Last year, we brought you news about how the pitcher plant gets nutrients from the fecal matter of animals like tree shrews, bats, and rats. That piece was mainly from the viewpoint of the pitcher plant, so you might have been left wondering exactly how the tree shrew accomplishes its important task.
So we're back with a more tree-shrew-centric perspective. These two videos—one funny, one serious—provide some terrific footage of the furry, adorably pointy-nosed creature in action, doing its business in the pitcher plant. Both videos explain the symbiotic relationship between the pitcher plant and the tree shrew – the pitcher plant provides tasty snacks to the tree shrew, and the tree shrew provides fertilizer to the pitcher plant via its poop. It's a win-win! And, honestly, pretty amazing.
The first video was made by a comedian named "Jimmy" who goes by ama.animals520 on TikTok. He's created lots of hilarious videos where he takes footage from nature documentaries and adds his own funny commentary. The second is a clip from BBC Earth featuring none other than the legendary Sir David Frederick Attenborough.
I hope you enjoy them both!
