Why do rabbits eat their own soft droppings?

Rabbits are herbivores that eat a lot of grass and other fibrous plants, which are hard to digest fully the first time. Their large cecum contains microbes that break down plant material and produce nutrient-rich cecotropes. Rabbits usually eat these soft pellets directly from the anus so they can re-digest them and extract vitamins and amino acids more efficiently. This unusual behavior is a normal part of rabbit digestion and is essential to their health. It is one of the clearest examples of how mammalian digestive systems can adapt to low-quality food.