Even-toes

Animals with hooves are either odd-toed or even-toed. The odd-toed ones are horses, rhinos and tapirs. The even-toed ones are cattle, antelope, pigs, giraffes, camels, sheep, deer, and hippos. Oh, and whales, dolphins and porpoises, but that’s a whole other evolutionary story because, as you’ve probably spotted, whales, dolphins and porpoises don’t have hooves.

Horses have one toe at the front giving the appearance of a single large hoof, while antelopes have split or cloven hooves.

We’re out on a safari drive in the Masai Mara in Kenya. We have the familiar red and black chequered blankets worn by the Masai on our knees because it’s getting cold into the evening. The light is beautiful.

There’s a herd of Impala in the grassland, with an impressive male and his harem of females.

They have even-toes. They are ideal food for lions, cheetahs, and leopards.

I’m hoping to see them next.