Fatou, the world’s oldest gorilla living in captivity, celebrated her 69th birthday at Berlin Zoo with a special feast of fresh vegetables.
Zoo keepers prepared a healthy meal for her that included cherry tomatoes, beets, leeks, and lettuce. They avoided cake or sugary treats to protect her health.
Fatou is a western lowland gorilla who arrived at the Berlin Zoo in 1959, when the city was still divided. Experts believe she was about two years old at the time, although her exact birth date is unknown. The zoo has assigned April 13 as her official birthday.
She likely spent her early years in the wild in West Africa before a French sailor reportedly brought her to Europe. According to historical accounts, she was later sold to a zoo after changing hands through animal traders.
Gorillas typically live around 35 to 40 years in the wild, but they often live much longer in captivity under human care. Fatou has now surpassed that range by several decades.
Fatou became the oldest resident at Berlin Zoo in 2024 after the death of Ingo the flamingo, who was believed to be at least 75 years old.
Today, Fatou lives in a separate enclosure and prefers to stay away from the zoo’s other gorillas. She has lost most of her teeth and experiences arthritis and hearing loss due to her age.
Despite her age-related health issues, keepers describe her as calm and occasionally stubborn but generally friendly with zoo staff.
Zoo officials marked her milestone birthday with care and celebration, recognising her remarkable longevity in captivity.
