Why do mammals pee into water?

[Anonymous]

Is there some evolutionary benefit? I don't get why so many species including humans see water and think "this pristine water is the perfect place to release my filthy waste".

[God_of_Thunder]

Most natural sources of water have aquatic animal shit in it already, anyway, so it's not exactly pristine, in the first place.

Depending on the location, it could be filled with the shit of much larger animals (crocs, hippos, whales), too. So, an animal releasing its urine into water, so as not to foul their habitat isn't really going to make that much of a difference.

[Guy13]

So they got something to drink. See lower level animals recycle ♻️ ♻️ too ⚠️ ☢️

[BlueScorpio]

Cause it dissipates in water faster and a lot animals use pee to mark territories. They don't want to mark every area as there cause know it could bring conflict or predators near them.

[USLegionary]

For thousands of years humans piped their waste into streams and rivers.

[dustybiker]

Marking territory.

[Asker]

Not very effective in water

[dustybiker]

Of course not, except maybe the shallows along a bank. It’s still why animals pee. Nothing in nature is wasted. All has a purpose.

[ArtemisSilver]

They're just putting it back where they found it.

[Iron_Man]

Not good