The Greatest of Feet

Without feet, birds would never get off the ground. Without feet, gophers
would never go underground. Without feet, many animals would simply not get around.

by Mary Hoff

Walk, paddle, swim, jump, cling, hold, dig, keep warm, stay cool—feet do all these things and more.

Feet come in many shapes and sizes. The way feet look and the way they work are related to what they do. But all feet of animals with bones have the same basic parts.

Different animals rely on different parts of their feet for locomotion, or moving around. Some animals walk on the soles of their feet. Others travel on their toenails, also known as hooves. And some move around on their toes.

To read this entire Young Naturalists story, download the PDF below

			Read "Who Made These Tracks?" Nov.–Dec. 1997 to learn more about animal tracks and take an online animal track quiz.
Full-color PDF of The Greatest of Feet	Teachers Guide for The Greatest of Feet