Characteristics of Gut Microbiota in Captive Asian Elephants (Elephas maximus) from Infant to Elderly

Abstract

Abstract Gut microbiota play an important role in the health and disease in captive Asian elephants, however, its characteristics at each stage of life have not been thoroughly investigated. This study, therefore, aimed to characterize the profiles of the gut microbiota of captive Asian elephants from infants to the elderly. The diversity of the gut microbiota was lowest in infants, stable during adulthood, and slightly decreased in the geriatric period. Gut microbiota were identified by 16S rRNA sequencing from the feces of captive Asian elephants with varying age groups, including infant calves, suckling calves, weaned calves, subadult and adult elephants, and geriatric elephants. The gut microbiota of the infant elephants was dominated by milk-fermenting taxa. The fiber-fermenting taxa emerged in suckling elephants. The stabilization of gut microbiota profiles has been observed after weaning until the adult period. However, the composition of the gut microbiota was found to change again in geriatric elephants. Understanding of the composition of the gut microbiota of captive Asian elephants at each stage of life could be beneficial to support good health during each period of the elephant's lifespan.