource
  • On the basis of LoM and the TV programme, and hearing so much about African hunting dogs and lions, you might be tempted to believe that carnivores generally live in groups.
  • 4.2 Aggression Resource
  • What of the possible disadvantages of living in a group? Think back to the type of interactions between individuals within the groups you saw in the TV programme.

 

References and Acknowledgements

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Copyright 2007, by the Contributing Authors. Cite/attribute Resource. administrator. (2010, January 30). BIO113 Studying Mammals Unit 5: MEAT EATERS - OPEN University. Retrieved March 12, 2010, from Free University Courses OCW Courses OpenCourseWare Freeversity Foundation Web site: http://freeversity.org/science-and-mathematics/biology/bio113-studying-mammals-unit-5-meat-eaters-open-university. This work is licensed under a Creative Commons License Creative Commons License