World’s oldest gorilla celebrates her 68th birthday in Germany

Fatou, the world's oldest gorilla in captivity, has just celebrated her 68th birthday! She marked the occasion at Berlin Zoo in Germany, where she has resided since 1959, in front of gathered media and crowds of adoring fans on 11 April.

She was presented with a marvellous array of vegetables, leaves, and fruit, including strawberries, all carefully selected for being easy to chew since she no longer has any teeth. Fatou continues to defy the odds by clocking another year around the sun. For context, her species – the western lowland gorilla (Gorilla gorilla gorilla) – typically has an estimated lifespan of 40 to 50 years.

Prior to Fatou, the oldest known gorilla in human care was Colo (b. 22 December 1956), a fellow western gorilla, who spent her entire life at Columbus Zoo in Powell, Ohio, USA. The first gorilla born in captivity, she passed away on 18 January 2017 aged 60 years 27 days.

Fatou's birthday, which the zoo has nominated to be 13 April, has long attracted many visitors and representatives from the press to the zoo, especially since she surpassed the milestone age of 60 in 2017.

“Fatou is truly extraordinary,” revealed Berlin Zoo’s CEO, Dr Andreas Knieriem. “Not just because she’s breaking all age records at 68, but because her calm and dignified demeanour captivates everyone.

“She serves as an ambassador for her endangered relatives in the wild and reminds us why we must show more empathy for the other beings on this planet.

“We city dwellers tend to forget how dependent we are on intact natural habitats. Biodiversity is the foundation of our existence and a precious treasure that we must protect.”

Fatou's life has not only been superlatively long but very eventful, particularly in her formative years. She was originally found as a youngster in Western Africa in 1959 by a French sailor, who then went on to exchange her in lieu of cash to cover his tab at a tavern in Marseilles! She was then acquired by French animal trader Madame Lafevre who would go on to sell Fatou to Berlin Zoo.

While Fatou's exact birth date is unknown because she was born in the wild, she was conservatively estimated to be at least two years old when she arrived at the zoo, so it follows that she was most likely born in 1957.

Every year on her birthday, Fatou is treated to a special fruit basket including berries, her absolute favourite. Although she would like to eat them every day, Fatou's advanced age makes it difficult for her to process the sugar in fruits, so her day-to-day diet consists almost entirely of vegetables.

"We are very mindful of her health," Berlin Zoo press manager Hanja Runge told Guinness World Records. "In addition to a well-balanced diet, Fatou’s daily routine includes activities like foraging in her enclosure and even using climbing ropes to stay active."

Asked about the temperament of their most senior ape, Runge said: "Compared to the younger gorillas, Fatou is much calmer and more reserved."

Runge continued: "While the younger ones are full of energy, constantly exploring, playing and using enrichment toys, Fatou prefers to observe the lively happenings in the zoo with a relaxed and watchful eye."

Her advanced age has entitled Fatou to her own section in the gorilla enclosure, but she is still able to interact with her younger neighbours – Mpenzi (39), Bibi (28), Djambala (23), Sango (20) and Tilla (4) – when she chooses.

Fatou is truly an iconic ambassador for her species, which is classified as critically endangered by the International Union for Conservation of Nature.