Heart disease remains the leading cause of death in zoo gorillas, a puzzling and concerning issue for wildlife researchers. Despite extensive research into the biology and health of these animals, the origins of heart disease in gorillas are still unclear. However, recent studies have focused on a promising area of research: the gut microbiome. The gut microbiome refers to the trillions of microorganisms residing in the gastrointestinal tract, which play a critical role in digestion, immune function, metabolism, and overall health. Researchers are increasingly investigating the possibility that disruptions to this microbiome might contribute to cardiovascular diseases, even in species like gorillas, which share a significant portion of their DNA with humans.
In an ambitious study published in npj Biofilms and Microbiomes, a team of researchers from the University of Minnesota, in collaboration with national and international partners, set out to explore whether there is a link between the gut microbiome and heart disease in gorillas. Their research is groundbreaking, as it represents the largest survey of gut microbiome composition and function in gorillas with heart disease to date. The findings have significant implications not only for our understanding of heart disease in gorillas but also for the broader field of cardiovascular health in humans.
The researchers studied both zoo gorillas and wild gorillas, comparing the gut microbiomes of those with heart disease and those without. The zoo gorillas were from various U.S. zoos, European zoos, and were compared to wild gorillas in the Central African Republic, where heart disease has not been observed. The results pointed to several fascinating and important observations about the role the gut microbiome may play in the development of heart disease in gorillas, and by extension, in other species, including humans.
One of the most striking findings was that gorillas in zoos had gut microbiomes that were significantly different from those of wild gorillas. These differences were likely due to the vastly different diets and environments of captive gorillas compared to their wild counterparts. Gorillas in captivity are exposed to a much more varied and possibly more processed diet, which may lead to a higher diversity of microorganisms in their gut microbiome. On the other hand, the wild gorillas in Central Africa had a microbiome that was more in line with what one might expect for their natural, less variable diet and environment.
Despite the greater diversity of gut microbiomes in zoo gorillas, those with heart disease still showed significant differences compared to healthy gorillas. Notably, gorillas with heart disease had a less diverse gut microbiome compared to healthy individuals, suggesting that a more diverse gut microbiome might play a protective role in maintaining cardiovascular health. Additionally, the microbiomes of gorillas with heart disease appeared to have a diminished capacity to produce beneficial compounds, potentially indicating a dysfunction in the metabolic processes that could support cardiovascular health. The researchers also observed that the gut microbiomes of diseased gorillas harbored certain bacterial species that were linked to poor intestinal health, further suggesting a possible connection between gut health and the development of heart disease.
This discovery is particularly intriguing because it suggests that the dietary and environmental factors influencing the gut microbiome could have broader health implications beyond digestive health. The link between the gut microbiome and heart disease in gorillas echoes similar findings in humans, where researchers have increasingly recognized that the health of the gut microbiome may influence various conditions, including cardiovascular disease, obesity, diabetes, and even neurological and immune system disorders.
The researchers noted that although zoo gorillas had a more diverse gut microbiome compared to wild gorillas, this did not translate into improved health outcomes. Captive gorillas with heart disease still showed signs of a compromised microbiome, characterized by lower diversity and reduced ability to metabolize the variety of foods provided in their diets. This suggests that while a more varied diet in captivity may increase microbiome diversity, it does not necessarily result in a healthier microbiome. In fact, it may be the very nature of captivity — including factors like stress, limited space, and an artificial environment — that impacts the balance of the microbiome in ways that contribute to heart disease.
Andres Gomez, an associate professor in the Department of Animal Science at the University of Minnesota and one of the lead researchers on the project, noted that the findings had broader implications for understanding human health as well. Since gorillas are among our closest living relatives, sharing a significant amount of genetic material with humans, the study suggests that the evolution of human diseases such as heart disease could be tied to changes in lifestyle and diet, which have impacted the gut microbiome over time. The researchers suggest that the development of “diseases of civilization,” such as cardiovascular diseases, may be linked to the ways in which modern lifestyles have altered our microbiomes, a concept that has become an area of increasing interest in human health research.
The findings also highlight the importance of gut health in maintaining overall well-being. Maintaining a healthy gut microbiome, the researchers argue, could play a critical role in preventing not only heart disease but also a host of other chronic conditions. Previous research has already demonstrated the connection between gut health and mental health, immune function, and neurological disorders, and this study suggests that cardiovascular health could also be closely tied to the health of the gut microbiome. This reinforces the growing recognition in both animal and human health research that maintaining a balanced and diverse microbiome is crucial to preventing a wide range of diseases.
The University of Minnesota’s research team hopes to expand their study to include additional zoos, both in the U.S. and internationally, to gather more data on the gut microbiome and heart disease in gorillas. They also aim to identify specific biomarkers that could be used to diagnose and monitor gut health in gorillas, which could ultimately help in the prevention and management of heart disease in these animals. Researchers are also eager to explore the individual, environmental, and dietary factors that influence the microbiome, with the goal of identifying ways to promote healthier microbiomes in zoo gorillas. Understanding these factors could lead to new strategies for mitigating the risk of heart disease and improving the overall health of captive gorillas.
The collaboration behind this groundbreaking research is wide-ranging and includes institutions such as the Great Ape Heart Project, the Detroit Zoological Society, the University of Nebraska, the University of Massachusetts Amherst, the Czech Academy of Sciences, and the Czech University of Life Sciences Prague. These partnerships highlight the interdisciplinary and international nature of the research and the shared interest in understanding the health of these remarkable animals.
More information: Samuel Davison et al, Cardiometabolic disease risk in gorillas is associated with altered gut microbial metabolism, npj Biofilms and Microbiomes (2025). DOI: 10.1038/s41522-025-00664-3