Gorilla nutrition in captivity must replicate the high-fiber, low-calorie diet of wild animals. Getting nutrition right prevents obesity-related disease and supports behavioral welfare.
Gorilla nutrition management represents a case where conventional zoo feeding practices historically harmed the animals they were meant to nourish. High-calorie processed diets and excessive fruit feeding caused obesity and cardiovascular disease that shortened lives and reduced welfare. The shift toward high-fiber, browse-rich, lower-calorie diets better replicating wild gorilla nutrition has demonstrably improved health outcomes. Getting nutrition right for large primates requires genuine species-specific knowledge, not generic large mammal approaches.