Comparison of fecal microbial communities of wild and captive woodrats. feces metagenome

This study aimed to determine whether natural diets promote the retention of the native gut microbiota of rodents upon entrance to artificial captive settings. The study showed that the intake of natural food items collected from the animal habitat, successfully mitigated the negative effects of captivity on the gut microbiome. The study has implications for animal conservation in captivity.