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An 'omnivore' (from Latin: ''omne'' all, everything; ''vorare'' to devour) is a species of animal that eats both plants and animals as its primary food source.

Contents

Humans

Meat as the only food

Exceptions

Species considered omnivorous

See also

Humans

Humans are considered an omnivorous species due to their eating a diet of plant and animal products. Although some humans only eat food derived directly from plants (see veganism), and some humans only eat food derived from animals (see carnivorism), the human species in general has an omnivorous diet, generally including more animal products in its diet than related primate species.

Meat as the only food

Some people think that because humans cannot synthesize their own vitamin C due to a mutation at some point in time, a meat-only diet will lead to scurvy. But this is not true, as proven by the excellent health of native Inuits who consume a diet of almost nothing but raw meat and fish for their entire lives. It is the eating of meat and fish without cooking that preserves the anti-scorbiotic properties in the flesh and prevents scurvy. The Inuits who stick to their native diet also show remarkably low rates of obesity, diabetes, heart disease, high cholesterol, depression, anxiety disorder, epilepsy, tooth decay, and cancer, among other things.

Exceptions

There are reported cases of meat eating herbivores. Sensational news reporting of cows eating chickens and bacon loving rabbits are common enough, however these are exceptional examples of a particular member of the species and usually not considered to be Omnivores. It should be kept in mind that these distinctions are man made and not every creature will fall neatly into them.

Species considered omnivorous

★ Some fish such as Piranha

★ Various mammals

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★ Pigs

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★ Bears

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★ Dogs

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★ Some rodents, including mice, rats, squirrels, and chipmunks

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★ Opossums

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★ Skunks

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★ Raccoons

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★ Foxes

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★ Wolves

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★ Humans

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★ Chimpanzees

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★ Monkeys

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★ Gorillas

★ Various birds

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★ Rails

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★ Rhea

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★ Keas

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★ Most gulls

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★ Chickens

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★ Crows

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★ Domestic pigeons

See also

★ Carnivore

★ Detritivore

★ Herbivore

★ Insectivore