Which type of consumer primarily feeds on carnivores?

The classification of consumers is based on their position within the food chain and their feeding relationships with other organisms. Tertiary consumers are typically at the top of the food chain and primarily feed on secondary consumers, who are often carnivores themselves. This means that tertiary consumers rely on a diet that consists mainly of other animals that have already consumed herbivores (primary consumers) or smaller carnivores.

In an ecosystem, tertiary consumers can include apex predators like lions, hawks, or sharks, which hunt and eat other carnivores, thereby playing a crucial role in maintaining the balance of the ecosystem by controlling the populations of those prey species. This distinguishes them from primary consumers, which eat plants, and secondary consumers, which primarily prey on herbivores. Thus, the correct answer accurately identifies the role of tertiary consumers in the food web.