The Faecal Microbiome Analysed from Healthy, Free-Roaming Giraffes (Giraffa camelopardalis)

Area of Science:

• Microbiology
• Wildlife Ecology
• Animal Nutrition

Background:

• Herbivores, including giraffes (Giraffa camelopardalis), depend on gut symbionts for cellulose digestion.
• Understanding the gut microbiome is crucial for assessing the health and nutritional status of wildlife.

Purpose of the Study:

• To investigate how external stimuli, specifically feeding practices, affect the fecal prokaryote composition of free-roaming giraffes.
• To establish baseline data on giraffe gut microbial communities in South Africa.

Main Methods:

• Fecal samples were collected over two years from giraffes in South Africa, encompassing wet and dry seasons.
• Giraffe groups were subjected to two feeding regimes: supplemental feed versus natural vegetation only.
• Prokaryote composition was analyzed using 16S rRNA gene sequencing, identifying 17 phyla and 8370 amplicon sequence variants (ASVs).

Main Results:

• Fusobacteria, Lentisphaera, and Cyanobacteria were the most abundant bacterial phyla.
• Supplemental feeding significantly increased the relative abundance of Ruminococcaceae UCG 014 and Treponema 2.
• Conversely, supplemental feeding led to a significant decrease in Escherichia/Shigella, Romboutsia, and Ruminococcus 1.

Conclusions:

• Dietary interventions, such as supplemental feeding, demonstrably alter the fecal prokaryote communities in giraffes.
• This research provides a foundation for non-invasive methods to monitor giraffe health and nutritional status.
• Findings support conservation efforts by informing nutritional requirements and management strategies for giraffes and other wildlife.