Gorillas are among the cognitively closest relatives to humans and require highly specialised captive management that meets their exceptional social, cognitive, and physical needs.
Gorilla welfare in captivity is a subject of ongoing research and ethical debate. Even in excellent facilities, captive gorillas exhibit behaviours not seen in wild populations — regurgitation and reingestion, stereotypic pacing, and abnormal social interactions — suggesting residual welfare deficits. The cognitive complexity of gorillas means they notice, and are affected by, aspects of their environment that simpler species would be unaffected by. Welfare-centred gorilla management requires large, naturalistic spaces; stable, appropriate social groups; extensive foraging enrichment; and ongoing welfare monitoring by primatologists with species expertise.