Animal farts are hilariously entertaining, but they can also be dangerous. Some species pass gas to survive while others use it to stun predators or prey. Plus, farts produce methane, which is a greenhouse gas emission that causes global warming. Which animals are the culprits that let out the most farts in the world? Let’s sniff out 18 of the stinkiest creatures on Earth, starting with the number one contributor.
1. Cows
Cows eat grass, but they also munch on grain. This can cause them to fart a lot, producing methane gas.
Almost 30% of Earth’s methane emissions come from ruminant livestock like cows . They produce a lot of gas! Grain-based feed is the reason for their tooting, so moving away from this will help our noses and our planet.
2. Termites
Termites are responsible for 1% of the methane production each year, but their mounds filter out most of the gas before it affects our atmosphere.
Like cows, termites are a ruminant species that produces methane when plant matter is digested. What plant matter, you might wonder? Wood, of course! Termites are responsible for 1% of the methane gas produced, which is why they rank at number two on our list of animals that fart the most.
3. Horses
Horses are goofy creatures that often fart as they get up from a good roll or as they run around their pasture playfully.
We know that cows fart the most, but what animal comes in a close second? That would be horses! Horses produce nearly 45.5 pounds of methane gas per year… that’s a lot of farting. Plus, they are shameless about their flatulence, often ripping one as they cough, get up, buck, or jump.
Manatees don’t fart just to fart. They use the stored-up gas to float to the surface and release it to dive below. It also helps them stay balanced and navigate as they swim!
5. Zebras
The Zebra is an animal that farts the most when they are being chased by a predator.
Another animal who farts on purpose? Zebras! They release gas with every stride if they’re being chased by a predator. It’s said that their farts can kill a lion if they breathe in enough of the deadly smell!
Rhinos are another animal that farts a lot because their diet is plant-based. Their food is digested through fermentation in the back half of their digestive tract, and the only way to release the build-up is to fart!
7. Elephants
Massive animals produce massive farts, just ask the
The mighty elephant is large, so it makes sense that they fart the most out of all the animals on our list. In fact, the amount of gas they produce in a single day is said to be able to power a car for up to 20 miles! Plus, they’re as pungent as you can imagine for such a massive creature.
The orangutan digests the plant matter they eat the same way cows and horses do. What does that mean? They fart… a lot! And, of course, these cheeky apes are shameless about it.
9. Bolson Pupfish
A particular species called the bolson pupfish has to let out farts to survive.
Another animal that farts on purpose is the bolson pupfish. They feed on algae, which produces gas in the fish’s intestines. The gas causes the fish to float to the water’s surface, where they are more vulnerable to predators. Releasing the gas helps them sink back to safety. Farting really can save the day!
10. Ferrets
These spunky creatures don’t need fruits and veggies, so if they eat them, you’ll surely smell it!
We know and love ferrets for their silly personalities, but it’s no secret that they smell. While most of that smell is from living in small cages, sometimes it’s because they get gassy. This will happen if you give them fruits, vegetables, or carbs — an unnecessary part of their diet — because their digestive systems can’t break it down.
11. Beaded Lacewings
The beaded lacewing is an insect that eats termites, one of the animals that farts the most!
There’s an interesting connection between two of the animals on our list: the termite and the beaded lacewing . In the larval stage, the beaded lacewing’s farts contain a chemical to stun termites so they can eat them. This insect’s farts have a purpose. Let’s just hope they taste good…
12. Whales
Whales fart just like we do, they just let them rip underwater.
Underwater farts are far too understudied. Farting whales have only been captured on video a few times, but we know they blow bubbles out of their back end like the rest of us.
13. Camels
Camels are fart machines that produce some of the most methane gas out of all of the animals on our list.
A surprising animal that breaks some of the most wind is the camel . They have multi-chambered forestomachs and produce almost as much methane gas through their farts as cows.
The average sheep produces almost 18 pounds of methane each year. This animal does a lot of farting because it is a ruminant species that processes grain by passing gas.
15. Kangaroos
It was once thought that kangaroo farts were eco-friendly.
As herbivores, part of how a kangaroo digests plant matter is by releasing some serious-smelling farts. They are active methane contributors. This surprised researchers from the Univesity of Zurich, who thought their farts were eco-friendly and that kangaroos were “mysteriously low methane-producing creatures” for their size and diet.
For such massive animals, hippos do not have the loudest farts in the world. But they do hold the record for the longest fart — 10 breathtaking seconds!
17. Honey Badgers
Not all farts have a purpose, but the honey badger uses the toxic smell to steal honey to eat!
The honey badger is another animal that farts with a purpose! To steal honey from bees , they have to stun them with pungent puffs of poo (in gas form, of course).
18. Dogs
Dogs sometimes get scared by their own farts, and they’re not the only ones!
As any dog owner knows, these pups pass gas like nobody’s business! Whether they ate something bad or you get a particularly flatulent breed, dogs had to be on our list of the animals that fart the most.
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