Rocks And Earth Provide A Balanced Diet

Many animals get the energy from the food they eat;they may still lack vitamins and minerals which must be
sought elsewhere.For some African elephants salts that are essential dietary supplement are provided by volcanic ash.
Such elephants live in a largely mountainous region on the boarder between Kenya and Uganda where rainfall drains minerals from the soil. Therefore, to balance their diet, they visit Kitum Caves in Mount Elgon which was once an active volcano, where there is mineral-rich rock formed from ash and volcanic debris. The elephants sniff for the best seam of minerals once inside the cave.They prise chunks from the walls with help of their tusks and then slowly chew them.