A predator is an animal that hunts, kills and eats other animals. Predators are found throughout the food chain from large animals such as lions and tigers to small animals such as snakes and spiders. Some predators are scavengers, which means they eat dead animals.
Predators play an important role in the environment by keeping populations of other animals in check and preventing them from becoming too numerous. This helps to maintain a balance between different species and prevents one species from dominating an ecosystem.
Some predators are capable of killing humans, although this is rare. In most cases, humans are not on the menu for predators but may be attacked if they pose a threat to the animal or if the predator is starving. Attacks on humans by predators usually receive a lot of media attention because they are so unusual.