Analysis of infant microbiota composition and the relationship with breast milk components in the Asian elephant (Elephas maximus) at the zoo

Abstract

The prevention of diseases through health control is essential at zoos. Here, we investigated the gut microbiota formation during infancy in an Asian elephant and compared the composition between infant and mother. Besides, we analyzed the components of breast milk and examined the correlation with the infant gut microbiota. Analysis revealed the gut microbiota of the infant contained high amount of Lactobacillales and its diversity was relatively low compared to that of the mother. We found several milk components, showed a positive correlation with the change of Lactobacillales. The present study revealed the mechanism of gut microbiota formation during infancy in an Asian elephant and provides important insights into the health control of Asian elephants in zoos.