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October 12, 2019

Why wombats are the world’s only animal with cube poos!

Why wombats are the world’s only animal with cube poos!
Dr. Chris Brown
by CHRIS BROWN

Wombats are in the fight of their lives against a deadly skin mite. But we may have found yet another reason to love them. They’re officially the only animal on the planet to pass perfectly formed cube shapes poos. And now we know why they do it.

For years it’s been assumed the unique cube shape meant they could stack them up like building blocks and allow wombats to mark their territory. But now, researchers led by Scott Carver at the University of Tasmania think it has more to do with saving water. Something that all Australians, hairy or not, know all about.

The cube shape means more water can be extracted from the poo in the intestine while two special grooves of muscle in the digestive tract help them shape their geometric masterpiece. So before anyone asks, no they’re not shaping them with their little paws. So now thanks to the wombat, being a little ‘blocked up’ has never seemed cuter...

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