CBSE Class 3 Environmental Studies Eating Habits of Animals Notes Set 03

Why do animals need food?

All animals need food. Food gives them energy to run, fly, swim and play. It helps them grow, repair their bodies and stay healthy. Plants can make their own food in their green leaves using sunlight, but animals cannot. So every animal depends on plants or on other animals for its food.

Eating habits

The kind of food an animal usually eats is called its eating habit. On the basis of their eating habits animals are placed in different groups.

Herbivores

Animals that eat only plants and plant parts such as grass, leaves, fruits, seeds and nuts are called herbivores. Cow, buffalo, goat, deer, elephant, rabbit, horse and giraffe are herbivores. They have flat and broad teeth at the back of the mouth that help them to grind plant food. Herbivores can be as small as an insect that drinks plant sap or as large as an elephant.

Carnivores

Animals that eat only the flesh of other animals are called carnivores. Lion, tiger, leopard, wolf, crocodile and eagle are carnivores. They have sharp, pointed teeth to catch and tear flesh. Many carnivores hunt other animals for food, and the animal that is hunted is called the prey. A hunter is called a predator.

Omnivores

Animals that eat both plants and animals are called omnivores. Crow, bear, dog, pig, squirrel and monkey are omnivores. Human beings are also omnivores because we eat vegetables, fruits and grains as well as milk products, eggs or meat.

Scavengers

Some animals do not hunt. They eat the flesh of animals that are already dead. These animals are called scavengers. Vulture, hyena and jackal are scavengers. They help to keep the surroundings clean.

Decomposers

Fungi (like mushroom and mould) and bacteria break down the remains of dead plants and animals into the soil. They are called decomposers. The nutrients that go back to the soil are used again by plants.

Quick table

1. Herbivore: eats plants only. Example: cow.

2. Carnivore: eats flesh only. Example: lion.

3. Omnivore: eats both plants and flesh. Example: bear.

4. Scavenger: eats dead animals. Example: vulture.

5. Decomposer: breaks down dead plants and animals. Example: bacteria.

Worked examples

Example 1. Is a goat a herbivore, carnivore or omnivore?
A goat eats grass, leaves and other plants only, so it is a herbivore.

Example 2. Why can a tiger not live on grass?
A tiger has sharp teeth for tearing flesh and its body is made to digest meat, so it is a carnivore and needs to eat other animals.

Example 3. A crow eats grains, insects and left-over food. Which group does it belong to?
A crow eats both plant food and animal food, so it is an omnivore.

Think about it

Which group do you belong to? If you eat both plant foods and animal foods, you are an omnivore. Some people eat only plant foods and milk products, but human teeth and body are made to digest both kinds of food.

Did you know?

Some animals change their food with the seasons. A bear eats fish and berries when they are plentiful. Animals choose food that is easy for them to find and digest, and each animal has a body suited to its food. Teeth, beaks and stomachs all differ with what the animal eats, which helps it survive in its home.

Quick Check Questions