Dung eater
Dung eaters feed on waste, either of other species or their own. Those that eat their own, such as rabbits and ringtail possums, do it because it's so hard to extract nourishment from their nutrient-poor diet that digesting it a second time is worthwhile. In contrast, pikas eat their own dung to keep their salt levels in balance. Some dung eaters, like the dung beetles, play an important ecosystem role in recycling waste and helping to disperse or germinate seeds in the dung.
Watch video clips from past programmes (3 clips)
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Mobile cafeteria
Dung deal
Andes to Amazon
Nothing remotely edible stays in the forest for long. Fresh dung is no exception.
Dung feast Featured in the following TV programmes
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Catch Up
Life: Fish
A look at various fish species including sea dragon, fringehead and Hawaiian goby.
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Archived
Andes to Amazon: LOST WORLDS
5th of a 6 part series exploring the wildlife & wild places of South America. Explores the difficulties faced by animals in the lush Amazon rainforest.
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Archived
Realms of the Russian Bear: Episode 1:GREEN JEWEL OF THE CASPIAN
Views the arid central deserts of the former USSR,& the specialised animals that manage an existance in these harsh,yet spectacular parched lands
Purple emperor butterfly 
Hare 
Koala 
Asian elephant 
Capybara Other Feeding habits Adaptations
- Blood sucker
- Carnivorous
- Detritus feeder
- Dung eater
- Herbivorous
- Scavenger
Site links
BBC links
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