Which of the following animals are considered hindergut-fermenters?

Hindgut fermenters are animals that have a digestive system in which fermentation of plant material occurs primarily in the cecum and colon, rather than in the stomach. This adaptation allows these animals to efficiently process fibrous plant matter, which is abundant in their diets.

Horses, rabbits, guinea pigs, and hamsters all fall into this category. They possess a large cecum and colon that provide an environment for microbial fermentation, allowing them to break down cellulose and extract nutrients from grass and other plant materials effectively. For instance, rabbits practice coprophagy, consuming their feces to maximize nutrient absorption, which is further facilitated by their hindgut fermentation process.

The other choices reflect animals that have different digestive strategies. Cats, dogs, ferrets, and leopards are primarily carnivorous and possess a simple stomach for quick digestion of meat rather than a complex hindgut fermentative system. Cows, sheep, goats, and deer are ruminants; they utilize a specialized stomach structure with multiple compartments for fermentation initially occurring there instead of in the hindgut. Pigs, elephants, dolphins, and whales also do not qualify as hindgut fermenters since pigs are omnivorous with a simpler digestive system focused on stomach-based