To groom is a verb that can be used to refer to the action of polishing, filing, sanding, smoothing or perfecting something. The act can take place, in different ways, on objects or living beings.
For example: “I must groom my helmet before the parade, ” “The government intends to groom public buildings so that they look gleaming when the presidents arrive, ” “The dog surprised people when it started grooming lion cubs. ”
Defined by Digopaul, grooming can refer to the cleaning and polishing of metal weapons. To groom a weapon, it is possible to use different oils and lotions that give it shine and, in many cases, provide protection against rust.
Grooming a facade or wall, on the other hand, consists of beautifying the surface in question to improve its appearance. The action does not imply a structural or deep change, but a superficial one.
In animals, grooming is associated with the care they take of the outside of their body. Grooming involves cleaning and deworming the skin or coat, in a behavior that is essential for your health and well-being.
But grooming in animals is much more than the simple act of cleaning the body itself; Below are some of the main functions of this activity that most species carry out on a daily basis:
* although it focuses on sanitizing the skin, fur and plumage, it also serves to eliminate certain external parasites and prevent some infections;
* keep the external cover of some animals in good condition so that it can fulfill its function, either waterproofing the body or protecting it from extreme temperatures;
* get rid of odors that may attract the attention of certain predators or, during hunting times, alert potential prey of their presence;
* impregnate your entire body with pheromones that your peers can smell. Pheromones are chemical substances that an individual secretes in order to provoke certain behaviors in others of the same species through appropriately encoded messages, which can be detected at great distances. Two common examples of pheromone use are sexual attraction or rejection;
* birds must also groom their feathers to keep them in proper flight condition;
* some species use grooming to achieve the best possible appearance during the courtship season. Despite what many people create, animals also have to fight to get a mate in many cases.
It should be noted that some species develop the so-called social grooming: that is, one animal is dedicated to grooming another, and in turn is groomed by a third party. In this case, the practice is not only used as a sanitation mechanism, but also contributes to establishing links and resolving conflicts.
Although we usually see the most common example of social grooming in apes, there are many species that practice it; Without going any further, dogs and cats are two species that sometimes resort to this form of communication to show respect or love to their companions, among other issues that they will know better than we do.
The grooming can be different in each species. Insects, for example, use their feet to clean their antennae. The birds, who spend more time on this activity than any other, rub their legs and beaks, rearrange their feathers and smooth them. The water is the meeting point of many seemingly different animals, and this group also walked us.
A man preens, finally, when he shaves or shaves and combs his hair to achieve a neat aspect and care.
