Khurs: The Horse’s Resourceful Cousin
By
Patricia Fenne Garcia, age 10
Khurs are part horse and
part donkey. They might not look it, but khurs have to be very tough
to survive in their desert habitat.
Khurs
live in the remote deserts of India, where they deal with unfavorable
climate conditions. They put up with summer monsoons. This means
their desert home becomes flooded with water. Their habitat is also
full of pests. Rolling around in the sand helps them relieve the pain
of insect bites.
Khurs
live on a diet of grasses and other plants. Since desert plants do
not have a lot of nutrients, khurs need to eat a lot to get the
energy they need. Khurs can also go days without water.
Male
and female khurs have different names. A female khur is called a mare
and a male khur is called a stallion. When a stallion comes running,
the mare usually runs away. Eventually, however, this pair will
probably mate. Around monsoon season, the mare will give birth to one
baby khur, called a foal.
Khurs
are resourceful animals. They survive life in a harsh climate and can
still run up to 25 miles an hour.
[Source:
Simpson Street Free Press
]
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