1
Plant Sciences, Zoology & Evolution / Are humans the only animal that needs to wipe its’ bottom?
« on: 28/02/2011 09:53:58 »
Coprophagia is actually quite common. The sort you describe, in herbivores including Koalas, is not connected to their immune system per se, but actually to the establishment of the correct gut flora to enable them to digest the types of plant material the adults ingest. Koalas only eat Eucalyptus, and there will be fairly specific bacteria which are able to break down these leaves so that the animal can get nutrition out of them.
See http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Coprophagia for examples of more coprophagia.
See http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Coprophagia for examples of more coprophagia.