By Bits and Pieces: The Contributions of Zoos and Aquariums to Science and Society via Biomaterials
Scientific research has long been recognized as one of the four pillars of the zoo or aquarium mission, alongside recreation, conservation, and education. This study sought to quantify a sample of zoos’ participation in scientific research via the provision of biomaterials from animals to outside scientists and the associated training of undergraduate and graduate students […]
Analysis of the distal gut bacterial community by 454-pyrosequencing in captive giraffes (Giraffa camelopardalis)
The objective of this study was to characterize the structure of the fecal bacterial community of five giraffes (Giraffa camelopardalis) at Disney’s Animal Kingdom, FL. Fecal genomic DNA was extracted and variable regions 1–3 of the 16S rRNA gene was PCR-amplified and then sequenced. The MOTHUR software-program was used for sequence processing, diversity analysis, and […]
The skin microbiome of cow-nose rays (Rhinoptera bonasus) in an aquarium touch-tank exhibit
Public aquaria offer numerous educational opportunities for visitors while touch-tank exhibits offer guests the ability to directly interact with marine life via physical contact. Despite the popularity of touch-tanks, there is a paucity of research about animal health in these exhibits and, in particular, there is little research on the microbial communities in these highly […]