Zoo Atlanta

Zoo Atlanta will undertake the Bonobo Heart Disease Project as part of their ongoing efforts to address cardiovascular disease (CVD), a major cause of death in captive great apes. Currently, there is incomplete understanding of how to diagnose, treat, and monitor affected apes, and how to adapt techniques used in humans and domestic animals to apes. This project will analyze data from blood pressure, genome sequencing, and cardiac imaging and will set standards for cohesive, coordinated, community-based disease investigations using advanced technology and data tracking software. Results from this project will be the foundation for a national program to investigate potential CVD causes in a captive population of endangered bonobos, develop more consistent diagnostic recommendations for that species, and launch further research investigations for other apes. Both the project design and results from this research will provide the groundwork to protect and conserve future generations of great apes within the American zoological community and beyond.