Alimentary canal of herbivorous animals is

Options

A. Short
B. Long
C. wide
D. Thin

Answer

### Step-by-Step Solution:

1. **Definition of Herbivorous Animals**: Herbivorous animals are those that primarily consume plant material. This includes animals like cows, sheep, and deer.

2. **Composition of Plant Material**: The primary component of plant material is cellulose, which is a complex carbohydrate that is difficult to digest.

3. **Digestive Challenges**: Herbivores face challenges in digesting cellulose because they lack the necessary enzymes to break it down effectively.

4. **Role of Microorganisms**: To aid in the digestion of cellulose, herbivorous animals rely on symbiotic bacteria present in their digestive systems, particularly in a specialized stomach compartment called the rumen (in ruminants like cattle).

5. **Chewing and Ruminating**: Herbivores often exhibit a behavior known as rumination, where they chew their food thoroughly, swallow it, and later regurgitate it to chew it again. This process helps break down the cellulose further.

6. **Length of the Alimentary Canal**: Due to the complexity of digesting cellulose and the time required for fermentation and breakdown by bacteria, herbivorous animals have a long alimentary canal. This extended length allows for more time for digestion and absorption of nutrients.

7. **Conclusion**: Therefore, the alimentary canal of herbivorous animals is characterized as being long to accommodate the digestion of cellulose-rich plant material.