Mesopredator

Raccoons and skunks are mesopredators. Pictured is a common raccoon and a striped skunk eating cat food in an urban area.

A mesopredator is a medium-sized predator in the middle of a trophic level,[1] which typically preys on smaller animals. When populations of apex predators decrease, populations of mesopredators often increase.

See also

References

  1. Groom, Martha; Meffe, Gary (August 5, 2005). Principles of Conservation Biology. Sinauer Associates, Inc. ISBN 978-0878935970. Retrieved February 2015.
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