They do not find it in the necessary quantities nor in the protected areas where they move. This is the problem they face elephants, giraffes and other megaherbivores who struggle in the look for sodiumessential for keeping your metabolism in good condition, according to the results of new research led by the University of Zurich (UZH).
The study, published in the journal Ecology and evolution of naturewarns that this sodium shortage forces animals to travel long distances in their research and may affect conservation efforts for these large specimens.
Salt is like eating
Herbivores need a constant supply of sodium to keep your metabolism in good conditionremember the researchers. In the case of farm animals, this supply is guaranteed. However, wild animals need to find sufficient quantities in their habitats. And that’s not always possible.
“The availability of sodium in plants increases a thousandfold in sub-Saharan Africa,” explains Marcus Clauss, co-director of the UZH University Veterinary Hospital and co-author of the study. This directly means that in some areas they cannot get “enough salt through their diet”.
The difference between zones is significant, which also explains the habitat selection. “In Kenya, for example, elephants enter caves to reach sodium-rich rocks, while in Congo they dig for salt in riverbeds. And this behavior is not limited to elephants. Gorillas fight over particularly salty foods, and rhinos, wildebeest and zebras often congregate in the salt pans of the Kalahari Desert,” adds first author Andrew Abraham of Northern Arizona University.
Researchers suspect that sodium deficiency West Africa explains, to some extent, the low number of megaherbivores observed, probably in combination with other factors such as excessive hunting or low soil fertility.
The larger the size, the greater the need.
In addition to this shortage by area, the authors point out that not all herbivores are equally affected. Researchers have found that sodium shortages are particularly common in larger species such as elephants, giraffes and rhinos, also called megaherbivores. Therefore: the larger the body size, the more intake is required and the more complicated the situation.
The picture is complex, they say. The lack of sodium forces them to travel long distances and this has other consequences. “Since many protected areas are located in regions with low sodium levels, animals that travel long distances in search of salt could enter them. conflict with humans more frequently in the future,” concludes Clauss.
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