SIXTY years in the past the world’s oldest gorilla was delivered to Europe by a cheeky sailor to assist repay his bar tab.
Fatou celebrated her 67th birthday again in April as zoo workers gave her a birthday cake to snack on regardless of the aged primate having no tooth.
The western lowland gorilla was first discovered by a sailor in Western Africa again in 1959 when Fatou was solely two years outdated.
In keeping with a exceptional story, Fatou was later handed over to a barman in Marseilles, France after the drunk sailor ran out of money and wanted to pay for the evening of boozing.
Fatou was then given to French animal dealer Madame Lefevre simply week later earlier than being bought to a zoo.
Berlin Zoo grew to become her new house and she or he has lived inside a glamorous enclosure for the previous 64 years.
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Even changing into one of many foremost points of interest for guests throughout the globe as a result of her spectacular age.
In 2019, Fatou was named the “oldest dwelling gorilla in captivity” by Guinness World Data after fellow gorilla Trudy died when she was 63.
Fatou’s precise date of beginning continues to be unknown with zoo officers saying she might truly be older than 67.
Most predictions do say she was first delivered to Berlin as a two-year-old.
Within the wild the typical feminine gorilla lives to between 40 and 50 – marking Fatou as a really exceptional animal.
However along with her outdated age additionally comes some well being points with Fatou shedding her tooth lately.
Fatou’s favorite issues to do embrace foraging round in her enclosure in addition to climbing.
She lives by herself in an enclosure which is specifically made with various climbing ropes.
Regardless of dwelling alone, Fatou nonetheless will get to satisfy with the opposite gorillas within the Berlin Zoo.
Giant silverback Sango, 19, and females Mpenzi, 38, Bibi, 27, Djambala, 22, and Tilla, 3, frequently socialises with the grandmother of the group.
On her 67th birthday, Berlin zookeepers gave Fatou a cake and a particular fruit and vegetable basket.
The gorilla scoffed down the cake, which had the numbers 67 sprawled throughout it in icing, earlier than she licked her fingers clear, zoo workers mentioned.
Zoo and Tierpark Director Dr Andreas Knieriem described her as “a dwelling legend and part of Zoo Berlin historical past”.
It comes because the world’s oldest animal nonetheless strolling the earth has been revealed as Jonathan, the large tortoise who’s 192 years outdated – on the “absolute” minimal.
The “gentleman tortoise” is assumed to have hatched round 1832 on the newest within the Seychelles, since dwelling by the reign of eight British monarchs.
Regardless of his age Jonathan is displaying no indicators of slowing down and spends his days taking mudbaths with friends, chomping on bananas and spectating tennis matches.
World’s oldest animals
LET’S take a better take a look at a number of the world’s oldest dwelling animals.
Saltwater crocodiles: In the event that they survive to maturity, saltwater crocodiles usually stay for greater than 70 years. Data present of two particularly long-lived crocs counsel they’ll stay to over 120 years.
Seychelles large tortoise: Tortoises are famed for his or her longevity. The oldest dwelling land animal is a 190-year-old Seychelles large tortoise known as Jonathan. The tortoise lives on the island of St. Helena within the South Atlantic Ocean after having been introduced there by folks from the Seychelles in 1882.
Rougheye rockfish: The rougheye rockfish is without doubt one of the longest-living fish, with a most life span of no less than 205 years. These pink or brownish fish stay within the Pacific Ocean from California to Japan. They develop as much as 38 inches lengthy and eat different animals, akin to shrimp and smaller fish.
Greenland shark: Greenland sharks stay deep within the Arctic and North Atlantic oceans. They’ll develop to be 24 ft lengthy and have a weight-reduction plan that features a wide range of different animals, together with fish and marine mammals. The Greenland shark can have a most life span of no less than 272 years.
Hydra invertebrate: Hydra is a bunch of small invertebrates with smooth our bodies that barely resemble jellyfish and have the potential to stay endlessly. These invertebrates are largely made up of stem cells, which frequently regenerate by duplication or cloning, so these animals do not deteriorate as they grow old.