Nutritional chemistry of foods eaten by gorillas in Bwindi Impenetrable National Park, Uganda.

Foods eaten by gorillas (Gorilla beringei) in Bwindi Impenetrable National Park (BINP), Uganda, were analyzed for their nutrient content. The goal of the study was to assess the amounts of fiber, protein, and sugars in the foods eaten by the Bwindi gorillas, and to determine whether condensed tannins and cyanide are present in these foods. A total of 127 food plant parts representing 84 plant species eaten by two groups of Bwindi gorillas were collected, processed, and analyzed for their chemical contents. The Bwindi gorilla ate foods that contain 2-28% crude protein (CP), 21-88% neutral detergent fiber (NDF), 14-60% acid detergent fiber (ADF), 2-42% acid detergent lignin (ADL), and