biostudies-literatureUnknown74(3)Juan LUnderstanding gut microbiome diversity in endangered chimpanzees (<i>Pan troglodytes</i>) is crucial for their effective <i>ex situ</i> conservation. This study characterized the age-related dynamics of the fecal microbiota in captive juvenile (< 5 years), adolescent (5-10 years), and adult (> 15 years) chimpanzees reared in Shanghai and Hangzhou Zoos using 16S rRNA sequencing and demonstrated significant ontogenetic shifts in the microbiota composition. Alpha diversity peaked in adolescents (significantly higher Ace/Chao1/Observed Species; <i>p</i> < 0.05), with the greatest number of unique OTUs (1,139). Community structures significantly differed between the age groups (ANOSIM <i>R</i> = 0.121). Furthermore, the captive diets drove the fundamental restructuring of the core phyla. The FiPolish journal of microbiology363-373https://www.ebi.ac.uk/biostudies/studies/S-EPMC12445987biostudies-literatureAge-Related Dynamics of Fecal Microbiota in the Captive Chimpanzee (<i>Pan troglodytes</i>).PMC12445987Juan LYou YZhu YYan NHuang KWu HZhang WCheng SPan HZhang YYe SLou YIZhan JYuan YfalseAge-Related Dynamics of Fecal Microbiota in the Captive Chimpanzee (<i>Pan troglodytes</i>).Understanding gut microbiome diversity in endangered chimpanzees (<i>Pan troglodytes</i>) is crucial for their effective <i>ex situ</i> conservation. This study characterized the age-related dynamics of the fecal microbiota in captive juvenile (< 5 years), adolescent (5-10 years), and adult (> 15 years) chimpanzees reared in Shanghai and Hangzhou Zoos using 16S rRNA sequencing and demonstrated significant ontogenetic shifts in the microbiota composition. Alpha diversity peaked in adolescents (significantly higher Ace/Chao1/Observed Species; <i>p</i> < 0.05), with the greatest number of unique OTUs (1,139). Community structures significantly differed between the age groups (ANOSIM <i>R</i> = 0.121). Furthermore, the captive diets drove the fundamental restructuring of the core phyla. The Fi2025-01-01T00:00:00Z2025 Sep2026-04-28T03:22:57.94Z2026-04-28T03:11:47.051ZS-EPMC124459874096781310.33073/pjm-2025-031