Carrion (from the Latin "
caro", meaning "meat") refers to the dead and decaying flesh of an animal. Carrion is an important food source for large
carnivores and
omnivores in most ecosystems. Examples of carrion-eaters (or
scavengers) include
vultures,
hawks,
eagles,
hyenas,
Virginia opossum,
Tasmanian devils,
coyotes,
Komodo dragons, and
burying beetles. Many invertebrates such as the burying beetles, as well as
maggots of
calliphorid flies and
flesh-flies also eat carrion, playing an important role in recycling nitrogen and carbon in animal remains.