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Published online 15 January 2007 | Nature | doi:10.1038/news070115-4
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How big can a meat-eater get?
Metabolic costs of living stop carnivores from growing too huge.
The reason that there are no three-tonne lions chasing elephants across the Serengeti is, say researchers, because carnivorous land mammals have an upper size limit of about 1,100 kilograms. Above this, the costs of living outweigh the benefits of bringing down large prey.
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