Final answer:
The statement that best explains why animals are considered heterotrophic is that they obtain nutrients by consuming other organisms or their products.
Step-by-step explanation:
The statement that best explains why animals are considered heterotrophic is:
They are able to obtain nutrients by consuming other organisms or their products.
Heterotrophic organisms are unable to produce their own food and must obtain nutrients from external sources. Animals, being heterotrophs, obtain nutrients by consuming other organisms or their products, such as plants or other animals. This is in contrast to autotrophic organisms, like plants, which can produce their own food through processes like photosynthesis.
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