Food is required by all the organisms. The animal nutrition includes the nutrient requirements, the mode of food intake, and the utilization of food in the body. The intake of food is called ingestion. The ingested food is broken down into simpler substances in the process called digestion. The mode of food intake varies in different organisms. Let us have a look at the different ways of taking food by the organisms.
How Animals Eat Their Food
| Animals | Food Consumed | Mode of Food Intake |
| Humming Bird | Nectar | Sucking |
| Human Beings | Fruits, Vegetables | Mouth (Chewing and Swallowing) |
| Snakes | Rats | Swallowing |
| Frogs | Insects | Swallowing (Sticky Tongue) |
| Earthworm | Decaying Matter | Swallowing (Muscular Pharynx) |
| Spiders | Insects | Grinding |
| Amoeba | Tiny Food Particles | Engulfing (Pseudopodia) |
| Hydra | Insects and Fish | Tentacles |
| Bees | Nectar | Sucking |
| Snail | Grass | Chewing |
| Ants | Insects | Scraping |
| Housefly | Decaying Matter | Brewing |
| Lice | Blood | Sucking |
| Butterfly | Nectar | Sucking |
Thus, we can see that different organisms have different modes of nutrition. Few organisms have a well-developed digestive system to digest their food. The lower organisms do not have proper digestive organs. The food is broken down into smaller particles and transported to various parts of the body. The waste products are eliminated through the excretory organs in the body.
Also read: Nutrition in Animals
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