What happens to poop in the jungle? This is what I found myself thinking on a recent trip deep into the Jungles of Borneo.
Borneo is the third largest island in the world and is part of Southeast Asia (Wikipedia). The island is home to three different countries - Malaysia, Indonesia, and Brunei. The jungles of Borneo are the stuff legends are made of; every creepy crawly critter one could imagine in their darkest dreams calls the Bornean jungles home. The jungle is shared by the most unique primates anywhere in the world, including: Orangutan, Proboscis Monkey, Langurs and so many more. Needless to say, this dense green expanse is full of insects and animals, large and small. And, all of them are leaving behind a massive amount of poop on the jungle floor.
When the poop hits the ground, a whole ecosystem of insects springs to life. It was this ecosystem of life that caught my attention. Well, to be completely truthful, it was the scientists who were studying this ecosystem of poop that caught my attention. And, when I finally followed them into their study site to sit next to a pile of poop I found myself mesmerized with the activity of insects that converged on the steaming pile.
Watch the video to see just how amazing it can be to sit and watch poop in the jungle - this is biology in all it's glory!
Keep on Learning! ~Craig Beals
