Few primates can boast that they were alive to see the fall of the Berlin Wall. Born in 1957, one of these special apes just happens to be the oldest known member of her species–a western lowland gorilla named Fatou. Fatou just celebrated her 69th birthday, nearly an entire lifetime away from her expected lifespan of 35 years.
After being brought to Europe from Africa (near the Congo Basin) by a French sailor in 1959, Fatou was used as a bartering object to settle a bar tab. After the tab was settled, an animal trader allegedly sold her to the zoo, where she has remained since.
While her exact birthday is unknown, due to the wild circumstances in which she was brought to Germany, her designated day is April 13th. She is believed to have been around two years old when she arrived in the country.
The typical western lowland gorilla (also known as the scientific Gorilla gorilla gorilla) can be up to six feet tall and up to five hundred pounds heavy, but the average G. g. gorilla weighs around three hundred pounds. Fatou comes in a bit below a typical member of her species, weighing approximately one hundred and fifty eight pounds and reaching a height of 4 ’11.” She’s a properly dainty old lady, and even has the manners to match, according to her caretakers at the zoo. Despite her and her species-mates seeming like relatively large animals, the western lowland gorilla is actually the smallest gorilla species on Earth.
Other notable features of Fatou’s genus include a coloring distinctly lighter than most other gorilla species, a more pronounced eyebrow ridge, and smaller ears. Male western lowland gorillas tend to enjoy napping on the ground, while females seem to prefer resting on trees.
Their critically endangered status is extremely concerning for all species in the Congo Basin and its surrounding areas as they act as an umbrella species. An umbrella species indirectly protects the other species around them, maintaining the biodiversity of a location and even promoting tree and plant growth through pruning. Rainforests in the Basin wouldn’t be able to thrive without the gorillas, meaning conservation efforts and rehabilitation are crucial. Seeing a gorilla of such old age like Fatou provides a hopeful glimpse at a future where wild gorilla populations can mature and grow, unafraid of poachers.
Fatou’s 69th birthday is an impressive milestone in her life and a notable feat in European zookeeping. Alles Gute zum Geburtstag, Fatou – auf noch viele weitere!