In Touch With Nature – Giraffes chew bones and lions eat grass #animalkingdom #natureconservation

Kaye and I are starting a new series this year entitled “In Touch With Nature”. We will be sharing information about the natural environment, and I will include some of my nature videos, artworks, and photographs.

For any writers, poets and authors who have an interest in nature conservation and our natural environment, I have joined the Society of Environmental Authors and Journalists. You can find out more about it here: Society of Environmental Authors and Journalists – Robbie Cheadle

For this first post in this series, I am discussing the topic of herbivores and carnivores.

The Oxford dictionary defines a herbivore as an animal that feeds on plants.

National Geographic expands on this to say that a herbivore is an organism that mostly feeds on plants. Herbivores range in size from tiny insects such as aphids to large, lumbering elephants. You can read more on this topic here: Herbivore (nationalgeographic.org)

Conversely, Oxford defines a carnivore as an animal that feeds on other animals.

National Geographic says: “A carnivore is an organism that eats mostly meat, or the flesh of animals. Sometimes carnivores are called predators.” You can read more here: https://education.nationalgeographic.org/resource/carnivore/

Picture caption: Male kudu in the bush. Photograph by Robbie Cheadle.

With the above in mind, did you know that many herbivores chew on bones? It’s true. Giraffes, red deer, reindeer, camels, wildebeest, kudu, gemsbok, and sable antelopes, as well as domestic cows and sheep, are not the strict vegans we think they are. They have all been observed to consume bones in a practice called osteophagy.

These animals do not actually eat the bones or break them open to eat the marrow inside, they only chew on dry bones and only when they are mineral deprived. Chewing bones provides herbivores with essential nutrients, phosphorus, and a bit of sodium.

Phosphorus is an essential mineral for all animals. This mineral plays an important role in the formation of the skeletal system and is necessary for certain biological processes including energy metabolism, protein synthesis, cell signaling, and lactation. A lack of phosphorus results in delayed growth and failure to regenerate new bone as well as problems with the reproductive system.

Another way herbivores obtain essential minerals and other elements they need is natural licks, also called salt licks. These licks can be natural but many are artificial and created by humans for the animals. You will see deer, moose, elephants, hippos, rhinos, tapirs, woodchucks, fox squirrels, mountain goats, porcupines and frugivorous bats all making use of natural or artificial licks to obtain phosphorus and biometals (sodium, calcium, iron, zinc, and other trace elements).

Picture caption: Old male Cape Buffalo at a salt like. Photograph by Robbie Cheadle.

A further surprise is that lions sometimes eat small amounts of grass to extract certain nutrients they need. As their digestive system is designed to digest meat, they cannot digest the grass fully and often vomit soon after eating it.

Some of the reasons a lion may eat grass are as follows:

It helps provide them with a source of water;It helps maintain their body weight;It helps keep them cool in hot weather;It helps settle stomach aches; andIts an easy way for a lion to get nutrients.

Lions are versatile. This means that if they are hunting in dry regions like the Kalahari Desert, lions may eat plants and fruits as an alternate source of water. Lions don’t drink very much.

Picture caption: Male lion in the bush. He looks like he is chuckling. Photograph by Robbie Cheadle. Picture caption: My teeth are bigger than your teeth! Male lion in the bush. Photograph by Robbie Cheadle.

Domestic dogs and cats also sometimes eat grass for the same reasons as lions. Just like lions, they usually vomit after eating it.

Animals are adaptable and find ways to meet their dietary needs. There are few perfect examples of herbivores or carnivores in the wild.

Here are a few of my YouTube wildlife videos:

Young kudu (short taken at Madikwe Game Reserve in January 2024)

This black maned lion walked right past our vehicle:

This is a short of the old male Cape Buffalo at the salt lick.About Roberta Eaton Cheadle

Award-winning, bestselling author, Roberta Eaton Cheadle, is a South African writer and poet specialising in historical, paranormal, and horror novels and short stories. She is an avid reader in these genres and her writing has been influenced by famous authors including Bram Stoker, Edgar Allan Poe, Amor Towles, Stephen Crane, Enrich Maria Remarque, George Orwell, Stephen King, and Colleen McCullough.

Roberta has two published novels and has horror, paranormal, and fantasy short stories included in several anthologies. She is also a contributor to the Ask the Authors 2022 (WordCrafter Writing Reference series).

Roberta also has thirteen children’s books and two poetry books published under the name of Robbie Cheadle, and has poems and short stories featured in several anthologies under this name.

Roberta’s blog features discussions about classic books, book reviews, poetry, and photography. https://roberta-writes.com/.

Find Roberta Eaton Cheadle

Blog: https://wordpress.com/view/robertawrites235681907.wordpress.com

Twitter: https://twitter.com/RobertaEaton17

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/robertawrites

Amazon: https://www.amazon.com/Roberta-Eaton-Cheadle/e/B08RSNJQZ5

_____________________________________________________________________________________________

Want to be sure not to miss any of Robbie’s “In Touch With Nature” segments? Subscribe to Writing to be Read for e-mail notifications whenever new content is posted or follow WtbR on WordPress. If you found it interesting or entertaining, please share.