It’s not exactly glamorous, but animal poop might be one of nature’s most underrated power tools. From regenerating soil to fuelling ecosystems, dung isn’t just something to step around—it’s a key player in the planet’s survival game. Wildlife, livestock, and even insects all play a part in a natural recycling system that’s been running for millions of years. In fact, without the steady work of animal waste, our climate, food systems, and biodiversity would be in far worse shape. Here’s why poo isn’t just gross—it’s actually kind of heroic.
It enriches soil naturally.
Animal droppings are rich in nutrients like nitrogen, phosphorus, and potassium—basically, everything plants need to grow strong and healthy. When poop breaks down, it gets absorbed into the soil and boosts fertility in a way that’s completely natural and sustainable.
This process supports crop growth, strengthens plant roots, and improves the structure of soil over time. Instead of relying on chemical fertilisers that can damage ecosystems, using animal manure is a low-impact way to keep land productive and resilient.
It helps sequester carbon.
Healthy soil stores carbon, and animal manure plays a role in that. As dung decomposes, it feeds the microbes that help lock carbon into the ground—keeping it out of the atmosphere where it contributes to global warming.
Without regular organic input from animals, soils can become lifeless and less capable of holding carbon. That’s why rewilding efforts involving grazing animals aren’t just about biodiversity—they’re also a climate strategy rooted in, well, poop.
Dung feeds entire ecosystems.
Where there’s poo, there’s life. Countless insects, fungi, and bacteria rely on dung as their primary food source. From dung beetles to earthworms, these small recyclers break waste down and keep the nutrient cycle spinning. This process creates food for birds, fertiliser for plants, and space for more microbial life. Without poop, a lot of animals—and the ecosystems they support—would disappear altogether. It’s not just waste; it’s a buffet.
It restores degraded land.
In areas where the land has been damaged by over-farming or drought, introducing grazing animals can actually help bring it back to life. Their droppings reintroduce microbes and organic matter that kickstart the soil’s recovery process. This is especially true in dry or semi-arid regions where natural fertiliser is scarce. Instead of expensive, artificial solutions, poop offers a low-tech way to rebuild land from the bottom up—literally.
It’s a natural pest repellent.
Some animal droppings, particularly from herbivores, contain compounds that naturally deter pests. In gardens and farming, certain manures can be used to repel insects without needing chemical sprays. It’s a surprisingly eco-friendly way to protect crops while avoiding pesticides that harm pollinators and soil health. In the long run, poop offers a gentler, more balanced approach to keeping unwanted bugs at bay.
It reduces the need for synthetic fertilisers.
Synthetic fertilisers are one of agriculture’s biggest environmental issues—they pollute water, contribute to greenhouse gases, and degrade soil. Using animal manure helps cut back on that dependency. By integrating waste into the farming cycle, we can grow crops in a way that works with nature rather than against it. It might smell worse, but it’s far less toxic in the long term.
Wildlife dung spreads seeds.
Many animals help regenerate ecosystems by unintentionally planting seeds in their droppings. Birds, elephants, monkeys, and even bats eat fruit and disperse the seeds far from the parent plant, fertilised and ready to grow. This process helps maintain forest diversity, regenerate grasslands, and expand plant populations. Dung becomes a delivery service for rewilding—one that doesn’t need roads, packaging, or human interference.
Dung beetles are unsung climate heroes.
Dung beetles bury and break down poo, which recycles nutrients and reduces methane emissions. When waste is buried quickly, less of it ends up releasing gas into the air as it decomposes on the surface. These tiny creatures help control fly populations, enrich soil, and clean up landscapes—especially in grazing regions. Without them, waste would pile up, diseases would spread, and greenhouse gas emissions would spike. They do a lot, considering they work with nothing but poo.
It improves water retention in soil.
Manure improves soil structure, making it better at holding onto water. This is crucial in areas prone to drought or irregular rainfall, where every drop of moisture matters. Well-fed soil absorbs water like a sponge and slowly releases it to plant roots over time. That means healthier crops, less runoff, and better resilience in the face of climate change—all thanks to a regular deposit of dung.
It can be turned into energy.
In many parts of the world, animal waste is being used to generate biogas—a renewable energy source that can power homes, farms, and even vehicles. This reduces the need for fossil fuels and puts waste to good use. Biogas systems capture methane before it escapes and repurpose it in a clean, controlled way. It’s not glamorous, but it’s effective. In rural areas, it can be a game-changer for energy access and environmental impact.
It acts as a soil pH balancer.
Different types of manure can help regulate the acidity or alkalinity of soil, depending on what’s needed. That makes it easier to maintain the kind of balanced environment most plants need to thrive. Instead of dumping in chemical correctors, you can use natural waste to nudge the soil in the right direction. It’s a slower fix, but far gentler on the ecosystem and better for long-term productivity.
Animal poop creates microbial diversity.
Each pile of dung is teeming with microbes, and that’s a good thing. These microbes get mixed into the soil, adding to its microbial diversity and resilience. A richer soil microbiome means healthier plants and better resistance to disease. Farming practices that ignore the microbiome tend to treat soil like lifeless dirt. But with regular inputs of natural waste, it becomes a living, breathing system. That system is a lot more productive in the long run.
It’s free, constantly renewing, and always on hand.
One of the best things about animal waste is that it doesn’t need to be invented, manufactured, or shipped. It’s a byproduct of life itself—and it’s already doing the work, whether we appreciate it or not. In a world constantly chasing complex solutions to environmental problems, it’s worth remembering that some of the answers are already happening on the ground. Quite literally. And they don’t get more grounded than poo.