Is the length of the digestive system correlated with the diet in herbivores and carnivores. Do enquire and write a short report
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Answer:
Carnivores
Carnivorous animals like those in the cat and dog families, polar bears, seals, crocodiles and birds of prey catch and eat other animals. They often have to use large amounts of energy finding, stalking, catching and killing their prey. However, they are rewarded by the fact that meat provides a very concentrated source of nutrients. Carnivores in the wild therefore tend to eat distinct meals often with long and irregular intervals between them. Time after feeding is spent digesting and absorbing the food.
The guts of carnivores are usually shorter and less complex than those of herbivores because meat is easier to digest than plant material. Carnivores usually have teeth that are specialised for dealing with flesh, gristle and bone. They have sleek bodies, strong, sharp claws and keen senses of smell, hearing and sight. They are also often cunning, alert and have an aggressive nature.
Omnivores
Many animals feed on both animal and vegetable material – they are omnivorous. There are currently two similar definitions of omnivorism:
1. Having the ability to derive energy from plant and animal material.
2. Having characteristics which are optimized for acquiring and eating both plants and animals.
Some animals fit both definitions of omnivorism, including bears, raccoons, dogs, and hedgehogs. Their food is diverse, ranging from plant material to animals they have either killed themselves or scavenged from other carnivores. They are well equipped to hunt and tear flesh (claws, sharp teeth, and a strong, non-rotational jaw hinge), but they also have slightly longer intestines than carnivores, which has been found to facilitate plant digestion. The examples also retain an ability to taste amino acids, making unseasoned flesh palatable to most members of the species.
Classically, humans and chimpanzees are classified as omnivores. However, further research has shown chimpanzees typically consume 95% plant matter (the remaining mass is largely termites), and their teeth, jaw hinge, stomach pH, and intestinal length closely matches herbivores, which many suggest classified them as herbivores. Humans, conversely, have chosen to eat meat for much of the archaeological record, although their teeth, jaw hinge, and stomach pH, and intestinal lengths also closely match other herbivores.
The dispute of human/ chimps classifications is caused by two things. First, there is research that both plant-only and some-animal diets promote health (longevity and freedom from disease) in humans. Second, well-off humans have often chosen to eat meat and dairy products throughout written history, which some argue shows that we prefer meat and dairy by latent instinct.
Per the classical definition, omnivores lack the specialized teeth and guts of carnivores and herbivores but are often highly intelligent and adaptable reflecting their varied diet.
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