Even-Toed Ungulates: Artiodactyla

Except for two species, artiodactyls are herbivores (plant eaters). This is probably one of the reasons the order has thrived—vegetation is an abundant food source in almost any ecosystem, and so these animals are able to live almost anywhere.

All artiodactyls have at least one "false stomach" located in front of the actual stomach. Some have three. These false stomachs aid digestion. Because mammals don't have the enzymes that make digestion of plants possible, they rely on microorganisms to help break down plant tissues. These microorganisms, in combination with the action of false stomachs, make for highly effective digestion. Artiodactyls are ruminants, meaning they chew their food, swallow it, then regurgitate (re-GER-jih-tate; vomit) it back into the mouth to be chewed another time.