“Scientists have since determined that 70% or so of adult male gorillas in North America have heart disease…scientists believe gorillas are still getting too much sugar and grain”
Short Version Here
TL;DR Long Version Here
Diet of Captive Gorillas Could Be Killing Them
SlowBurnMary
#2
This is horrific - and no mystery - a culture that truly respects non-human species does not import them and hold them captive as objects on display. And if in more suitable sanctuary settings for purposes of rescue, it takes the form of animal kinship/stewardship - the food gathered for the animals is species-specific, biologically appropriate, and of the best quality possible to provide.
However, this goes with other cultural pathology - considering that “human zoos” and “freak shows” of public exhibitions of trafficked/traded/indentured humans were going on all the way up through the 1900s in the British Empire and America - euphemistically called ethnological expositions - and also many fairs and carnival tents putting those with developmental abnormalities on display for general oppression.
Systemic and normalized animal abuse related to both captivity-for-profit and to the “animal food” supply is another example of industrial civilization’s abuse and destruction of the earth itself and everything natural and regenerative. The S.A.D. that is so enmeshed with post-war industrialism and consumerism is sad for most all creatures living in or near industrial culture.
And then there’s the subject of the food given to average American domestic cats and dogs - and how it has not only sugar and grain, but also Grade 4 proteins ("not for human consumption) which are sourced from animal shelter kills as well as slaughterhouse rejections of diseased meat/tumors etc. Just a week or two ago I saw another headline about euthanasia drugs showing up in random testing of domestic pet food. And many of us know about the “protein pellets” given to industrial feedlot cattle - pellets which contain cattle meat! Thus, human profit motivation (in its industrial corporation form) dictating forced cannibalism upon animals who in nature would never eat their species’ carcasses. Unethical and immoral. This culture is insane.
Good to see it getting reported - though it’s much too late for many creatures as far as I can tell 
ketoJeff
#5
My thoughts, the animals aside, were that this is more evidence that grains and insulin are not the way to go. More evidence that grains, carbs are what drives heart disease. There’s proof right there. In primates that live in both the wild and in captivity, that the different diets have the same effect as the S.A.D.
We pay attention to animals but not ourselves. So maybe this will help wake some people up.
PaulL
(You've tried everything else; why not try bacon?)
#6
The parallel is not exact, however, because gorillas are obligate herbivores, and we evolved into omnivores. It’s why the gorilla gut is so much bigger than the human gut. They need much longer intestines to allow their gut bacteria to turn all that plant fiber into saturated fat and cholesterol.
ketoJeff
#7
Yes. Yet the outcome is similar to other tests where Carbohydrates has a correlation to heart disease.