Scavengers that feed on carrion s (
Gyps fulvus) eating the carcass of a
red deer in Spain Obligate scavenging of carrion (obligate necrophagy) is rare among vertebrates, due to the difficulty of finding enough carrion without expending too much energy.
New World vultures such as the
black vulture, and
Old World vultures such as the
griffon vulture,
white-backed vulture and
lappet-faced vulture, are examples of obligate carrion scavengers.
Gulls,
crows and
magpies frequently scavenge
roadkill. Other vertebrates, for example
Egyptian mastigures, scavenge to survive during times of food scarcity. Aquatic and semi-aquatic vertebrates feed on carrion too. Carrion-eating scavengers found in marine settings include
hagfish,
great white sharks,
northern wolffish and
abyssal grenadiers, and carrion-eating scavengers found in freshwater settings include
American alligators,
Eurasian otters and
common midwife toads. Other invertebrates, such as
blow flies,
flesh flies and
yellowjackets, also feed on carrion but are not reliant on it for survival. Also,
yellowjackets can hunt
caterpillars and other insects and feed on nectar, sap and fruit. In addition to the terrestrial examples above, many aquatic invertebrates consume carrion. The
common octopus,
European green crab and
seven-armed starfish are all marine invertebrates that feed on carrion, and the ribbon leech
Erpobdella obscura and
red swamp crayfish are freshwater invertebrates that feed on carrion. protect themselves from
infection and
intoxication (e.g. strong
immune systems, toxin-resistant physiologies), gorge themselves when food is available (e.g. expandable
intestines), and conserve energy between meals (e.g.
gliding flight). Some
stag beetles are obligate scavengers of dead plant material. For example,
Lucanus cervus is dependent on dead wood during the larval stages of its life cycle. Adult
Lucanus cervus beetles lay their eggs near the stumps of dead trees, and the larvae then spend the next 4 to 7 years feeding and growing in size. Types of wood eaten include oak, ash, elm, sycamore, lime and hornbeam.
Darkling beetles (tenebrionids),
woodlice, are also facultative scavengers of dead plant material.
Scavengers that feed on discarded food scavenging in a garbage can for food In urban settings, some animals regularly explore
public parks and
garbage cans for discarded food items that they can eat. Vertebrate examples include
gulls,
feral pigeons,
raccoon dogs,
red foxes,
martens and
polecats sometimes scavenge for food.
Hyenas also scavenge from municipal dumps in some prey-depleted districts of East Africa. The type of
refuse eaten may be of plant origin (e.g.
fruits,
vegetables,
leaves), animal origin (e.g.
slaughterhouse discards), or it may be prepared food (e.g.
cooked rice,
bakery items). == Prehistoric scavengers ==