Coprophagy by wild ring-tailed lemurs (Lemur catta) in human-disturbed locations adjacent to the Beza Mahafaly Special Reserve, Madagascar.
Coprophagy occurs in a number of animal species, including nonhuman primates. During the 2003-2004 dry seasons at the Beza Mahafaly Special Reserve, Madagascar, we observed wild ring-tailed lemurs (Lemur catta) consuming dried fecal matter from three different species. Ring-tailed lemurs consumed human feces on 12 occasions, cattle feces twice, and feral dog feces once. Coprophagy in this population may be a behavioral adaptation that provides animals access to energy and nutrients and may be an important nutritional source for older, and/or dentally impaired individuals during the dry season.
Fish
Krista D
KD
Department of Anthropology, University of Colorado, Boulder, Colorado 80301, USA. Krista.Fish@Colorado.edu
Sauther
Michelle L
ML
Loudon
James E
JE
Cuozzo
Frank P
FP
D000818:Animals; D003303:Coprophagia; D017753:Ecosystem; D006801:Humans; D007900:Lemur / Q000502:physiology*; D008270:Madagascar; D019370:Observation