Lion droppings reveal previously unknown microbes in wild Namibian lions
In short
- Researchers studied wild lions in Namibia using their droppings.
- The study found previously unknown microbial species.
- The findings also show how much biology is missing from genomic databases.
Why the Good News Desk likes this one
Lion gut microbes have received little study compared with how lions hunt and breed. This work starts to fill that gap using samples from wild animals. It also shows that existing genomic databases miss a large share of the living diversity.
From Phys.org
Scientists know a great deal about how lions hunt, breed and survive, but the microscopic communities living inside them have remained largely unexplored. Now, a study of wild lions in Namibia is beginning to change that, while revealing how much biology is still missing from the world's genomic databases.
Ask this story
For kids
Scientists looked at lion poop in Namibia. Inside it, they found tiny living things that nobody had named before. Lions have many tiny helpers and visitors inside them, and scientists are only just starting to learn about them. What do you think lives inside an animal that you cannot see?
