Everyone does it. Nobody likes to talk about it.
Can you guess what I?m talking about? That?s right. Poop.
Before you squeal and squirm, let me just tell you that poop is a fascinating topic, especially to people who study and care for animals.
Scientists use poop to track and study animals in the wild.
It reveals much about an animal?s diet, lifestyle and health. Think of it as a personal calling card.
The Maryland Zoo in Baltimore has its fair share of “animal poop experts.” They helped compile this list of “bet you didn?t know that!” poop facts:
» An African elephant can produce several hundred pounds of poop each day.
» The Egyptian tortoise, a desert animal, poops only one tiny pellet about once a week.
» Birds often poop before taking flight in order to lighten their load.
» Bat and penguin poop, known as guano, make excellent fertilizer.
» Hawks and many other birds forcefully project their poop away from their bodies so as not to sully their tail feathers or nests.
» Vultures poop down their legs to kill potentially harmful bacteria.
» Rabbits eat the first round of pellets that they poop in order to absorb extra nutrients. If prevented from doing this, a rabbit may become malnourished.
» Hippos fan their tails while pooping in order to spread it and better mark their territory.
» Rhinos intentionally step in their poop and mark their territory with well-scented footprints.
» The Zoo disposes of about 12 dump truck loads of animal poop per week.
» Toucan Sam used to have blue poop because of all the blueberries he was eating.
Provided by the Maryland Zoo. Visit www.marylandzoo.org.
