Gorillas n' heart disease

Now I am sure you've heard the not one, but two lowland gorillas at the National Zoo in Washington DC have died of heart disease. Kuja, 23 died on the operating table, while veterinarians attempted to implant a pacemaker. Mopie, 34, dropped dead just days later. They don't actually know why Mopie died, but he had been diagnosed with heart disease previously.

Now heart disease is common among captive gorillas. Really common. Scanning the literature, I've found research on gorilla hypertension diagnosis and treatment, irregular heart beats, swollen and malfunctioning heart muscles. Which is all pretty interesting..seeing as heart disease is one of the most common killers of people. Causes of mortality for gorillas in the wild are hard to ascertain (especially as there, like, aren't hardly any western lowland gorillas LEFT in the wild), but heart disease isn't likely to be one of them. In fact, doctors in 1997 wrote a paper on how the gorilla diet (mostly plants, fruits and lots of roughage) could be a model for healthy people diet. The authors suggest that because humans likely evolved eating this kind of stuff, it might be really healthy for us.

All this makes me wonder what on earth gorillas are eating in zoos. Or whether they are getting enough exercise. Wait a minute. Is this some post-modern analogy for Westerners? Big hairy-belled men sitting on their humps all day eating processed foods in a luxury apartment? (I hear gorillas like baked bananas and have been recorded eating MEAT only in captivity).

Okay, kidding over. Zoo biologists spend their lives trying to figure out what diets will keep animals healthy and happy. And good*** zoos like the National Zoo give animals plenty of room to roam, climb and play.

But then again, maybe it's stress. I have to admit that I've never seen a happy lookin' gorilla hanging out in a zoo. Whether it's that big, forlorn brow or genuine displeasure, I don't know. But it's important to note that the gorillas dying here were male. Males who are territorial and protect their harem. Males who might get stressed out by all those human-things staring. The international community has recognised that great apes have an human-like intellect and capacity for emotion that gives them special status - usually not to be hunted and eaten. I wonder if that status should be extended to excuse them from being on display.

****I know there are those who think that no zoos are good, all are exploitative and cruel. Just for the record, I whole-heartedly disagree. I've seen animals wilting and dying in mud pits in Japan and I've seen tigers and cheetahs running around like party-time in San Diego.

Comments

[AitchJay]

Perhaps a compromise, where they can only be viewed through small windows or shade cloth. I agree that it probably does stress them out, I know how I'd feel!

[Kitty]

I would agree that gorillas, being very sensitive and shy animals for the most part, are probably overly stressed by zoo life. Very sad.

[NiCkolas]

Very entertaining issue. I haven't heard of this one. It will be necessary to visit you on a thicket!
What are you tolking about??Gorillas are very dangerous animals!!