Odd-Toed Ungulates: Perissodactyla

Perissodactyls are herbivorous (plant-eating). The plants they eat depend on what is available in the region in which they live. Tapirs eat leaves, twigs, fallen fruit, and aquatic vegetation. Rather than eat entire plants, they consume just a few leaves from a plant and move on.

Using their upper lip to grab plants, rhinos prefer woody or grassy vegetation. They will eat fruit occasionally, but leafy greens are their favorite food. Because of their size, rhinos eat a large amount of food and drink a large amount of water almost daily. The African species, however, can live for up to five days without water if their food is moist. While black rhinos will eat bushes and trees, the white rhino prefers short grasses.

Horses eat primarily grasses, but they will also eat bark, leaves, fruits, and roots. Wild asses have adapted to their drier environment and are able to graze the desert. Horses spend 60 to 80 percent of every twenty-four hours foraging (browsing or grazing). Although most horses can go without water for three days, zebras must drink frequently. Some are able to dig waterbeds with their hooves.