Mineral lick

A mineral lick (also known as a salt lick) is a place where

Some animals require the minerals at these sites not for nutrition, but to ward off the effects of secondary compounds that are included in the arsenal of plant defences against herbivory.^[6] The minerals of these sites usually contain calcium, magnesium, sulfur, phosphorus, potassium, and sodium.^{[7][8][9][10]} Mineral lick sites play a critical role in the ecology and diversity of organisms that visit these sites, but little is still understood about the dietary benefits.

The paths animals made to natural mineral licks and watering holes became the hunting paths predators and early humans used for hunting. It is hypothesized that these salt and water paths became trails and later roads for early humans.^[11]

Nonetheless, many studies have identified other uses and nutritional benefits from other micronutrients that exist at these sites, including

Artificial salt licks are used in the husbandry of livestock and to attract or maintain wildlife, whether it be for viewing, photography, farming, or hunting purposes.^[16] Maintaining artificial salt licks as a form of baiting is illegal in some states in the United States, but legal in others.^[10]: 413 Inadvertent salt licks may lead to unintended wildlife-human interactions.^[17]

• 
  Svärdsjö sheep, an endangered Swedish local breed, licking salt
• 
  Block of salt mounted on a post in Sopot, Poland
• 
  Pilanesberg Game Reserve

  , South Africa

History

In the Americas

The

In Norse mythology, before the creation of the world, it was the divine cow Auðumbla, and because she licked the cosmic salt ice, she gave form to Búri, ancestor of the gods and grandfather of Odin. On the first day as Auðumbla licked, Buri's hair appeared from the ice, on the second day his head, and the third his body.^[19]

See also

• Saltern
• Zoopharmacognosy

References