Arriving in Berlin in 1959, the western lowland gorilla has far outlived the typical 35-40 year wild lifespan through specialised care.
Fatou is now the oldest gorilla living in captivity, worldwide, as she celebrated her 69th birthday in the Berlin zoo.
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For this special day, she was presented with a feast of cherry tomatoes, beets, leeks and lettuce, an all-you-can-eat buffet. However, a birthday cake was out of the question since sugar is not healthy for the ageing primate.
As a western lowland gorilla, Fatou arrived in what was then West Berlin in 1959 during the Cold War. She was believed to be about two years old at the time.
In the wild, gorillas can live for around 35-40 years, and in captivity, they can live longer as they receive care and medication.
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.
How did Fatou end up in Berlin Zoo?
Fatou was likely born in the wild in western Africa, but the story goes that a French sailor captured and bartered her to cover his bar tab in Marseilles, France, according to the Guinness World Records. 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. She has lost her teeth, and she suffers from arthritis and hearing loss.
Christian Aust, the Berlin Zoo's primate supervisor, says she is friendly with the zookeepers, but still a bit stubborn.
After a life of captivity for human entertainment, she has earned it. So, happy birthday, Fatou.
