We are independent & ad-supported. We may earn a commission for purchases made through our links.
Advertiser Disclosure
Our website is an independent, advertising-supported platform. We provide our content free of charge to our readers, and to keep it that way, we rely on revenue generated through advertisements and affiliate partnerships. This means that when you click on certain links on our site and make a purchase, we may earn a commission. Learn more.
How We Make Money
We sustain our operations through affiliate commissions and advertising. If you click on an affiliate link and make a purchase, we may receive a commission from the merchant at no additional cost to you. We also display advertisements on our website, which help generate revenue to support our work and keep our content free for readers. Our editorial team operates independently of our advertising and affiliate partnerships to ensure that our content remains unbiased and focused on providing you with the best information and recommendations based on thorough research and honest evaluations. To remain transparent, we’ve provided a list of our current affiliate partners here.
Environment

Our Promise to you

Founded in 2002, our company has been a trusted resource for readers seeking informative and engaging content. Our dedication to quality remains unwavering—and will never change. We follow a strict editorial policy, ensuring that our content is authored by highly qualified professionals and edited by subject matter experts. This guarantees that everything we publish is objective, accurate, and trustworthy.

Over the years, we've refined our approach to cover a wide range of topics, providing readers with reliable and practical advice to enhance their knowledge and skills. That's why millions of readers turn to us each year. Join us in celebrating the joy of learning, guided by standards you can trust.

What is the Difference Between Generalist and Specialist Animals?

Michael Anissimov
By
Updated: Jun 04, 2024
Views: 87,733
Share

Generalist animals are those adapted to a wide range of environmental circumstances and food sources, while specialist animals are really good at one narrow thing they do. An example of a generalist would be mice, which can adapt to practically any environment and consume a variety of seeds, grains, and nuts. An example of a specialist would be the koala, which lives in eucalyptus trees and exclusively consumes eucalyptus leaves, one of the only animals capable of doing so.

In general, generalist animals appear to be more successful than specialists, as they can take advantage of a wider range of circumstances. The downsides of generalism are stress and competition — because they compete in crowded biological niches, generalists have to elbow other generalists out of the way to survive on a fixed amount of nutrients. An example of this behavior is found in rats, which habitually kill mice. This behavior, known as muricide, is partially about eating the mouse for food, but only a portion of the mouse is usually consumed, signifying it may be more about eliminating competition. Being a generalist is tough work.

Meanwhile, specialists can pretty much enjoy their narrow niche without much competition. Koalas, for instance, stay high up in the trees doing little but sleeping and eating, and they are too large for anything there to predate on them. Walruses are specialist animals that live in the far north, surviving the freezing cold with a layer of blubber several inches thick. They use their snouts and specialized mouths to dig molluscs out of the sea bed and suck them out of their shells. The giraffe would be another specialist, picking succulent leaves off the tallest trees using its extremely long neck.

Examining the adaptations used by both generalists and specialists can be informative from an evolutionary perspective. Specialists have evolved to adapt to thousands of unique niches, while generalists compete in huge numbers for the easy-to-get resources of central niches. Generalists tend to evolve somewhat more quickly than specialists, being put under greater evolutionary pressures. When a specialists' niche is disturbed — say through deforestation — it can suffer terribly and even go completely extinct, however. Without flexibility in its diet or mode of living, the specialist dies. Either immediately or in a few million years, some other animal may evolve to take over that empty niche.

Share
All Things Nature is dedicated to providing accurate and trustworthy information. We carefully select reputable sources and employ a rigorous fact-checking process to maintain the highest standards. To learn more about our commitment to accuracy, read our editorial process.
Michael Anissimov
By Michael Anissimov
Michael Anissimov is a dedicated All Things Nature contributor and brings his expertise in paleontology, physics, biology, astronomy, chemistry, and futurism to his articles. An avid blogger, Michael is deeply passionate about stem cell research, regenerative medicine, and life extension therapies. His professional experience includes work with the Methuselah Foundation, Singularity Institute for Artificial Intelligence, and Lifeboat Foundation, further showcasing his commitment to scientific advancement.
Discussion Comments
By gregg1956 — On Oct 11, 2010

Do those animals that are considered specialist species ever change to become generalist animals?

I am doing some research on animals before I teach a biology unit next semester, and I really need all the information I can get!

Thanks!

By pharmchick78 — On Oct 11, 2010

@googlefanz -- I don't know for sure the answer to your question, but I would think that you would be correct.

It comes down to survival of the fittest, right, and adaptation.

Those animals that cannot adapt, like those specialist species, would be unable to survive, I would think.

That's why people make so much effort when it comes to the conservation of specialist animals like pandas or giraffes, since we know that if humans didn't help them out, then they might not adapt and survive.

Of course, it's kind of like giving a Band-aid to somebody after you hit them, since many animals facing extinction are doing so because of humans. However, that's a point for another time and place.

By googlefanz — On Oct 11, 2010

Would you say that specialist animals become endangered more easily than generalist animals?

For instance, I know that giant pandas are endangered partially because of their extreme pickiness when it comes to what kind of bamboo they eat.

They only eat a very specific kind of bamboo, and as that becomes increasingly scarce, pandas become more endangered and in need of animal extinction prevention programs.

Because of their specialization, I would assume that it's easier for specialist animals to go extinct, and it's harder to save animals when they die if you can't provide exactly what they need.

That's why so many animals in captivity don't survive as long as the wild animal counterparts, right?

So do specialist species tend to go extinct more easily than generalist species?

Michael Anissimov
Michael Anissimov
Michael Anissimov is a dedicated All Things Nature contributor and brings his expertise in paleontology, physics,...
Learn more
Share
https://www.allthingsnature.org/what-is-the-difference-between-generalist-and-specialist-animals.htm
Copy this link
All Things Nature, in your inbox

Our latest articles, guides, and more, delivered daily.

All Things Nature, in your inbox

Our latest articles, guides, and more, delivered daily.