Untitled Document
 
 
 
Untitled Document
 
 
 
 
 
 
   
  Home > ¸¶ÀÌÆäÀÌÁö > ´º½º
The Surprising Role of Feces in Animal Nutrition
The Surprising Role of Feces in Animal Nutrition0Feces play a surprising and critical role in the diets of many animals, according to a recent review published in Animal Behaviour. Researchers have documented over 150 vertebrate species engaging in coprophagy ? the act of eating feces ? including black bears, koalas, and rats.

One primary reason for coprophagy is nutrition. Feces can be rich in nutrients and microbes that aid digestion. For instance, baby animals like koalas and ostriches consume their mothers¡¯ feces to acquire essential gut microbes. Similarly, rabbits and capybaras eat their softer, microbe-rich droppings to extract nutrients missed during the first digestion. It is a strategy that compensates for their simpler digestive systems than cows.

In harsher environments, feces can be a lifesaver. Pikas, for example, rely on yak droppings during harsh winters, while cavefish depend on bat guano as a primary food source. Even rats consume up to 40 percent of their poop, a practice vital for avoiding vitamin B12 deficiencies.

This behavior extends to parenting, with lactating black bears and nesting swifts occasionally consuming feces for sanitation or hydration. While humans don¡¯t typically practice coprophagy, some traditional medicines, and now Western medicine, explore its potential, with fecal microbiota therapies used to treat gut disorders. This unconventional dietary habit highlights the adaptability of the animal kingdom.

J.K. Park
Staff Reporter
junior/1738890987/1613368089
 
Àμâ±â´ÉÀÔ´Ï´Ù.
1. What is coprophagy?
2. Which animals eat their feces to get more nutrients?
3. Why do pikas and cavefish eat feces in the winter?
4. How can feces help black bears and swifts?
 
1. Do you know any animals that eat things to help them stay healthy?
2. Have you ever learned something surprising about animals? What was it?
3. What do you think would happen if humans ate something like animals do for nutrition?
4. If you could ask an animal about how they eat, what would you want to know?
ȸ»ç¼Ò°³ | ȸ»çÀ§Ä¡ | Á¦ÈÞ ¹× Á¦¾È | ±¤°í¾È³» | °³ÀÎÁ¤º¸ º¸È£Á¤Ã¥ | À̸ÞÀϹ«´Ü¼öÁý°ÅºÎ | Site ÀÌ¿ë¾È³» | FAQ | Áö¿øÇÁ·Î±×·¥