The first member of the Order Carnivora was probably a small civet-like creature that evolved sometime in the Eocene, around fifty million years ago. By the beginning of the Oligocene, thirty three million years ago, they had split into the two suborders, the Caniformia (dog-like) and the Feliformia (cat-like).
This diary will give an photographic overview of the Order Carnivora while attempting to convey, roughly, the phylogeny, or relatedness of the existing families (the photos are limited to those creatures that I have managed to encounter with my camera).
Order Carnivora
Suborder Caniformia
These are the "dog-like" carnivores so we will start with the true dogs, the family Canidae:
Red Fox, Vulpes vulpes, Katmai National Park Alaska
Gray Wolf, Canis lupis, Denali National Park
Of course this highly intelligent and social hunter is the animal that became the domestic dog.
African Hunting Dog, or Painted Dog, Lycaon pictus, Botswana (endangered)
Caniformia has another main branch called the Infraorder Arctoidea which consists of three Superfamilies. The first is the Ursoidea, including the family Ursidae, the bears.
Brown Bear, Ursus arctos, Katmai National Park
Our next group Superfamily Musteloidea, including:
Family Ailuridae which includes only the unique Red Panda.
Family Mephitidae, the skunks and stink badgers.
Family Procyonidae, the raccoons.
and Family Mustelidae, the weasels, badgers, wolverines, minks and otters.
Honey Badger, Mellivora capensis , Botswana
Sea Otter, Enhydra lutris, Prince William Sound. The heaviest animal in the Family Mustelidae, it has evolved to a life at sea even giving birth in the water. (endangered)
Our last Superfamily in the Caniformia is Superfamily Pinnipedia. They evolved from a bear-like ancestor that returned to the ocean. Including:
Family Odobenidae the massive tusked Walrus;
Family Otariidae the sea lions, fur seals and eared seals.
Stellar Sea Lion, Eumetopias jubatus, Alaska (endangered)
Guadalupe Fur Seal, Arctocephalus townsendi, Guadalupe Island Mexico, (vulnerable)
and Family Phocidae the true seals
Northern Elephant Seal, Mirounga angustirostris Guadalupe Island Mexico. These are young and/or female. The bull southern elephant seal (a close cousin) is the largest animal in the Order Carnivora currently living.
Hawaiian Monk Seal, Monachus schauinslandi, Oahu (endangered) This one is sleeping.
now let's turn our attention the "cat-like" carnivores...
Suborder Feliformia
Our first group is Family Nandiniidae which contains only the African Palm Civet This little creature is probably similar to the earliest members of Carnivora, small, solitary and nocturnal.
Next we come to the true cats
Superfamily Feloidea
Family Prinonodontidae 2 species of Asiatic linsangs
and Family Felidae, the Cats:
Leopard, Panthera pardus, Botswana
and a leopard cub
the world's greatest speedster, the genetically-challenged and endangered Cheetah, Acinonyx jubatus Botswana
The Lion, Panthera leo, Botswana
The Tiger, Panthera tigris, (endangered) this is a Sumatran Tiger cub, Honolulu Zoo
African Wildcat, Felis silvestris lybica
this is the creature that self-domesticated around 10,000 years ago to become...
the Domestic Cat, Felis catus
Family Viverridae, the civets, genets and lisangs.
Superfamily Herpestoidea consisting of three Families:
Family Hyaenidae, 3 species of Hyenas and the Aardwolf. Contrary to first appearances hyenas are more closely related to cats than dogs.
The Spotted Hyena, Crocuta crocuta, Botswana.
Spotted Hyena cub
Family Herpestidae, the mongooses and meerkats
Slender Mongoose, Galerella sanguinea, Botswana.
Meerkat, Suricata suricatta, San Diego Zoo
and finally the unique creatures of Family Eupleridae, a group of small predators including the Fossa that have been preserved in the isolation of Madagascar.
I hope you've enjoyed this quick journey through the Order Carnivora. It is sad to note how many of these creature are endangered. As always feel free to post your pooties and woozles or your favorite photos. Please be good humans.