How Do enormous animals like giraffes/elephants/ect meet basic nutrition needs when they dont have a varied diet?

Question

How Do enormous animals like giraffes/elephants/ect meet basic nutrition needs when they dont have a varied diet?

In: Biology

Answer 1

Different animals have different digestive systems.

One major difference is what amino acids their digestive systems are capable of producing on its own. This is referred to as the Essential Amino Acids. Amino Acids are the building blocks of proteins and there are about 22 of them. The human body can only make about 6 of them on its own. The other 15 need to be obtained by eating them.

But this number varies from animal to animal. Some animals can produce almost all the amino acids on their own. Some need to eat more than humans.

Herbivores tend to produce more of the amino acids on their own. Carnivores less.