Reticulated giraffes were one of three species studied by the researchers. By sequencing DNA from faecal samples, they were able to determine both the bacterial composition of the gut and which plants wild giraffes had eaten. Credit: Tyler Kartzinel. CC BY.
The gut bacteria of giraffes are not primarily determined by what they eat, but by the species they belong to.
This is shown in a new study from Uppsala University and Brown University in which researchers have analysed the link between diet and gut flora in three giraffe species in Kenya.
The study also provides new knowledge that can help secure the food supply of endangered giraffe species.
In a new study researchers have analysed the relationship between the diet and microbiome, or gut flora, of giraffes in Kenya.
By sequencing plant and bacterial DNA from faecal samples, they were able to investigate both the bacterial composition of the gut and which plants wild giraffes had eaten.
Reticulated giraffes in Kenya. Credit: Tyler Kartzinel. CC BY.
Species-specific gut flora in giraffes
The researchers collected samples from three different species, the reticulated giraffe, the Masai giraffe and the northern giraffe, which live around the equator in Kenya.
They found that the microbiome was primarily determined by the species they belonged to, not by what they ate.
Lead author Elin Videvall, researcher at Uppsala University, said: “We expected that giraffes with similar diets would also have similar microbiomes, but we found no such connection.
“Instead, we saw that giraffes seem to maintain species-specific microbiomes, even when individuals within the same species may eat completely different sets of plants.
“This suggests that the microbiome may have an evolutionary component that we do not yet fully understand.”
(A) Map of Kenya with an inset box showing the geographical areas where giraffes were sampled, colour-coded according to the giraffe species present in each area. (B) Pictures of the three giraffe species in the study together with a family tree showing how they are related. Credit: Elin Videvall. CC BY.
Important for the conservation of endangered giraffes
Geography also played a major role in what they ate. Giraffes of the same species consumed different types of food depending on where they lived.
As all three species are endangered, any knowledge of what they eat can be important information, especially when planning which areas are important to preserve to ensure access to nourishment.
Senior author Tyler Kartzinel, associate professor at Brown University, said: “We began this study as an international collaboration between academics and conservation professionals.
“We hope our research can provide better insight into giraffe diets and help support the conservation of giraffes.”
The study is published in Global Ecology and Conservation.
