A new study led by Scott Carver of the University of Georgia and published in the Journal of Zoology investigates whether square-shaped feces help wombats send information to one another. The research follows earlier work that demonstrated how a wombat’s lower intestine and body shape create cube-like droppings; the current project focuses on the possible communicative function of those cubes.
The researchers note that wombats are largely solitary, yet they repeatedly deposit feces at common latrines and often place droppings around prominent features such as logs or rocks. Because the feces are square, they do not roll away and can remain near the same spot. Student researcher Kate McMahon at the University of Tasmania identified a vomeronasal organ in the skull, an anatomical structure that supports a strong sense of smell and is comparable to scent organs used by cats and snakes.
The team analysed feces with gas chromatography and mass spectrometry to detect chemical signatures and identified 44 distinct compounds. They also tested behaviour by moving scat from distant latrines into local ones and monitoring the sites with wildlife cameras; wombats spent more time investigating latrines containing non-resident scats. The authors conclude that the chemical mixtures could allow wombats to learn about identity, sex, age or reproductive status, and they present the study as a baseline for further work on olfactory communication in wombats and other mammals.
Difficult words
- investigate — carry out research to discover factsinvestigates
- latrine — place where animals regularly deposit feceslatrines
- vomeronasal organ — sensory organ for detecting chemical signals
- gas chromatography — lab method to separate chemical mixtures
- mass spectrometry — technique to measure masses of molecules
- compound — a substance made of different chemical partscompounds
- olfactory communication — sharing information by smell between animals
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Discussion questions
- How might square-shaped feces help wombats communicate important information to others? Give reasons.
- What further studies would you design to test whether feces convey reproductive status or identity?
- Do you think olfactory communication is more important for solitary animals like wombats? Why or why not?
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