In the book, Pollan asks the seemingly straightforward question of what we should have for dinner. Humans are natural-born omnivores, but some people choose to become vegetarian. Omnivores range from small creatures such as cockroaches to the brown bear, which can weigh more than half a ton. It can grow up to 10 feet tall (3.04 meters) and weigh up to 1,500 lbs. You pronounce their name 'or-nith-o-mime-us'. Many animals that eat fruit and leaves sometimes eat other parts of plants, for example roots and seeds.Usually, such animals cannot digest meat. An omnivore is any animal that is a generalist feeder, consuming a wide variety of foods that include both animal and plant matter. Omnivores eat plants so they are able to survive in many environments. Animals fall into three distinct groups based upon what they eat. Bears are members of the Carnivora order, but they are omnivores — they eat meat and plants. Omnivore. Then, the food gets broken down in the gizzard, a strong digestive muscle, and rocks that the chicken has swallowed. The food is softened in the stomach by hydrochloric acid and digestive enzymes. It also makes it easier for them to live in less consistent environments; (those that change along with the season, for example). “In terms of evolving to be a meat eater or plant eater, basically, any place there is available energy you will have a ‘niche’ for a species to fill in the ecosystem,” said McCarthy. They are sometimes called "life-history omnivores", because they are only omnivores if their whole life is considered. There Are 15 Basic Carnivore Families. Our teeth are designed to eat both meat and plants. Vegetarianism is based on the concept of not eating meat, although some vegetarians include dairy, eggs, fish or even poultry. Therefore, omnivore means "devours all" in Latin. Humans have canines and incisors that bite and tear into food and molars and premolars that are used to crush food. Removing an omnivore species can lead to vegetation overgrowth and an overabundance of any creatures that was part of its diet. The word omnivore comes from the Latin words omni—meaning "all"—and vorare—meaning "devour, or swallow". For example, animals that eat primarily fruit are called frugivores, according to Encyclopedia Britannica. If you think that only animals are carnivorous, you are wrong. The back teeth work to chew meats and grind down fruits and vegetables. Some species, such as grazing waterfowl like geese, are known to eat mainly animals at one stage of their lives, but plants at another. The KidsAnimalsFacts.com is designed specifically for kids so that they get to know some of the most interesting & amazing facts about animals. Humans obviously have access to the most types of meats and plants. An omnivore is an organism that regularly consumes a variety of material, including plants, animals, algae, and fungi.They range in size from tiny insects like ants to large creatures—like people. The plants can … Humans and Pan (chimps and bonobos) diverged 5 to 8 … NY 10036. Why did some animals evolve to eat meat or vegetation while others eat both? Human beings are omnivores. Animal omnivores (including humans) come in many different sizes. (680 kilograms), according to the Alaska Department of Fish and Game. While most animals have sharper, more pointed teeth for tearing and ripping, the concept is the same. Food sources can include algae, plants, fungi, and animals. When meat is scarce, many animals will fill their diets with vegetation and vice versa, according to National Geographic. Also, many insects, such as the beatle family Meloidae, eat animal tissue when they are larvae, but eat plant matter after they mature.