Licking

For other uses, see Licking (disambiguation).
  • A tiger grooming its paw by licking
    A tiger grooming its paw by licking
  • A calf licking its nose.
    A calf licking its nose.
  • A humming bird licking for nectar
    A humming bird licking for nectar
  • A male gray kangaroo licking his wrists to thermoregulate
    A male gray kangaroo licking his wrists to thermoregulate
  • Social grooming lions
  • Wolves licking to indicate social status[1]
    Wolves licking to indicate social status[1]
  • A domestic cat licking its paw during grooming
    A domestic cat licking its paw during grooming
  • A tiger "licking" the air during the flehmen response
    A tiger "licking" the air during the flehmen response
  • A snake licking a leaf to detect prey
    A snake licking a leaf to detect prey

Licking is the action of passing the tongue over a surface, typically either to deposit saliva onto the surface, or to collect liquid, food or minerals onto the tongue for ingestion, or to communicate with other animals. Many animals both groom themselves, eat or drink by licking.

  1. ^ L. David Mech; Luigi Boitani (1 October 2010). Wolves: Behavior, Ecology, and Conservation. University of Chicago Press. ISBN 978-0-226-51698-1.