Final answer:
Carnivores accumulate toxins in their tissues through bioaccumulation, with substances like mercury being concentrated at higher levels as one moves up the food chain.
Step-by-step explanation:
When carnivores eat many herbivores, they accumulate toxins in their tissues. This phenomenon is known as bioaccumulation, and it occurs because each predator on the food chain consumes many prey animals, each with a small amount of a given chemical or toxin in their bodies.
As a result, the predator accumulates a higher concentration of this toxin. Predators at the top of the food chain, like wolves, lions, and sharks, may have much higher concentrations of toxins than the organisms they eat.
This accumulation particularly refers to substances that are not easily broken down or excreted by the organism, such as heavy metals like mercury or persistent organic pollutants. As these carnivores consume numerous herbivores, these substances build up to levels that can be detrimental to the carnivore's health.