Linking Gut Microbiota and Stereotypic Behavior of Endangered Species Under Ex Situ Conservation: First Evidence from Sun Bears

Integrative conservation research on animal behavior and nutritional health can contribute to the ex situ conservation of endangered species. Stereotypic behavior, a repetitive behavior without practical function, is associated with animal welfare in its manner and frequency for captive animals. Exp...

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Published inAnimals (Basel) Vol. 15; no. 3; p. 435
Main Authors Chen, Xiaobing, Chen, Wenqi, Guo, Xinyu, Zhang, Sheng, Xu, Bo, Wu, Hong, Zhao, Dapeng
Format Journal Article
LanguageEnglish
Published Switzerland MDPI AG 04.02.2025
MDPI
Subjects
Animal behavior
Animal welfare
Animals
Autism
Autumn
Behavior
behavioral correlation
carnivore
Endangered & extinct species
Endangered species
ex situ conservation
Feces
Genetic testing
intestinal flora
Microbiota
Microbiota (Symbiotic organisms)
Protection and preservation
Software
Taxonomy
Wildlife conservation
China
carnivore
animal welfare
behavioral correlation
ex situ conservation
intestinal flora
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ISSN2076-2615
2076-2615
DOI10.3390/ani15030435

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Summary:Integrative conservation research on animal behavior and nutritional health can contribute to the ex situ conservation of endangered species. Stereotypic behavior, a repetitive behavior without practical function, is associated with animal welfare in its manner and frequency for captive animals. Exploring the potential relationship between stereotypic behavior and internal factors, such as intestinal flora, could improve ex situ conservation, especially for endangered species. In this study, we analyzed the typical behavior characteristics of the endangered sun bears (Helarctos malayanus) under captive conditions based on the behavior sampling method. The seasonal and annual changes in the intestinal flora of H. malayanus in captivity were studied by 16S rDNA high-throughput sequencing technology based on non-invasive fecal sample collection. This study provides the first evidence of a potential association between the gut microbiota and stereotypic behavior characteristics of captive H. malayanus. The results can significantly improve our understanding of the stereotypical behavior of H. malayanus in captivity and contribute to the captive breeding and conservation efforts of this endangered species.
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These authors contributed equally to this work.
ISSN:2076-2615
2076-2615
DOI:10.3390/ani15030435