NACA Animal Control Officers Practice Test

Which of the following is a characteristic of carnivores regarding their digestive systems?

1. They have a longer digestive system

2. They have specialized enzymatic digestion

3. They have a multi-chambered stomach

4. They primarily digest cellulose

The correct answer is: They have specialized enzymatic digestion

Carnivores are characterized by having specialized enzymatic digestion, distinguishing them from herbivores and omnivores. Their digestive systems are adapted for breaking down animal tissues, which require different enzymes than those needed to digest plants. Carnivores produce enzymes that effectively break down proteins and fats, allowing them to extract the necessary nutrients from their meat-based diet. This specialized enzymatic digestion is crucial for efficiently utilizing the highly proteinaceous and fatty components found in animal flesh. The length of a carnivore's digestive system is typically shorter than that of herbivores, as they do not need to ferment plant material or extract nutrients from fibrous cellulose, hence a longer digestive tract is not necessary. Additionally, most carnivores do not possess a multi-chambered stomach, which is more common in herbivores for processing plant material. Instead, carnivores generally have a single-chambered stomach that allows for quick digestion of their food. Lastly, carnivores do not primarily digest cellulose; that is a characteristic of herbivores, which require specific adaptations to break down the tough, fibrous plant material.