Who's a vegetarian?

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Spartacus said:
Jason,
these posts IMPLIED that our teeth are that of carnivores, didn´t they?
But they are not, herbivores need the front teeth to eg cut of/break open the plants they want to eat, they then use the grinders to chew them before swallowing.
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I think you forgot about canine teeth, which humans have. And omnivore/carnivore incisors, are morphologically distinct from herbivore incisors. Ask an evolutionary biologist...

Spartacus said:
Of course we could settle on the "omnivore" teeth again, but this would imply a huge group of defined omnivores.
But there are rather few animals that are omivores, bears and pigs being the most known ones.
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I don't know what this is intended to mean.

Are you suggesting that the fact that obligate herbivore and carnivore species outnumber omnivore species, means that there's no such thing as omnivores...?

If you're going to toss out a couple hundred years' worth of accumulated knowledge in the field of biology, I think you need need something better than your 'implication.'

Spartacus said:
But even bears take around 70% of their diet in the form of plants (but I guess it´s more popular to show them "hunting" for salmon...)
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Plants are an 'easier' source of nutrients, so of course bears eat more plants. But it's during salmon season, that they put on the weight they need to survive through hibernation, since the salmon are a more concentrated source of nutrients.
 
rsbush, I know it's not practical for everyone. But there is a monstrous segment of society who do have backyards or front yards that they could use as garden space, but choose to continue buying veggies that are shipped in from other parts of the world who could make a serious impact if we got back to some gardening basics.

It's funny how convenience is making the world more complicated than it should have to be.
 
It's only the end-consumer's convenience we're talking about.

That convenience is purchased at the price of a lot of inconvenience, for others.
 
Sad Max said:
I think you forgot about canine teeth, which humans have. And omnivore/carnivore incisors, are morphologically distinct from herbivore incisors. Ask an evolutionary biologist...
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A gorilla has mighty canine teeth and is still considered to be a herbivore.

Sad Max said:
I don't know what this is intended to mean.

Are you suggesting that the fact that obligate herbivore and carnivore species outnumber omnivore species, means that there's no such thing as omnivores...?

If you're going to toss out a couple hundred years' worth of accumulated knowledge in the field of biology, I think you need need something better than your 'implication.'
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I was just pointing out that the group of animals clasified as omnivores is rather small, compared to carnivores and herbivores.
Also a lot of these omnivores are more or less scavangers or take about as much effort in hunting as Al Bundy in making love to his wife (doesn´t make them less omnivore though...)
BTW I was even giving examples for omnivores, why are you trying to read sth that isn´t there...?

Sad Max said:
Plants are an 'easier' source of nutrients, so of course bears eat more plants. But it's during salmon season, that they put on the weight they need to survive through hibernation, since the salmon are a more concentrated source of nutrients.
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You´re always raving about "knowledge in the field of biology", well what about the fact that most bears will never eat a salmon in their live?
Salmons on their way up the stream simply are an easy catch and bears being lucky enough to live near by adopted to that.
Also, the biggest mamals on our planet are plant eaters, no need for a "a more concentrated source of nutrients" for an elephant...
 
Wild gorillas have been observed consuming meat. It's very rare (the behavior, not the meat) but they *do* have the capability, and occasionally use it.

Spartacus said:
I was just pointing out that the group of animals clasified as omnivores is rather small, compared to carnivores and herbivores.
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Okay. And that demonstrates...what, exactly?

Spartacus said:
You´re always raving about "knowledge in the field of biology", well what about the fact that most bears will never eat a salmon in their live?
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I think I tend more toward ranting, than raving...

Bears who don't eat salmon, eat seals, or other animals, or grubs, or whatever else they can catch...or they don't get to eat meat, at all. The fact that an opportunistic omnivore doesn't always get the opportunity to eat like an omnivore, changes nothing.


Spartacus said:
Salmons on their way up the stream simply are an easy catch and bears being lucky enough to live near by adopted to that.
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Just like bears in other environments, have adapted to opportunistically hunting whatever may be available, there. Still omnivores, all around...


Spartacus said:
Also, the biggest mamals on our planet are plant eaters, no need for a "a more concentrated source of nutrients" for an elephant...
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(1) The largest mammals on the planet are not elephants. The largest mammals on-planet, are whales. Who eat krill. Krill are shrimp-like animals. Krill are not plants.

 (2) Elephants spend virtually *all* their time eating - because large plant-eaters are obliged to do so. Because grazing is a comparatively low-efficiency way, to absorb nutrients.



I'm not too proud, to admit that I can't see what you're trying to prove, regarding bears, etc.

They eat plants when they can, they eat animals when they can, and that's just about the definition of an omnivore.

So what's you point?
 
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Being able to eat whatever you might come across, insures the survival of any species. If all you eat is meat, and your food source either moves or dies off, guess what? You don't eat. If all you eat is vegetation, what happens when there is a drought, locust, or fire? We weren't meant to eat just meat, or eat just vegetation, but to eat whatever we could find. No one food group has all the nutrients we need to be healthy, but a mixture of the groups does. This is why our teeth have features from both carnivores and herbivores, to increase our chance for survival. Of course, there is nothing that will help us to survive against stupidity.
 
Stupidity.jpg



Capt I think that should be your new signature!
 
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No joke - I was driving through Idaho with my wife and we rounded a bend in the road and if we had been going just a little faster, we would have been wearing cow. And the cow, us.

Inadequate fencing.

Nice.
 
I like to shop for lamb, every now and then it goes on sale. Either way, once a year I have to make lamb stew for St Pattie's day.
 
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