Vernon: I'd say the simplest answer fer that is more than likely just...y'know...culture and social stuff...like norms...
Dawn: Mammals, all mammals are social creatures, *Rubs the back of her neck awkwardly* Though some are more social than others. *Coughs awkwardly* Generally, we do like to have little 'checkboxes' we're made to fit into that are clean-cut. Those sorts of social norms also promote further ignorance and the continued enforcement of those norms whether you know those sorts of historical tidbits or not. It's just easier for the general public to classify someone by strict, unyielding categories than take into account the levels of nuance of everything that lies in between.
Vernon: I mean, I've known fer a fact wolves had diet variation since I was real little...if we didn't, my Ma would never make pumpkin pie er' roasted corn. We'd all just be eating slabs o' meat fer breakfast, lunch and dinner. *The wolf cringes visibly before letting out a scoffing chuckle* Fer cryin' out loud, they touched on that stuff all the time in biology class...but...
Dawn: The title of being 'Predator' or being 'Prey' was too perfect a standard to not utilize to formulate cliques?
Vernon: Exactly. I imagine fer 'Preds', that title also carries a lot of weight and power to it historically. It puts 'em above Prey folk by virtue of the fact Preds used to eat Prey, even if most of the preds I'd seen in High School coulda easily get bowled over by a Megafauna mammal. Carnivore leanin' body sizes tend ta top out at around tiger size, and there weren't exactly any tigers at my school, so there's a big gap between them local wolves and say...an elephant...
Dawn: *Snickers* I'm sure those Preds were glad there weren't any elephants at your school...That said, while Prey, as a term, is...more commonly used in contemporary settings, it's really not accurate anymore. Then again, the term 'Herbivore' isn't fully accurate either as you pointed out. However, most Herbivore mammals use vitamins to supplement deficiencies rather than going as far as eating a stray piece of meat or gnaw on a bone now and again to make up for the lack of iron and calcium.
Vernon: As fer y'all, you eat some salmon now and again when the mood catches ya right...*Vernon snickers knowingly*
Dawn: *Blushes Slightly* Well...Vernon did turn me onto salmon a little while after we started dating officially, and even after being pregnant I still find myself craving it from time to time.
Vernon: Our Hunter-Bellwether flock sushi night is probably the pup's favorite dinner tradition...well, next to taco night...*Snickers*
Dawn: Veggie or otherwise, Taco Night is the undisputable household dinner champion. *Giggles*
Vernon: That all said, when usin' names like that to group mammals together, 'Omivore' complicates thangs...even iffin' it don't make sense at all anymore...and don't even get me started on 'Scavenger's'...
Dawn: They're probably looked down on more than anyone else...even if literally no one scavenges anymore in civilized society. At least, not like they scavenged in ancient times.
Vernon: *Shakes Head* I know despite everythang, Ada still has mammals look down their snouts at her because a thousand years ago her ancestors ate carrion...It's why that whole 'Circle of Life' Symbology rule demonizes 'em...
Dawn: *Shakes head* Everything has a place in the circle, except Hyenas. Lions are only meant to be absorbed by the earth, not eaten up by lowly scavengers. *Chuckles* Systems like that are always balanced right up until it's the mammal at the top who's at risk of being brought down to everyone else's level, then they assert themselves as the King of all they surve-Oh! I-I'm sorry, I don't...I didn't mean to insult Symbologists...I mean...
Vernon: No disrespect, all religions have their hypocritical parts to 'em...and we know most folks don't follow that sorta stuff to the letter anymore...
Dawn: Yeeess....*Blushes* But that may have also been the chip on my shoulder regarding my former boss talking...and for that, I'm very sorry...
Vernon: I will, however, call Mr. Leodore Lionheart an Ass....and I ain't apologizin' fer that one...
Dawn: I wouldn't want you to.
*The pair share a snicker*
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Wasty: Yeah, I actually knew a lot of this stuff, but only came to learn about it in the past few years. Between seeing videos of various animals we deem to be purely predators being fed varied diets, while their handlers explain the importance of that variety. As well mind-blowing videos of wild deer eating birds, horses sucking up baby chickens, etc...The first time I saw that deer eat that bird, it was like I was staring at an anomaly. It was a cognito hazard. It just didn't compute, like the matrix had broken down. Now I'm used to it, knowing those prey animals are supplementing for low calcium or iron levels. The animal Kingdom truly is wild.
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