The length of the intestine in humans is 4 times the length of the body, in a dog – 4.5 times, in a sheep – 24 times.

The length of the intestine in humans is 4 times the length of the body, in a dog – 4.5 times, in a sheep – 24 times. How to explain the difference in intestinal length in different organisms?

The length of the intestine directly depends on the food intake. Different types of food require different absorption times. Meat (protein) is absorbed quickly and does not require a long intestine; carnivores have a smaller intestine. To assimilate plants (fiber), the intestines take a long time to digest, and therefore the length of the intestines in herbivores is much longer. The sheep is only a herbivore, so it has the longest intestines. A man and a dog can be attributed rather to omnivores, their intestines are much shorter.