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Articles on Dung beetles

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Coprophanaeus lancifer, a large seed-disperser dung beetle in the Amazon. Hannah Griffiths

Counting mammals, birds and dung beetles could be vital for saving the Amazon

We know surprisingly little about the millions of animals, plants and birds that live in the Amazon – here’s how we can understand them better.
An Amazon forest in Brazil’s Para state after deforestation and wildfires March 9, 2019. Unlike in some tropical forests, the animals of the Amazon are not adapted to survive fire. Gustavo Basso/NurPhoto via Getty Images

Dung beetles help rainforests regrow – but extreme drought and wildfires in the Amazon are killing them off

A new study finds 70% of Amazonian dung beetles were killed by the severe fire and droughts of 2015 to 2016. By spreading seeds and poop, dung beetles fertilize forests and aid regrowth of vegetation.
Dung beetle rolling in the shade. Marcus Byrne

Five things dung beetles do with a piece of poo

Dung beetles have been cleaning up the planet for at least 65 million years. The 6000 species across the world have adapted to a life at the back end of the food chain in the most remarkable ways.

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