What is a predator?

A predator is defined as an animal that hunts and consumes other animals for food. This role is crucial in various ecosystems, where predators help maintain the balance of species populations by regulating the numbers of herbivores and other prey species. Predation can also drive evolutionary adaptations in both predators and their prey, as they evolve traits that enhance hunting efficiency or evasion.

In contrast, the other choices do not accurately capture the essence of what a predator is. For instance, a type of plant that grows in the wild does not hunt or consume other organisms, and neither does a herbivore that feeds on grass, which typically refers to animals that only eat plants. An animal that lives in colonies might exhibit complex social behaviors, but that alone does not define it as a predator without the hunting aspect. Thus, identifying a predator focuses specifically on its hunting and feeding behavior, distinguishing it from other biological roles.