Faecal microflora of capt ive koalas, Phascolarctos cinereus (Marsupialia: Phascolarctidae).

Abstract

The faecal microflora of four Phascolarctos cinereus kept at the Saitama Children's Zoo in Japan was investigated using 10 selective and 4 nonselec tive agar media. Total viable counts (in log form) of faecal bacteria (8.2 g of wet faeces) were significantly lower than the direct microscopic counts (11.2 g of wet faeces). Four groups of obligate anaerobes (bacteroidaceae, peptococcaceae, bifidobacteria , and clostridia) and three groups of facultative anaerobes (enterobacteria, streptococci and lactobacilli) were isolated. Dominant components of the flora were obligate anaerobes, in particular bacteroidaceae and peptococcaceae.