Heterospecific coprophagy in the white-tailed deer Odocoileus virginianus (Zimmermann, 1780) in Costa Rica
DOI:
https://doi.org/10.31687/SaremNMS25.1168Keywords:
Cervidae, coprophagy, dry forest, feces, herbivorous, horsesAbstract
Animals may engage in coprophagy, including heterospecific coprophagy, where they consume the feces of other species. The white-tailed deer, Odocoileus virginianus, primarily feeds on plant material, such as tender forbs and shrub shoots. This report documents a case of heterospecific coprophagy by the white-tailed deer in Costa Rica, where two individuals were observed consuming domestic horse feces. The reasons for heterospecific coprophagy in ruminants like the white-tailed deer are unclear. Nutritional supplementation, microbial transfer, or other ecological factors may play a role in this behavior. However, such a behavior also poses risks, including the transmission of diseases and parasites from other species.
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