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The world's oldest gorilla celebrated her 69th birthday with a feast on Monday - munching on cherry tomatoes, beetroots, leeks and lettuce at the Berlin Zoo.
But there was no birthday cake - because the ageing primate isn't allowed sugar.
Fatou, a western lowland gorilla who lives in captivity, arrived in what was then West Berlin in 1959.
She was believed to be about two years old at the time, and though her exact birthdate is not known, April 13 is her designated birthday.
Gorillas can live for around 35 to 40 years in the wild and longer in captivity.
Fatou became the zoo's oldest resident in 2024, following the death of Ingo the flamingo.
The bird was believed to be at least 75 and had lived at the zoo since 1955.
Fatou was likely born in the wild in western Africa but the story goes that a French sailor took her out of Africa and bartered her to cover his bar tab in Marseille, France, according to Guinness World Records.
Fatou, the world's oldest gorilla, celebrated her 69th birthday at the Berlin Zoo on Monday
She was treated to a feast of cherry tomatoes, beetroots, leeks and lettuce to mark the impressive milestone
Here Fatou is pictured in her enclosure at the Zoologischer Garten zoo in Berlin
A French animal trader then reportedly sold her to the zoo.
These days, Fatou lives in an enclosure of her own and prefers to keep her distance from the zoo's other gorillas in her old age.
She has lost her teeth and she suffers from a touch of arthritis and hearing loss.
But Christian Aust, the Berlin Zoo's primate supervisor, said she is friendly with the zookeepers, if still a bit stubborn.
Born in the wild in West Africa, Fatou was brought to Berlin in 1959. Her age then was estimated to two years
Gorillas can live for around 35 to 40 years in the wild and longer in captivity
The story goes that a French sailor took her out of Africa and bartered her to cover his bar tab in Marseille, France
A French animal trader then reportedly sold her to the zoo
Fatou lives in an enclosure of her own and prefers to keep her distance from the zoo's other gorillas in her old age
Here the 69-year-old western lowland gorilla picks at the feast she was gifted to mark the special occassion
Fatou became the Berlin Zoo's oldest resident in 2024, following the death of Ingo the flamingo
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