Dear nature lovers,

Greetings from oikos !

‘Ungulate’ means hoofed mammal (खूर असलेले), hoof = modified nail.

It’s time to know about Even-toed Ungulates. There are about 35 species of even-toed ungulates in India while around 220 in World. They include pigs, peccaries, hippopotamuses, antelopes, mouse deer, deer, giraffes, camels, llamas, alpacas, sheep, goats, and cattle; a great diversity of animals with different anatomies. All ungulates are herbivores – grazers & browsers, except the pigs that are omnivores. The species living in forests are solitary, e.g. the barking deer; while those preferring open habitat and montane areas have social groups, e.g. spotted deer or blackbucks. They have variety of ways for communication; ranging from vocal, to gland secretion of different types, foot stamping, or sore spots.

India has good species diversity spread over all habitat types like montane, swamps, all forest types, and open habitats.

Bovids, Family Bovidae has ninety-one species grouped as sheep, cattle, goat and antelope, having, bony, unbranched permanent horns.

While Deers, family Cervidae has antlers that are branched, solid, shed yearly and present only on male’s head.

Have taken three representatives from these Bovids and Deers for the wallpaper image -

             The Gaur (Bos gaurus), locally known as Gaur, Gawa, Kadu the largest bovine in peninsular India, is found in
             dry-moist deciduous, evergreen & semi-evergreen forests with open habitats of Southern India (Western
             ghats), central India (Vidarbha, Madhya Pradesh, Chhattisgarh & Odisha) and north-east India.

             The Blue bull (Boselaphus tragocamelus), locally known as Nilgai, Maravi, Rohi, is one more large sized
             bovine, is found across India, from himalayan foothills to central India and south in dry deciduous savannah,
            open scrub preferring well-watered habitat, and agricultural land.

             The spotted deer (Axis axis), locally known as Chital, Saraga, Phutuki, Chukala is from deer family found
             throughout peninsular India, in grassland-deciduous forests ecotones, swampy meadows, plantations, riparian
             forests, mangroves & scrublands.

Along with habitat destruction, hunting, habitat loss & fragmentation, disease, hybridization & competition with domestic livestock are major threats to wild ungulates.

Regards,

Ketaki & Manasi

With Team oikos !