[The Effect of Coprophagy on the Size of Plant Fibers in the Digestive Tract of Hares Lepus europaeus and L. timidus (Lagomorpha, Leporidae)].

Abstract

We have studied the distribution of plant fibers of different sizes in the digestive tracts of two hare species: the brown hare (Lepus euopaeus) and the mountain hare (L. timidus). In all studied hares (18 specimens), the highest amount of fine-sized fibers (less than 0.25 mm length) was observed in the cecum (50-70% of the total fiber mass). It was found out that the fine-sized content in the digestive tract, and especially in the cecum, is provided not only by the separation mechanism of the colon, but also by coprophagy. It was shown that repeated passage of food through the digestive tract compensates small volume of the cecum and increases the period of digestion of the same portions of food.