The diverse
order Carnivora includes about 230 placental
mammals. While the
Giant Panda is a herbivore, nearly all others eat meat as their primary diet item: some (such as the
cat family) almost exclusively, others (like the bears and foxes) are omnivorous. Members of the Carnivora have a characteristic skull shape, and their
dentition includes prominent canines and carnassials.
Some authorities also list a number of marine mammals in Carnivora, in which case the order includes over 260 species. Alternatively, they are listed as a separate order:
