Mineral lick

Natural licks are common, and they provide essential elements such as phosphorus and the biometals (sodium, calcium, iron, zinc, and trace elements) required for bone, muscle and other growth in herbivorous mammals such as deer, moose, elephants, hippos, rhinos, giraffes, zebras, wildebeests, tapirs, woodchucks, fox squirrels, mountain goats, porcupines, and frugivorous bats.

Harsh weather exposes salty mineral deposits that draw animals from miles away for a taste of needed nutrients.

[5] Some animals require the minerals at these sites not for nutrition, but to ward off the effects of secondary compounds that are included in the arsenal of plant defences against herbivory.

[14][15] Artificial salt licks are used in the husbandry of livestock and to attract or maintain wildlife, whether it be for viewing, photography, farming, or hunting purposes.

In Norse mythology, before the creation of the world, the divine cow Auðumbla licked salty ice for three days and uncovered Búri, ancestor of the gods and grandfather of Odin.