6 animals that eat poop and why

In the wild, animals do whatever it takes to survive. Unlike humans, who pick and choose their meals, animals simply follow their instincts– even when it means doing things that seem strange to us, like eating poop.This behaviour, known as coprophagy, is actually more common than you might think. Many animals do it to boost their health– it helps introduce good gut bacteria, improves digestion, and ensures they absorb all the vital nutrients they might have missed the first time around.It may sound off-putting, but for these creatures, it’s a smart, natural way to thrive. Here’s a look at six animals that practice coprophagy– and why it plays an important role in their survival.

For a baby elephant, switching to a diet of grass and leaves isn’t easy. Its stomach isn’t ready yet to break down tough plant material. To help, the calf eats its mother’s dung. This passes on the helpful bacteria it needs to digest plants properly as it grows.

Hippos mostly eat grass, but their babies can’t digest it at first. They don’t have the right gut bacteria yet. To get these bacteria, young hippos eat the poop of adult hippos. This helps them build the gut support they need to live on a plant-only diet.

Rabbits eat mostly grass and other plants, which are hard to fully digest the first time. That’s why they make soft droppings called cecotropes and eat them again. By digesting their food twice, they can absorb important vitamins and nutrients they would otherwise miss.

Hamsters may be small, but they have a clever way to stay healthy. Like rabbits, they sometimes eat their own droppings to take in extra nutrients they missed the first time. This is especially helpful when their food is limited, so they can get important vitamins and stay strong.

Gorillas eat a lot of tough plants like stems and leaves, which are hard to digest fully. Sometimes they eat their own poop to re-digest food and take in any nutrients they missed the first time. This helps them make the most of what they eat.

Rhesus monkeys eat a mix of fruits, seeds, and insects. Sometimes, especially when they’re young or kept in captivity, they eat feces too. This can help them learn new behaviours or restore helpful gut bacteria if their diet or surroundings change.