Western lowland gorillas are kept in zoos worldwide, and their complex social needs make welfare management both challenging and critically important.
Gorilla welfare in zoos depends fundamentally on social management. Incompatible group compositions cause chronic stress and aggression that undermine welfare regardless of space quality. Well-managed gorilla groups with appropriate age-sex structure, adequate space for subordinates to avoid dominant individuals, and positive reinforcement training represent genuine welfare achievement. Zoos housing gorillas should demonstrate not just physical health metrics but behavioural indicators of positive welfare including play, affiliative behaviours, and natural foraging activity.