Carrion: Difference between revisions
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[[File:Fish-Food-in-the-Deep-Sea-Revisiting-the-Role-of-Large-Food-Falls-pone.0096016.s005.ogv|thumb|[[Zoarcidae|Zoarcid fish]] feeding on the carrion of a [[Mobula|mobulid ray]].]] | [[File:Fish-Food-in-the-Deep-Sea-Revisiting-the-Role-of-Large-Food-Falls-pone.0096016.s005.ogv|thumb|[[Zoarcidae|Zoarcid fish]] feeding on the carrion of a [[Mobula|mobulid ray]].]] | ||
[[File:Flies settle on a sheep carrion.jpg|thumb|[[Fly|Flies]] settling on a [[sheep]] carrion]] | [[File:Flies settle on a sheep carrion.jpg|thumb|[[Fly|Flies]] settling on a [[sheep]] carrion]] | ||
Carrion begins to decay at the moment of the animal's death, and it will increasingly attract insects and breed [[bacteria]]. Not long after the animal has died, its body will begin to exude a foul odor caused by the presence of bacteria and the emission of [[cadaverine]] and [[putrescine]]. | Carrion begins to decay at the moment of the animal's death, and it will increasingly attract insects and breed [[bacteria]]. Not long after the animal has died, its body will begin to exude a foul odor caused by the presence of bacteria and the emission of [[cadaverine]] and [[putrescine]].<ref name=":10">{{cite journal |last1=Mondor |first1=EB |last2=Tremblay |first2=MN |last3=Tomberlin|first3=JK|last4=Benbow|first4=EM|last5=Tarone|first5=AM|last6=Crippen|first6=TL|date=2012 |title=The ecology of carrion decomposition|journal=Nature Education Knowledge|volume=3 |issue=10 |pages=21 |url=https://www.nature.com/scitable/knowledge/library/the-ecology-of-carrion-decomposition-84118259/}}</ref> | ||
Carrion can harbor many infectious and disease-causing agents including viruses (e.g. [[rabies virus]], [[West Nile virus]]),<ref name=":01">{{cite journal |last1= Schaefer |first1=JM|title=The viability of rabies in carrion |journal= Great Plains Wildlife Damage Control Workshop Proceedings|date=1983 |volume= |issue= |pages=288|url= https://digitalcommons.unl.edu/gpwdcwp/288/}}</ref><ref name=":02">{{cite journal |last1=Nemeth|first1=NM|last2=Beckett|first2=S|last3=Edwards |first3=E|last4=Klenk|first4=K|last5=Komar|first5=N|title=Avian mortality surveillance for West Nile virus in Colorado|journal=American Journal of Tropical Medicine and Hygiene|date=2007|volume=76|issue=3|pages=431-437|doi=10.4269/ajtmh.2007.76.431|pmid=17360863}}</ref> [[bacteria]] (e.g. ''[[Bacillus anthracis]]'', ''[[Francisella tularensis]]'', ''[[Listeria monocytogenes]]'', ''[[Pasteurella multocida]]''),<ref name=":03">{{cite journal |last1=Cushnie |first1=TP |last2=Luang-In |first2=V |last3=Sexton |first3=DW|title=Necrophages and necrophiles: a review of their antibacterial defenses and biotechnological potential |journal=Critical Reviews in Biotechnology |date=2025 |volume=45 |issue=3 |pages=625-642|doi=10.1080/07388551.2024.2389175| pmid=39198023|url= https://zenodo.org/records/13889044 }}</ref> [[Microbial toxin#bacterial|bacterial toxins]] (e.g. [[botulinum toxin|botulinum]])<ref name=":03" /> and helminths (e.g. ''[[Trichinella]]'' species).<ref name=":04">{{cite book|last1=Roepstorff |first1=A| last2=Nansen |first2=P| year=1998|title=Epidemiology, Diagnosis and Control of Helminth Parasites of Swine|page=23|publisher=Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations|location=Rome|isbn=978-9-2510-4220-5 |url=https://www.fao.org/4/x0520e/x0520e.pdf}}</ref><ref name=":05">{{cite journal |last1=Stewart|first1=GL|last2=Kennedy|first2=RR|last3=Larsen |first3=E|title=Infectivity of ''Trichinella pseudospiralis'' isolated from carrion|journal=Journal of Parasitology|date=1990|volume=76|issue=5|pages=750-751|doi=10.2307/3282999|pmid= 2213425|url=https://doi.org/10.2307/3282999}}</ref> Several outbreaks of disease, attributed