What is an even-toed and an odd-toed hoof?
A hoof is the end, or tip, of an ungulate mammal’s foot. It is like shoes (made of thick keratin) to protect their feet.
Some ungulates have even-toed hooves, such as cattle, deer, pigs, goats, sheep, camels, hippopotamuses, llamas, alpacas, giraffes, and antelopes (called artiodactyls).
Some ungulates have odd-toed hooves, such as horses, zebras, rhinoceroses, and tapirs (called perissodactyls, or equids).
Camel (even-toed hoof)
Pig (even-toed hoof)
Alpaca (even-toed hoof)
Giraffe (even-toed hoof)
Horse (odd-toed hoof)
Zebra (odd-toed hoof)
White Rhinoceros (odd-toed hoof – 3 toes)
The plural of hoof is hoofs or hooves.
Photographer: Martina Nicolls
Martina Nicolls: SIMILAR BUT DIFFERENT IN THE ANIMAL KINGDOM