Animals exhibit a wide array of behaviors, and among the most intriguing is their approach to managing waste. While humans typically dispose of their waste out of sight, many animal species engage in the seemingly peculiar act of covering their feces. This behavior is rooted in evolutionary strategies for survival and communication.
Masters of Disguise
Many animal species employ various methods to conceal their waste, effectively becoming masters of disguise. Domestic cats are well-known for meticulously burying their feces, a behavior inherited from their wild ancestors. They instinctively scrape loose soil or litter over their droppings to hide the scent.
Beyond felines, other mammals also practice this concealment. Armadillos, woodchucks (also known as groundhogs), minks, and some weasels are noted for covering their excrement. These animals often use dirt, leaves, or other natural materials found in their surroundings. Even coyotes, though less consistent, have been observed covering their scat, sometimes using their snouts to push wood chips over it. Chipmunks, for instance, maintain clean burrows by burying their waste in designated areas underground, while Northern Collared Lemmings are known to construct underground “toilets.”
The Hidden Messages
The act of covering feces serves multiple, sophisticated purposes for animals, primarily revolving around survival. One of the most significant reasons is to avoid detection by predators. By burying their waste, animals minimize the scent that could lead larger, more dangerous animals directly to them or their vulnerable young. This minimizes scent, a crucial stealth tactic for smaller species to maintain a low profile.
Concealing waste also helps animals hide their presence from potential prey. Stealth predators, such as many feline species, rely on surprise to hunt effectively. Burying their droppings ensures that their scent does not alert prey animals to their presence, thereby increasing their hunting success.
Furthermore, covering feces contributes to hygiene within dens, nests, or living areas, reducing the spread of parasites and diseases. This is especially important for maintaining a healthy environment for themselves and their offspring.
While primarily for concealment, the act of burying can paradoxically carry subtle communicative signals. For instance, in social hierarchies, submissive cats may meticulously bury their waste to signal respect to more dominant individuals, including their human caregivers. Conversely, a sudden change in this behavior, such as a cat ceasing to bury its waste, might indicate stress, health issues, or a shift in perceived dominance within its territory.
Uncovered
Not all animals conceal their feces; many intentionally leave their waste uncovered, using it as a deliberate form of communication. Large, dominant cats like lions, tigers, and leopards frequently leave their excrement exposed to mark their territory, signaling their presence and ownership to rivals. This bold display of scent acts as a clear message, often deterring other animals from encroaching on their claimed areas.
Dogs, for example, typically do not bury their feces. Instead, they often engage in a distinctive scraping action with their hind legs after defecating. This behavior is not an attempt to cover the waste but rather to spread pheromones from scent glands in their paws, further marking their territory. Coyotes also frequently deposit their scat in prominent locations, such as the middle of trails, to serve as a visual and olfactory signpost for other coyotes.
Some species utilize communal latrines, which are shared areas for defecation. Animals such as raccoons, Eurasian badgers, elephants, and meerkats use these collective sites for sanitation, social networking, and territorial marking.
Rhinoceroses create large communal dung piles, known as middens, which can grow significantly over time and serve as important communication hubs within their territories. Hippos employ a unique method of territorial marking by vigorously spreading their dung with their tails, distributing scent widely in their aquatic environments.