to direct or indirect contact with carrion, have been reported in humans<ref name=":06">{{cite journal|last1=Kunanusont|first1=C |last2=Limpakarnjanarat|first2=K |last3=Foy |first3=HM|title= Outbreak of anthrax in Thailand|journal=Annals of Tropical Medicine & Parasitology|date=1990|volume=84|issue=5|pages=507-512 |doi=10.1080/00034983.1990.11812502|pmid= 2124098}}</ref><ref name=":07">{{cite journal |last1=Middaugh|first1=J |last2=Lynn|first2=T|last3=Funk |first3=B|last4=Jilly |first4=B|last5=Maslanka|first5=S |last6=McLaughlin|first6=J|title=Outbreak of botulism type E associated with eating a beached whale--Western Alaska, July 2002 |journal=Morbidity and Mortality Weekly Report |date=2003|volume=52|issue=2|pages=24-26|pmid= 12608715 |url=https://www.cdc.gov/mmwr/preview/mmwrhtml/mm5202a2.htm}}</ref> and animals.<ref name=":08">{{cite journal |last1=Galey|first1=FD|last2=Terra|first2=R|last3=Walker |first3=R|last4=Adaska|first4=J|last5=Etchebarne|first5=MA|last6=Puschner|first6=B|last7=Fisher|first7=E|last8=Whitlock|first8=RH|last9=Rocke|first9=T|last10=Willoughby|first10=D|last11=Tor|first11=E|title=Type C botulism in dairy cattle from feed contaminated with a dead cat|journal=Journal of Veterinary Diagnostic Investigation|date=2000|volume=12|issue=3|pages=204-209|doi=10.1177/104063870001200302|pmid=10826832}}</ref><ref name=":09">{{cite journal |last1=Evelsizer|first1=DD|last2=Clark|first2=RG|last3=Bollinger |first3=TK|title=Relationships between local carcass density and risk of mortality in molting mallards during avian botulism outbreaks|journal=Journal of Wildlife Diseases|date=2010|volume=46|issue=2|pages=507-513|doi=10.7589/0090-3558-46.2.507|pmid=20688643}}</ref> | |||
Some plants and [[fungus|fungi]] smell like [[Decomposition|decomposing]] carrion and attract insects that aid in reproduction. Plants that exhibit this behavior are known as [[carrion flower]]s.<ref name=":11" /> [[Phallaceae|Stinkhorn mushroom]]s are examples of fungi with this characteristic.<ref name=":11">{{Cite journal |last1=Johnson |first1=SD|last2=Jürgens |first2=A|date=2010 |title=Convergent evolution of carrion and faecal scent mimicry in fly-pollinated angiosperm flowers and a stinkhorn fungus |journal=South African Journal of Botany |language=en |volume=76 |issue=4 |pages=796–807 |doi=10.1016/j.sajb.2010.07.012 |issn=0254-6299 |doi-access=free }}</ref> | |||
[[File:Coyoteelk.jpg|thumb|A [[mountain coyote|coyote]] feeding on [[elk]] carrion in [[Yellowstone National Park]]'s Lamar Valley during winter.]] | [[File:Coyoteelk.jpg|thumb|A [[mountain coyote|coyote]] feeding on [[elk]] carrion in [[Yellowstone National Park]]'s Lamar Valley during winter.]] | ||
Sometimes carrion is used to describe an infected carcass that is diseased and should not be touched. An example of carrion being used to describe dead and rotting bodies in literature may be found in [[William Shakespeare]]'s play ''[[Julius Caesar (play)|Julius Caesar]]'' (III.i):<ref>[http://shakespeare.mit.edu/julius_caesar/julius_caesar.3.1.html The Life and Death of Julius Caesar]. Scene I. Rome. Before the Capitol; the Senate sitting above.</ref> | Sometimes carrion is used to describe an infected carcass that is diseased and should not be touched. An example of carrion being used to describe dead and rotting bodies in literature may be found in [[William Shakespeare]]'s play ''[[Julius Caesar (play)|Julius Caesar]]'' (III.i):<ref>[http://shakespeare.mit.edu/julius_caesar/julius_caesar.3.1.html The Life and Death of Julius Caesar]. Scene I. Rome. Before the Capitol; the Senate sitting above.</ref> | ||
Revision as of 11:42, 10 June 2025
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Carrion (Template:Etymology), also known as a carcass, is the decaying flesh of dead animals.
