Scavenger, carrion

Carrion (from the Latin "caro", meaning "meat") refers to the dead and decaying flesh of an animal.

Carrion Eaters
 Carrion is an important food source for large carnivores and omnivores in most ecosystems. Examples of Earth carrion-eaters (or scavengers) include vultures, eagles, coyotes, Komodo dragons and burying beetles. Many invertebrates such as the burying beetles, as well as maggots of calliphorid flies and flesh-flies also eat carrion, playing an important role in recycling nitrogen and carbon in animal remains.

Decay Process
 Carrion begins to decay the moment of the animal's death, and it will increasingly attract insects and breed bacteria. Not long after the animal has died, its body will begin to exude a foul odor caused by the presence of bacteria and the emission of cadaverine and putrescine.

Carrion Flowers
 Some plants and fungi smell like decomposing carrion and attract insects that aid in reproduction. Plants that exhibit this behavior are known as carrion flowers. Stinkhorn mushrooms are examples of fungi with this characteristic.

Word Usage
The word carrion is often used in Danish mythology to describe animals that have been sacrificed and animals that have been killed due to the gods' fury.

 Sometimes carrion is used to describe an infected carcass that is diseased and should not be touched.