Probiotics for Boosting Beluga Whale Immune Function
Can a daily dose of beneficial microbes help boost immunity for beluga whales? Shedd researchers have teamed up with immunologists at the USDA for the first-ever look at the impacts of probiotics on beluga whales.
How to Help
Probiotics for Boosting Beluga Whale Immune Function
Can a daily dose of beneficial microbes help boost immunity for beluga whales? Shedd researchers have teamed up with immunologists at the USDA for the first-ever look at the impacts of probiotics on beluga whales.
How to Help
“The creation of the Aquarium Microbiome Lab has raised the awareness of the microbiome in animal care and welfare in the zoo community. Veterinary care providers and environmental quality specialists now look to Shedd as an expert resource in this domain.”
Angela Kent, Ph.D. Professor, Department of Natural Resources and Environmental Science, University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign
A preliminary network analysis of the three million gallon Oceanarium habitat at Shedd (Cardona et al. 2017) revealed primary inputs and drivers of the microbial communities residing in the water and indoor air, as well as the host-associated microbiota of resident beluga whales. Approximately halfway through the sampling period for this study, a probiotic was administered to one group of whales to see if a change could be detected in the whale's microbiome. Not only were probiotic genera detected in the whale's feces, but also in samples of the whale's skin and blowhole. To further investigate the effects of probiotics on beluga health, we have teamed up with Dr. Randy Sacco at USDA-ARS, who's lab has developed cytokine assays to assess beluga immune function. This study is one of three generously funded by a grant from the Institute of Museum and Library Services. We are hopeful that results from this study will inform future decisions toward the goal of continuous improvement to standards of cetacean health and welfare.