Whales vs. Cows: Digestive Differences
Whales and cows do not have four-chambered stomachs like each other.
- Cows have four-chambered stomachs (rumen, reticulum, omasum, abomasum) for breaking down tough plant matter. As ruminants, they chew their cud and digest food in stages.
- Whales are not ruminants. They have a single-chambered stomach, which is large and complex, allowing them to digest large quantities of krill, fish, or other prey.
Although both have large digestive systems capable of holding a lot of food, their internal structures and digestive processes are quite different.