Re: Chimp diet

Eugene Leitl (eugene@liposome.genebee.msu.su)
Fri, 6 Feb 1998 20:03:12 +0300 (MSK)


On Mon, 2 Feb 1998, Craig Presson wrote:

>
> Oh, and Gorilla gorilla is coprophagic, also -- his intestinal flora
> synthesize a B-vitamin that he can't synthesize otherwise. That might
> help dissuade the next person who insists we should be eating a gorilla
> diet.

I think there is a tribe in India (no refs, of course) who is also into
ritual coprophagia (dehydrated faeces). Cobalamin deficiency (anaemia) has
also been invoked for an explanation for the origin of the habit.

'gene