How animal poo can help the environment! - BBC

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There's no doubt poo is pretty gross, but it can be great news for the environment!

Whether you refer to it as poo, faeces, or a good old number two, there's no doubt talking about animal waste can be a bit gross!

Poop isn't something people tend to spend lots of time thinking or talking about, but it's a topic that's certainly grown in popularity.

It's all because the stinky substance can actually have lots of positive effects on the environment.

A recent study led by the Zoological Society London (ZSL) suggests spinner dolphins poo could play a significant role in supporting vulnerable coral reefs found in the Indian Ocean.

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It's all because the dolphins are thought to take in lots of nitrogen which they poop out in shallow water lagoons. Nutrients like nitrogen are really important for coral reefs which are threatened by things like coral bleaching.

It's believed a single dolphin pod, which can contain anywhere between two and 30 of the mammals, produces around 288kg of nitrogen inside these lagoons, which is about the weight of four adults!

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Researchers found spinner dolphins nutrient-packed poo is great news for coral reefs

"Coral reefs are facing profound threats around the world, including climate change and biodiversity loss, but this research has identified a clear ally for them; spinner dolphins," said lead author of the study and marine research fellow at ZSL's Institute of Zoology Dr Tom B Letessie.

"By analysing over thirty years of visual observations of spinner dolphins as well as six months of acoustic recordings, we confirmed that this species are daily commuters from offshore areas to shallow water. Dolphins are deep feeders but come back to sheltered lagoons to rest which is when they deposit around half of their crucial, nutrient rich excrement.

"Simply by going to the toilet in the shallow atoll lagoons, these dolphins are providing a vital nutrient supply for the corals - making the strongest possible case for protecting the dolphins in order to save these reefs."

It isn't just dolphin poo that's been doing its bit for the planet. Other types of animal poo have also been used in ways that benefit the environment.

So why exactly is animal poo so amazing? Read on to find out more!

1. Poo can be good for soil

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It's a well known fact that poo from animals likes cows, horses, sheep, rabbits and even chickens can be great for soil.

Animal faeces often contains lots of different nutrients including nitrogen, phosphorus and potassium which are all good news for crop growth.

Nitrogen is one of the most important nutrients plants need as it helps them grow taller, stronger and gives leaves their vibrant green colour.

Animal poo is thought to have first been used a as a fertiliser more than 8,000 years ago and it's still helping to give grass and plants a much needed boost today!

2. Poo can be used as power

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It's not just plants that can benefit from animal poo.

Keepers at Marwell Zoo in Hampshire have been using animal poo as fuel!

The poo is collected, before being shredded, dried and combined with straw to form solid pellets which are used as a type of fuel.

When these pellets are burned, they heat a huge boiler and the energy is then transferred into heat which helps warm a tropical enclosure at the zoo.

The zoo hopes to use the same process to heat up more enclosures and do their bit for the environment.

The vehicle runs on biomethane compressed natural gas

It's not just zoos being powered by poo! In 2015, a bus powered by cow manure set a new land record after hitting a top speed just shy of 77 miles per hour (mph).

The fuel used in the bus was made from animal waste which was broken down in a special process called anaerobic digestion.

The gas produced from this process was then turned into a liquid and stored in tanks fixed inside the roof of the bus.

Not only did this bus reach some epic speeds, but its unique form of fuel was a bonus for the environment.

3. Poo's been used to purify water!

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Researchers at Northeastern University found a use for poo which helps the environment!

Poo and drinkable water aren't words you're likely to use in the same sentence, but researchers at a US university found a way to connect the two.

They figured out a way to turn salty seawater into a liquid people can safely drink using cow manure!

The team of researchers from Northeastern University said the method was an environmentally friendly way to help fight the global water crisis affected by climate change.

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Animal poo has helped to make salty seawater drinkable!

To make the seawater drinkable, they first blasted the poo with high temperatures to kill any bacteria which could be living in it.

The heat also caused the manure to break down to a carbon powder that was then made into a foam to filter out the salt from the seawater.

The foam floated on the seawater's surface and when sunlight hit the area, the water underneath it turns into steam and passed through it as a drinkable liquid - how clever is that!

What do you think about the different ways poo has been used positively? Let us know in the comments!