Microbiomes of Northeast Pacific killer whales

Killer whales of the Northeastern Pacific consist of multiple populations & ecotypes, but obtaining samples from these free-ranging animals remains opportunistic. Noninvasive samples such as feces, expelled mucus, sloughed skin, & exhaled breath can be valuable sources of animal-associated microbiomes. These types of samples are analyzed for microbiomes as well as specific microorganisms, serving as a source of health information for poorly monitored marine mammals.

东北太平洋的虎鲸（Killer whales）存在多个种群与生态型，但对这类野生个体进行样本采集仍仅能采取机会性采样方式。粪便、排出黏液、脱落皮肤与呼出气体等非侵入性样本，是获取动物关联微生物组的宝贵来源。通过对这类样本开展微生物组及特定微生物的检测分析，可为监测覆盖不足的海洋哺乳动物提供健康信息参考。