Hoofed Animals
The nails of some mammals are large and hard enough for them
to walk on. These nails are called hooves and such animals are
called hoofed animals, or ungulates. This group includes pigs,
hippopotamuses, camels, giraffes, goats and cattle.
QHow did the hippopotamus get its name?
A The word hippopotamus means river
horse in Greek. The hippopotamus spends
a large part of its day in shallow water and
usually comes out only at night.
QDo hippopotamuses sweat blood?
A Common hippos do not have sweat
glands, but their pores secrete a reddish-pink
fluid which is often mistaken for blood. This
fluid gives their skin a shiny appearance and
prevents it from cracking in the heat.
Q How many species of camels are there
in the world?
A There are two species of camels. They
are the Bactrian and the Arabian camel. The
Bactrian camel has two humps on its back,
while the Arabian camel has one. The humps
contain fat that provides the animal with
nutrients when food is not available.
Q How are llamas different from camels?
A Llamas are found in South America.
Although they are in the same family as
camels and even look a lot like them, llamas
do not have humps. They are usually white,
with black and brown patches. Alpacas are
similar to llamas but much smaller.
Q Is there any difference between antelope
and deer?
A All species of antelope have pointed,
hollow horns that are permanent. Deer have
branched antlers that they shed every year.
Deer antlers are solid and bony. Only male
deer grow antlers, while both male and
female antelope have horns.
Hoofed Animals
53
Living tall
The giraffe is the tallest living mammal.
An adult male giraffe can grow to a height
of about 6 metres (20 feet). In contrast, the
giraffe’s body is not as long as that of most
other hoofed animals. Its front legs are
slightly longer than its hind legs. Giraffes’
necks can be over 1.5 metres (5 feet) in
length, but only have seven vertebrae (neck
bones). Its long neck and extraordinary
height help the giraffe to pluck leaves that are
beyond the reach of other animals. Giraffes
also have tongues that can be extended as far
as 45 centimetres (18 inches)!
Two humps
The Bactrian camel (above) is found in the Gobi desert of
Mongolia. The Arabian camel is found in Asia and Africa.
Hollow weapon
Antelope horns are hollow
and light. But they are
still formidable weapons.
Camel’s cousin
The llama is found in the
Andes mountains.
Try these too…
North America
(110–111), South
America (112–113),
Africa (118–119), Asia
(120–121), Ancient
Americas (132)
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