Why do carnivores exist?

Carnivores exist to keep the population of primary consumers in check. Without carnivores, there would be too many herbivores that would then eat up all the plants and die out. read more

Carnivores exist to keep the population of primary consumers in check. Without carnivores, there would be too many herbivores that would then eat up all the plants and die out. In addition to that, they cull the diseased and the elderly herbivores so that there isn’t an epidemic and so that the herbivores’ gene pool grows stronger. read more

If there were no carnivores, the numbers of the animals (often herbivores) that they prey on would increase dramatically. And, obviously, more herbivores, plus the additional number of carnivores turned to herbivores, would mean much less food. So, I believe it is unlikely that plant food would last very long if the planet was herbivorous. read more

To put it another way, the answer to the question"Why do carnivores exist" can perhaps be most succinctly answered with the word niche. If an island is inhabited by just one animal species, that species will obviously be limited to an herbivorous diet (unless it feeds on beach carrion or marine life). read more