Animals belonging to the groups called ruminants and camelids have stomachs with multiple compartments, giving the impression of having "more than one stomach."
These specialized stomach compartments allow them to efficiently digest plant-based diets. While it might seem like they have multiple stomachs, it's technically one stomach with multiple chambers.
Ruminants
Ruminants possess a four-compartment stomach. The four compartments are:
- Rumen: The largest compartment where fermentation occurs.
- Reticulum: Traps larger food particles for further digestion.
- Omasum: Absorbs water and some nutrients.
- Abomasum: The "true" stomach, which secretes digestive enzymes.
Examples of ruminants include:
- Cattle
- Sheep
- Goats
- Deer
- Buffalo
Camelids
Camelids have a three-compartment stomach.
Examples of camelids include:
- Llamas
- Alpacas
- Camels
In summary, ruminants (like cows and sheep) and camelids (like llamas and camels) are the animals that have multiple compartments in their stomachs, which function together to aid in digestion.
