For many large land-dwelling animals, including humans, the composition of the gut flora is affected by diet.
However, when researchers at Uppsala University, among others, analyzed the relationship between gut flora and diet in three wild giraffe species in Kenya, they were surprised. It turned out that the gut flora was primarily influenced by which giraffe species they belonged to, not by what they ate. The discovery has been published in Global Ecology and Conservation.
Geography also played a significant role in what the animals ate. Giraffes of the same species ate different types of food depending on where they lived. Since all three species are endangered, knowledge of what they eat can be important to know, the researchers believe. It can facilitate planning of areas that are important to preserve to ensure access to food.
