Why do gorillas eat rotten wood?

After observing gorillas in Uganda t

The sodium content and the finding of wood pieces is the source of more than 95% of the sodium in the animal's menu (Photo: vacationtechnician)

For nearly a year, scientists have discovered why these animals eat wood and lick the stump - the behavior that has been a headache for researchers for decades.

The answer is because: sodium

Gorillas in Bwindi National Park in Uganda will suck wood pieces for a few minutes before spitting it out. Sometimes they chew wood until they bleed. They also licked the surface of the stumps and inside the rotted wood, broke the pieces of wood to gnaw later. Gorillas will return to their original cause every day and beat the cup.

Researchers once thought it might have a therapeutic effect, like chasing parasites or treating stomach pain.

New research by Cornell University, USA, has solved this mystery. The team observed 15 gorillas of different ages and genders when they ate wood.

After the animals left, the researchers collected wood pieces from the stalks they ate, as well as the trees they avoided. They also collected gorilla's other food.

The sodium content analysis team found the wood pieces to provide more than 95% of the sodium in the animal's diet, even when wood only accounts for 4% of their diet.

Many animals crave sodium and will actively seek if the body lacks this nutrient. Sodium plays an important role in living activities of organisms, involved in muscle contraction, regulating blood pressure and water retention.

MT