TalesFromtheTailEnd
Animalshavesomeinterestingwaystodealwiththeirwaste.ChinstrapandAdéliepenguinsliketokeepclean.So,theyshoottheirpoopfarawayfromtheirbodies.Silver‑spottedskippercaterpillarsusepooptokeeppredatorsaway.Theyejecttheirfecesfarfromtheir nests.
Lotsofanimalsmarktheirterritorywiththeirwaste.Hipposspintheirtailslikepropellers.Thisspreadstheirpoopoverawide area.
Nakedmoleratsrollintheirpoop.Thismarksthemasamemberoftheir clan.
keeps tidy
Adélie penguin
sendsa message
hippopotamus
SendingaMessage
Peccarypoopisusedasakindofa messageboard.ThesewildpigsfromSouthAmericatendtopoopinabigpile.Eachtimeapeccarygoes,itsniffsthepiletofindoutwhat’sgoingonandwhoelsewas there.
Giantriverottersalsosendamessage.Themessageis:Stayaway!TheseottersliveinfamilygroupsinriversinSouthAmerica.Theycreatespecialplaceswherealltheotterspoop.Thestinkymesskeepsotheranimals away.
DungbeetlesinAfricarollballsofotheranimals’dung.Theyeatpartofitandlayeggsinit.Whenthebabiesareborn,theyhaveaninstantfood source.
Turkeyvulturespoopontheirownlegsandfeet.Thiscoolsthemoff.Italsocleansawayanygermstheygetfromthedeadanimalsthey devour.
feedsthe family
dung beetle
cools off
turkey
vulture
BetterOutThanIn?
Ifthepurposeofpoopingistogetridofthingsthebodydoesn’tneed,whydosomeanimalseatpoop?Someanimalscan’tgetenoughnourishmentfromtheirfoodthefirsttimetheyeatit.So, theyeatittwicebyeatingtheirown poop.
There’sanotherreason,too.Koalas,forexample,eateucalyptusleaves.Thesearetoughandhardtodigest.Specialmicrobesintheirstomachshelpbreakdownthisfood.Theymakeiteasierforkoalastoeat.Whenababykoalaisborn,itdoesn’thavethesemicrobes.So,themotherwillfeedthebabysomeofherpoop.Thathelpsthemicrobesstarttogrowinthebaby’sstomach. Poopisremarkably useful.
Nowthatyouknowmoreaboutit,youmayneverthinkofitthesameway again!
feedsthe baby
koala
