Naked Science Forum

General Science => Question of the Week => Topic started by: katieHaylor on 22/10/2018 14:00:20

Title: QotW - 18.10.21 - How do wombats produce cube-shaped droppings?
Post by: katieHaylor on 22/10/2018 14:00:20

Andrew asks:

How do wombats produce cube-shaped droppings?

What do you think?

Title: Re: QotW - 18.10.21 - How do wombats produce cube-shaped droppings?
Post by: jimbobghost on 23/10/2018 04:00:40

I think you have too much time on your hands, if you are observing wombat droppings ;)

Title: Re: QotW - 18.10.21 - How do wombats produce cube-shaped droppings?
Post by: evan_au on 23/10/2018 21:48:43

The ancestral Aborigines had to deal with an ancestral wombat - the diprotodon...
Weighing in at around 3 tons, keeping an eye on these guys would be a matter of life and death...
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Diprotodon

Title: Re: QotW - 18.10.21 - How do wombats produce cube-shaped droppings?
Post by: jimbobghost on 23/10/2018 22:10:57

especially if you were standing under one.

Title: Re: QotW - 18.10.21 - How do wombats produce cube-shaped droppings?
Post by: guest45734 on 24/10/2018 15:39:32

I thought you were all talking sh1t, but as it turns out >

http://theconversation.com/why-do-wombats-do-cube-shaped-poo-55975

But how is cubic poo produced?
Wombat poo is cubic, not because the wombat has a square-shaped anus, but because it has a very long and slow digestive process, typically 14 to 18 days, which allows the digestive matter to become extremely dry and compacted. The wombat also has a very long digestive tract, allowing it to absorb the most nutrients and water from its food. The first part of their large intestine contains horizontal ridges that probably mould the poo into cubes, whereas the last part of the large intestine is relatively smooth, allowing the cubic shape to be maintained. The highly compacted nature of the poo means that the rectum is unable to contour the poo into the more usual tubular shape.
So, the wombat, with is nocturnal way of life, poor eyesight but excellent sense of smell, uses poo as its main way of telling who lives where and if there are any strangers in the area (thus avoiding conflict), and as a way of increasing its reproductive success. It produces cubic poo as a result of its diet and long digestion. And, the cubic poo is the perfect shape for sitting on top of rocks and logs as it doesn’t roll away. Poo can be clever, too.

Title: Re: QotW - 18.10.21 - How do wombats produce cube-shaped droppings?
Post by: jimbobghost on 24/10/2018 16:23:37

incredibly informative!
who knew there so much to know about wombat poo?
can't wait to impress my friends at our next cocktail party. :)

Title: Re: QotW - 18.10.21 - How do wombats produce cube-shaped droppings?
Post by: jimbobghost on 24/10/2018 18:07:38

I attempted to post a link to a similar subject on sloths, but was advised links were not acceptable.
however the link contained in a previous post was found :

how can i enable links?

Title: Re: QotW - 18.10.21 - How do wombats produce cube-shaped droppings?
Post by: evan_au on 24/10/2018 20:51:39

They don't look extremely cubic to me, but certainly flattened between segments.

This video features a home-made simulation of the wombat digestive system:

Title: Re: QotW - 18.10.21 - How do wombats produce cube-shaped droppings?
Post by: jimbobghost on 25/10/2018 03:12:23

had I realized how serious this subject was, I would not have been so snarky with my original post.
sorry.

Title: Re: QotW - 18.10.21 - How do wombats produce cube-shaped droppings?
Post by: chris on 28/10/2018 15:39:18

@jimbobghost

Quote from: jimbobghost on 24/10/2018 18:07:38

I attempted to post a link to a similar subject on sloths, but was advised links were not acceptable.
how can i enable links?

When you achieve sufficient posting seniority (it doesn't take too long) then you can post active links.

Title: Re: QotW - 18.10.21 - How do wombats produce cube-shaped droppings?
Post by: jimbobghost on 28/10/2018 18:50:00

thanks, got it.

Title: Re: QotW - 18.10.21 - How do wombats produce cube-shaped droppings?
Post by: katieHaylor on 31/10/2018 12:31:02

This question has now been answered, and you can listen to it here: https://www.thenakedscientists.com/podcasts/naked-scientists-podcast/scientific-shimmy-why-we-dance (https://www.thenakedscientists.com/podcasts/naked-scientists-podcast/scientific-shimmy-why-we-dance).

Title: Re: QotW - 18.10.21 - How do wombats produce cube-shaped droppings?
Post by: GrizzlyBoom on 05/11/2018 19:56:16

What an interesting thread lol