Human microbiome research is a blossoming field of study, shedding light on the millions of microbes living within us — microscopic species frequently vital to our health. In tandem, researchers across the globe have also been delving into the microbes living inside wildlife in hopes of developing a new conservation and rewilding tool. Early research on endangered Tasmanian devils (Sarcophilus harrisii) in Australia, for instance, found that the gut microbiome of this carnivorous marsupial, when kept in captivity, differs vastly from its cousins in the wild. This echoes other studies on a range of species in captivity, showing a species-specific response — some animals have lower microbiome diversity in captivity, while others have higher. In the case of Tasmanian devils, low microbial diversity in captive populations raised numerous health concerns, as that deficiency could potentially leave animals susceptible to illness and disease. “Initially we had concerns that their reduced gut microbiome in captivity would be an issue when they were released, and we wanted to know if we needed to manage this [issue] in captivity or undertake actions for when the [animals] were released” to better protect them in the wild, says Carolyn Hogg, research manager of the Australasian Wildlife Genomics Group at the University of Sydney. But for Tasmanian devils reintroduced to the wild, at least, it turned out no intervention was needed. Monitoring of the released devils’ microbiomes, via the collection and analysis of their feces, showed that the animals were able to regain a “wild” microbiome, a…This article was originally published on Mongabay

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