Exploring sex- and captivity-associated gut microbial diversity in Bengal Tigers (Panthera tigris tigris)
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Published on: September 26, 2018
Stanzin Dolker1, Avijit Ghosh1,2, Vinaya Kumar Singh1
1Zoological Survey of India, Kolkata, 700053, India.
Abstract:
BACKGROUND: The gut microbiome plays a critical role in host nutrition, immune regulation, metabolic stability, and overall physiological health in wildlife. However, gut microbiome data from large carnivores remain limited, particularly for endangered tiger populations. This study conducted a comparative analysis of fecal microbiomes from captive and wild Bengal tigers, integrated with publicly available datasets from Amur, Malayan, and South China tigers, to understand how captivity and host factors influence microbial assembly. METHODS AND RESULTS: Across all tiger subspecies, Firmicutes and Proteobacteria dominated as core bacterial phyla, with Actinobacteriota, Bacteroidota, and Fusobacteriota forming a conserved microbial backbone. Wild Bengal tigers exhibited higher microbial richness and diversity than captive tigers. Beta diversity analyses demonstrated clear clustering by habitat (captive versus wild), but substantial overlap between male and female captive Bengal tigers, indicating that captivity-associated conditions exert influences on gut microbiome structure than sex. Comparative analyses among tiger subspecies revealed broad overlap in microbial community composition, suggesting limited phylogenetic influence. South China and Amur tigers displayed the lowest richness compared to Bengal and Malayan tigers. Furthermore, analysis identified an enrichment of protein fermentation-associated taxa in captive tigers, whereas wild tigers showed a greater abundance of environmentally associated taxa. CONCLUSIONS: The study provides evidences that captivity promotes reduction in gut microbial diversity in Bengal tigers, and highlights the potential utility of microbiome-informed captive management. Integrating gut microbiome monitoring into conservation breeding, zoo exchange and reintroduction programmes may improve adaptive fitness in endangered tiger populations.
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