Welcome to a world that will make you say ewww! We share Earth with millions of animals. Unlike our family pets, though, wild animals have to take care of themselves. The gross things they do are usually adaptations that help them survive. Elephants and rhinos, for example, feed poop (also called feces) to their young so they will be able to digest plants. If the calves did not eat feces, they would starve to death. When gorillas and orangutans pick their noses and eat it, they aren't trying to gross us out. Instead, they are removing the dead skin and dried snot (called mucus) so they can smell food and nearby predators. On your mark . . . get set . . . say ewww! Excerpted from Animals That Make Me Say Ewww! by Dawn Cusick All rights reserved by the original copyright owners. Excerpts are provided for display purposes only and may not be reproduced, reprinted or distributed without the written permission of the publisher.
