Many are excellent runners. A few are good long-distance runners , but more commonly, Carnivora are rapid sprinters that use stealth to approach their prey, then overcome it with a short, violent rush. A few, like bears and raccoons, seem relatively slow or clumsy, but even these species are capable of remarkable bursts of speed. The skulls of Carnivora are highly varied in form. The primary muscle powering the jaw is the temporal, and sagittal crest associated with the temporal is commonly a conspicuous part of the surface of the skull.
Carnivores also have a strong zygomatic arch and a relatively large braincase.
The auditory bullae and the turbinals also tend to be large and complex. The canines are large and conical. All teeth are rooted and diphyodont . All Carnivora have a simple stomach. Pinnipeds are found in the Otariidae and Phocidae families.