Zoo – Virtual Tour EP – 2

Herbivorous animals are animals that survive solely by eating plants, leaves, and vegetation rather than hunting other animals for meat. Many zoo animals, ranging from small burrowing mammals to the largest creatures on land, belong to this plant-eating group.

Large land and water herbivores

The elephant is the largest land mammal on Earth, taking 22 months to be born and weighing over 100 kilograms at birth. An adult elephant weighs between 2,000 and 5,000 kilograms and can live up to 50 years while feeding exclusively on plants. The hippopotamus, also known as the water elephant, lives on both land and in water, weighing around 3,200 kilograms and eating as much as 35 kilograms of green leaves at once.

Deer and giraffes

• The deer runs at speeds of up to 48 kilometers per hour and feeds on shrubs and creepers.
• The giraffe does almost everything while standing, including feeding and sleeping, due to its long neck.
• Giraffes eat shrubs and leaves and require only 5 to 30 minutes of sleep each day.

Rabbits and kangaroos

• A baby rabbit is called a kit, an adult male is a buck, and an adult female is a doe.
• Rabbits live underground in burrows, and several burrows grouped together are known as a warren.
• Rabbits jump up to 90 centimeters high and eat vegetables and fruits, though eating too many carrots causes stomach aches.
• Kangaroos can jump up to 3 meters high to access food and water, living in groups of 3 to 100, with Australia having the highest population.
• A kangaroo can determine the gender of its baby depending on the temperature.

Rhinoceros traits and numbers

The rhinoceros is one of the largest mammals on Earth and carries a large horn, yet it feeds entirely on plants and green vegetation. Unlike many other plant-eating animals, the rhinoceros prefers to live alone rather than traveling in groups. Its population has fallen drastically from 5 lakh animals at the beginning of the twentieth century to around 29,000 today, making wildlife conservation vital.