Animal Age Affects the Gut Microbiota and Immune System in Captive Koalas ( Phascolarctos cinereus )

Abstract

Although we have a preliminary understanding of the gut microbiota of koalas, we lack insight into which factors potentially impact captive koalas. This study creates the largest koala gut microbiota data set in China to date and describes several factors that may affect gut microbiota and the immune system in captive koalas, highlighting that age may be a key factor affecting captive koalas.