The contents of a lemur’s toilet trip could one day help conservationists understand how endangered animals are faring, following research involving Jersey Zoo.
Scientists analysed 180 poo samples from eight Alaotran gentle lemurs living in pairs at four zoos: Jersey, London, Birmingham and Mulhouse in France.
They looked at the bacteria in the animals’ guts, alongside hormones found in their droppings, to explore whether a simple, non-invasive test could eventually help zoos monitor lemur health and welfare.
The clearest finding was that lemurs at different zoos tended to have different mixes of gut bacteria. The researchers suggested that differences in food and the animals’ surroundings could play a part, although the study was too small to establish precisely what caused the variation.
Bacteria that help break down plant fibre were found in samples from the Jersey and London lemurs, while some types were particularly abundant in those from Mulhouse.
The team also tested whether introducing scented strips to the lemurs’ enclosures affected their gut bacteria or hormone levels. The scent was based on chemical signals associated with female lemurs’ fertile period. Its effects on the bacteria were weak and inconsistent, and hormone levels did not change significantly across the test periods.
The researchers found no significant link between the hormone readings and the mix of gut bacteria. That means the samples cannot yet be used to tell whether an individual lemur is happier or healthier.
Alaotran gentle lemurs live in wetlands around Madagascar’s Lake Alaotra. According to figures cited in the paper, their population fell from about 7,500 in 1994 to around 2,500 in 2018.
Writing in the American Journal of Primatology, the researchers said their findings were preliminary because just eight animals were studied.
They hope further work, including comparisons with wild lemurs in Madagascar, will show whether poo samples can help zoos make better decisions about the care of this endangered species.
