In our language it is called herbivorous to that animal whose diet is based on herbs and plants exclusively. He does not eat meat, a fact that differentiates him especially from animals carnivores that just feed on it. It is worth noting that many herbivores tend to ingest eggs and in some cases animal proteins.
Now, not all herbivores eat the same, the diet will depend on the climate and the area in which they are found and that is why we can find herbivores that consume only fruits (frugivores) or with those that eat leaves (folivores) .
But undoubtedly the herbivores par excellence are those known as ruminants, so called for the unique way they use to eat plants. They are also the most important because they represent the majority of this order.
The ruminant is characterized by regurgitate the food they ingested from the stomach to return to the mouth and chew it. They are able to swallow a large amount of food in a short period of time, regurgitate it, and then grind it up. That is, they cut the plant or herb with their lower teeth and swallow it without chewing. When it reaches the belly the grass returns it to the mouth like food boluses and once in the mouth they chew it slowly. Its huge molars grind the grass finally and when they are in a resting position.
The cow, the goat and the rabbit are some of the most representative exponents of this type.
Herbivorous animals cause damage to some plants, becoming certain predators of them, and in the most extreme cases can cause their death. Rodents for example are capable of doing it. Beyond these specific issues, herbivores also with their action help in pollination with which the imbalance that they can originate is compensated with this action, for example.
It is important that we mention that human beings who only consume vegetables are not herbivores, in this particular case we must speak of vegetarians or vegans.
