The Heart of the Problem

Sending all data collected on the gorilla’s heart to the Great Ape Heart Project is a very controlled way to give valuable information to more zoos (“Ask Smithsonian,” October 2021) and help gorillas everywhere. Rethinking their diet to match more closely their wild diet is important, especially when data suggest added protein doesn’t enhance their hearts and life.

— Sheron Mehl | La Jolla, California