The bathroom habits of Vicunas, a less popular cousin to Llama, are helping researchers better understand climate change. These animals live high in alpine areas. They are catching a lot of attention lately as their faces hold steps to fight against climate change.
Researchers recently found that plants near the vicuna latrines are found in retreating glaciers high in the Andes in South America. The study reported that these glaciers are lacking in nutrients and consist mostly of rock.
Compared to other soils nearby, the latrine soil contained significantly more moisture and nutrients such as organic carbon, phosphorus and nitrogen. It could take hundreds of years for the deglaciated area to transition into grassland.
