Photo of a gorilla eating a piece of fruit

Faculty member, alum discuss behavior that may impact captive gorillas’ health

Something mysterious is killing captive gorillas

The AtlanticKristen Lukas, adjunct assistant professor of biology and director of conservation and science at Cleveland Metroparks Zoo, explained what may cause gorillas in captivity to regurgitate and re-ingest food, a behavior not exhibited by those in the wild. Elena Less (GRS ’12, biology) discussed her work to understand how captive gorillas’ diets may impact their heart health, research she began while earning her PhD at Case Western Reserve.