Overview
Carrion is an important food source for large carnivores and omnivores in most ecosystems. Examples of carrion-eaters (or scavengers) include crows, vultures, humans, hawks, eagles,[1] hyenas,[2] Virginia opossum,[3] Tasmanian devils,[4] coyotes[5] and Komodo dragons. Many invertebrates, such as the carrion and burying beetles,[6] as well as maggots of calliphorid flies (such as one of the most important species in Calliphora vomitoria) and flesh-flies, also eat carrion, playing an important role in recycling nitrogen and carbon in animal remains.[7]
Carrion begins to decay at the moment of the animal's death, and it will increasingly attract insects and breed bacteria. Not long after the animal has died, its body will begin to exude a foul odor caused by the presence of bacteria and the emission of cadaverine and putrescine.[8]
Carrion can harbor many infectious and disease-causing agents including viruses (e.g. rabies virus, West Nile virus),[9][10] bacteria (e.g. Bacillus anthracis, Francisella tularensis, Listeria monocytogenes, Pasteurella multocida),[11] bacterial toxins (e.g. botulinum)[11] and helminths (e.g. Trichinella species).[12][13] Several outbreaks of disease, attributed to direct or indirect contact with carrion, have been reported in humans[14][15] and animals.[16][17]
Some plants and fungi smell like decomposing carrion and attract insects that aid in reproduction. Plants that exhibit this behavior are known as carrion flowers.[18] Stinkhorn mushrooms are examples of fungi with this characteristic.[18]
Sometimes carrion is used to describe an infected carcass that is diseased and should not be touched. An example of carrion being used to describe dead and rotting bodies in literature may be found in William Shakespeare's play Julius Caesar (III.i):[19]
Cry 'Havoc,' and let slip the dogs of war;
That this foul deed shall smell above the earth
With carrion men, groaning for burial.
Another example can be found in Daniel Defoe's Robinson Crusoe when the title character kills an unknown bird for food but finds "its flesh was carrion, and fit for nothing".
Consumption by humans
In Noahide law
Script error: No such module "Labelled list hatnote". The thirty-count laws of Ulla (Talmudist) include the prohibition of humans consuming carrion.[20] This count is in addition to the standard seven law count and has been recentlyTemplate:When published from the Judeo-Arabic writing of Shmuel ben Hophni Gaon after having been lost for centuries.[21]
In Islam
Animals killed by strangling, a violent blow, a headlong fall, being gored to death, or from which a predatory animal has partially eaten are considered types of carrion, and are forbidden in Islam.[22]
References
External links
- ↑ Hovenden, Frank. The Carrion Eaters Template:Webarchive. Comox Valley Naturalists Society. 7 May 2010.
- ↑ "San Diego Zoo's Animal Bytes: Striped hyena". San Diego Zoo. 7 May 2010.
- ↑ Script error: No such module "citation/CS1".Template:Dead link
- ↑ "San Diego Zoo's Animal Bytes: Tasmanian Devil". San Diego Zoo. 7 May 2010.
- ↑ Stegemann, Eileen. "Skull Science: Coyote". NYS Department of Environmental Conservation April 2006
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- ↑ The Life and Death of Julius Caesar. Scene I. Rome. Before the Capitol; the Senate sitting above.
- ↑ Talmud, Hullin 92b
- ↑ Mossad HaRav Kook edition of Gaon's commentary to Genesis.
- ↑ Script error: No such module "citation/CS1".