Ungulates are the hoofers of the mammal world

Ungulates are large hoofed mammals. Terrestrial (land) ungulates include the horse, donkey, rhinoceros, hippopotamus, cow, pig, giraffe, llama, alpaca, tapir, camel, goat, deer, yak, etc.

Ungulate means ‘being hoofed.’ The foot of an ungulate has a hard or rubbery sole, and a hard nail, which contains keratin. Hooves grow continuously even when broken or damaged – the same as human toe nails, finger nails and hair, which are also made of keratin. Hooves can be odd-toed or even-toed – i.e. one, two, three, or four toes.

The ungulates at Tbilisi Zoo were on higher ground during the floods of June 13, 2015, which enabled them to survive. Many were also able to climb to safety – such as the goats. While the zoo is undergoing restoration, all animals have been moved to higher ground (not the lower ground by the river). Hence the ungulates are mostly housed all together in several enclosures. In the future an open range zoo, planned to be built outside the city area on 47 hectares of land, aims to provide adequate land for the ungulates to roam freely.

MARTINA NICOLLS is an international aid and development consultant, and the author of:- Similar But Different in the Animal Kingdom (2017), The Shortness of Life: A Mongolian Lament (2015), Liberia’s Deadest Ends (2012), Bardot’s Comet (2011), Kashmir on a Knife-Edge (2010) and The Sudan Curse (2009).

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