Barbara A Williams, Julia Bevins, Nishith Dharaiya

The gut microbiota plays an important role in host nutrition, immunity and overall health hence it is an important factor in wildlife conservation. Sloth bears are myrmecophagous; different ecological conditions may affect their gut microbial diversity. During dry months, bears often move closer to villages in search of food and water where they consume human induced food or food waste. Their gut communities risk shifting towards unhealthy patterns similar to those seen in captivity, which can lead to long-term health problems. In this Study we conducted comparative analysis of gut microbial diversity between wild and captive individuals using non-invasive scat samples. We have collected 20 scats from wild and 20 from captive and analysed for 16S rRNA gene (V3-V4) amplicon sequencing to characterize bacterial communities. As a result, higher phylogenetically diversity suggests a more functionally resilient gut microbiota which may enhance host health and adaptability. However, the Shannon diversity is higher in the samples collected from captive sloth bears showing even distribution of gut bacteria in captive sloth bears. Interestingly, we have found higher number of Shigella species of bacteria from wild bears indicating a health issue as Shigella is a pathogenic bacterium. The findings also suggests that the gut microbiota of wild sloth bears is not yet in an optimal state, showing vulnerabilities that reflect habitat degradation and dietary limitations. Rather than only focusing on captive welfare, conservation efforts must also strengthen wild populations by protecting natural food sources such as termites, ants, and native fruits. Habitat restoration, reduction of anthropogenic disturbances, and long-term monitoring of microbial health are urgently needed. This study highlights that improving the microbiota in the wild is just as critical as correcting diets in captivity, making microbiome-focused conservation a priority for the survival of sloth bears.