Geophagy and Mineral Lick Ecology in Terrestrial Fauna

Geophagy—the deliberate ingestion of soil or sediment—is a widespread behaviour among terrestrial vertebrates, notably herbivorous mammals and some bird species. Mineral licks, whether natural outcrops or artificial supplements, provide concentrated sources of essential nutrients such as sodium, calcium, magnesium and trace elements. These sites can also adsorb dietary toxins, aid gut function and influence social interactions. Across tropical rainforests, temperate woodlands and arid savannahs, animals exhibit species‐specific visitation patterns shaped by seasonal availability, lunar cycles and reproductive status. Mineral licks serve as ecological hotspots, driving movement corridors, shaping home ranges and affecting predator–prey dynamics. Conservation applications include the design of artificial saltlicks to mitigate nutrient deficits, restoration of degraded habitats and strategic protection of lick sites to support threatened herbivores. However, these congregations can attract poachers, facilitate pathogen spillover and alter community structure, underscoring the need for integrated management that balances animal health, ecosystem function and human‐wildlife conflict.

Research from Nature Portfolio

One recent study in Southeast Asia evaluated how natural salt licks influence the spatial ecology of a top predator. By deploying camera traps and mapping animal trails around multiple licking sites, researchers showed that a flagship carnivore’s home‐range boundaries are closely tied to the distribution of mineral sources, even when prey density around licks is lower than expected. The findings reveal that geophagic hotspots not only satisfy physiological needs but also act as behavioural anchors, offering insights for rewilding and habitat‐connectivity planning.

Geophagy and Mineral Lick Ecology in Terrestrial Fauna publication trend

The graph below shows the total number of articles in geophagy and mineral lick ecology in terrestrial fauna across all publications each year (not limited to Nature Index journals).

Technical terms

Geophagy: the deliberate ingestion of soil, clay or sediments by animals.

Mineral lick: a natural or artificial deposit where animals consume soil or water to obtain essential minerals.

Allometric scaling: the study of how physiological or ecological traits change with organism body size.

Artificial saltlick: a human‐constructed substrate enriched with minerals to supplement wildlife diets.

Toxin adsorption: the process by which soil particles bind and neutralise harmful compounds ingested with forage.

References

1. Assessment of Nutrients in Natural Saltlicks, Artificial Saltlicks, and General Soils Used by Wild Asian Elephants (Elephas maximus) in the Western Forests of Thailand. Resources (2023).
2. Geological nature of mineral licks and the reasons for geophagy among animals. Biogeosciences (2017).
3. Allometry of sodium requirements and mineral lick use among herbivorous mammals. Oikos (2023).
4. Drivers of geophagy by red brocket deer (Mazama americana) at Amazonian interior forest mineral licks. Ecology and Evolution (2024).
5. Impact of natural salt lick on the home range of Panthera tigris at the Royal Belum Rainforest, Malaysia. Scientific Reports (2021).