In article ,
Janet wrote:

Why do you find it strange? I think it's very intelligent of whatever did
it to cover up stinkingly bad food that may have harmed them if they ate it.

Anthropomorphic misinformation.

Other species physiology is very different from human physiology
especially in the digestive tract. Carnivorous mammals, reptiles and
birds' digestive systems are designed to harmlessly digest carrion/
rotting meat and bones using powerful enzymes in their saliva, and
stomach acids. They will happily (and harmlessly) eat animal faeces;
coprophagia is common and even beneficial.

Well, actually, it's even less accurate than that!

Some predators cannot eat carrion, and quite a few animals cannot
eat overripe or event slightly rotting fruit etc. Mostly tropical
ones, where fresh food is easier to come by, but they exist.
However, most of the dog and corvid families (to name but two)
are adapted to eating carrion, as you say. And so are crocodiles.

But the biggest mistake is to say is that we differ. We don't.
We can probably eat a wider range of 'off' foods than any animal
except rats - it is merely modern 'supermarket culture' that
makes people believe we are different. It was traditional to
hang game birds until they were definitely starting to rot;
even now, good beef is matured for weeks. And then we get onto
cheese (especially blue and ripe soft cheeses), bletting and
fermentation, etc. etc.


Regards,
Nick Maclaren.