By Enyichukwu Enemanna
World’s oldest known gorilla, born around 13 April 1957, according to zoo sources and Guinness World Records has clocked 69.
Fatou was brought to Berlin Zoo in 1959, when she was still very young and has lived far beyond the 35 to 40 years typically seen in the wild. This underscores the much longer lifespans gorillas can live in a well-managed zoo environments.
Berlin Zoo marked her Fatou’s 69th birthday with a special meal of soft vegetables and other suitable food rather than cake, reflecting the dietary needs of an elderly gorilla.
The zoo has increasingly emphasised long-term care for ageing animals, including tailored feeding, quieter housing and regular veterinary monitoring.
Fatou became Berlin Zoo’s oldest resident after the death of a flamingo previously believed to be at least 75 years old, although the exact date of that change is not consistently reported.
According to Guinness World Records, she was likely taken from West Africa as a young animal before being sold in Europe.
She now lives in a separate enclosure and shows signs of ageing, including tooth loss and mild arthritis.
Berlin Zoo says her condition remains stable, and her case is often cited as an example of how carefully controlled environments can help endangered species live significantly longer than they would in the wild.
