Heterospecific Coprophagy in the White-Tailed Deer Odocoileus Virginianus (zimmermann, 1780) in Costa Rica

Authors

Mora Manuel Jose, Portland State University
Juan de Dios Astorga-Acuña, Universidad Técnica Nacional

Published In

Notas Sobre Mamiferos Sudamericanos

Document Type

Article

Publication Date

1-1-2025

Subjects

Ecology, Mammals -- Behavior

Abstract

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.

Rights

Copyright (c) 2025 The Authors

This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International License.

Locate the Document

https://doi-org/10.31687/SaremNMS25.1168

DOI

10.31687/SaremNMS25.1168

Persistent Identifier

https://archives.pdx.edu/ds/psu/43855

Citation Details

Mora, J. M., & Astorga-Acuña, J. de D. (2025). Heterospecific coprophagy in the white-tailed deer Odocoileus virginianus (Zimmermann, 1780) in Costa Rica. Notas Sobre Mamíferos Sudamericanos, 07(1), 001–008. https://doi.org/10.31687/saremnms25.1168