2023 review
Conservation Innovations and Future Directions for the Study of Rhinoceros Gut Microbiome
[Review of ]. JOURNAL OF ZOOLOGICAL AND BOTANICAL GARDENS, 4(2), 396–412.
author keywords: black rhinoceros; endangered species; gut microbiome; greater one-horned rhinoceros; southern white rhinoceros; Sumatran rhinoceros; conservation
TL;DR:
Current research is synthesized to examine the rhinoceros gut microbiome under human management and resulting conservation implications, address common pitfalls of wildlife gut microbiome studies, and propose future avenues of research in this field.
(via Semantic Scholar)
open access via www.mdpi.com (publisher PDF)
UN Sustainable Development Goal Categories
3. Good Health and Well-being
(Web of Science)
15. Life on Land
(OpenAlex)
Source: Web Of Science
Added: January 2, 2024
Rhinoceros are among the largest and most endangered herbivores in the world. Three of the five extant species are critically endangered, with poaching and habitat loss contributing heavily to declines. The gut microbiome is an essential facet of host health and digestion, mediating a variety of immune and physiological functions. Certain microbes have the potential to serve as biomarkers for reproductive outcomes and predictors of disease susceptibility. Therefore, assessing gut microbial dynamics in relation to wild and managed rhinoceros populations has particular relevance for zoos and other conservation organizations that maintain assurance populations of these charismatic megafauna. The functional gut microbiomes associated with all rhinoceros species remain poorly studied, and many published reports are limited by small sample sizes and sex biases. In this review, we synthesize current research to examine the rhinoceros gut microbiome under human management and resulting conservation implications, address common pitfalls of wildlife gut microbiome studies, and propose future avenues of research in this field.