Meet Fatou: The Oldest Gorilla Ever

Gorillas, the largest apes (Hominoidea) are native to the tropical and sub-tropical forests of Sub-Saharan Africa. Gorillas are closely related to humans, but have a somewhat shorter lifespan of 35 to 40 years, though some have been known to live far longer. So, just how old is the oldest gorilla ever? Continue reading to learn more about the oldest gorilla on record and more.

Gorillas: A Brief Overview

Gorillas are native to Africa. Where they are found depends on which subspecies they are. Eastern lowland gorillas- the largest – are found in lowland rainforests of the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC). Male Eastern lowland gorillas can weigh over 450 pounds. Mountain gorillas live at higher elevations between 8,000 and 13,000 feet in the mountains of Uganda, Rwanda, the the DRC. Male mountain gorillas top out at around 400 pounds.

Cross River gorillas are found only in the rainforests on the border of Cameroon and Nigeria around the Cross River. Males of this subspieces weigh about 400 pounds. Western lowland gorillas live in the rainforests and swampland of Central and West Africa. and can weigh as much as 310 pounds. There are some slight differences in appearance between the four subspecies. Mountain gorillas usually have thicker hair to keep them warm in sub-zero temperatures in the mountains.  All adult male gorillas have silver-grey hair on their back and rumps, which is why they are called silverbacks.

The Oldest Gorilla Ever

The oldest gorilla on record is currently 68 years old.  Fatou is a Western lowland gorilla. Fatou lives at the Berlin Zoo.  She was born in the wild in 1957 and brought to France by a sailor in 1959 before she was sent to Berlin Zoo where she has lived ever since.  She had one daughter, Dufte, and many grandchildren and great-grandchildren. The Berlin Zoo celebrates Fatou’s birthday each April with a special treat of fruit, vegetables, eggs, and rice cakes.

Gorillas in captivity tend to live longer than gorillas in the wild, and the previous oldest gorilla was Trudy, who was also a western lowland gorilla.  Trudy was born in the wild in 1956 and died in 2019 aged 63 years in Little Rock Zoo in Little Rock, Arkansas.  Another gorilla, Helen, lived to the ripe old gorilla age of 64. Helen lived at the Louisville Zoo in Louisville, Kentucky.

Gorillas vs. The Oldest Apes on Record

Compared to orangutans, gorillas live slightly longer.  The oldest orangutan, Puan, a Sumatran orangutan lived at Perth Zoo, in Australia. Puan lived to be 62 years old. Gorillas also live longer than capuchin monkeys. The oldest documented capuchin was 54 years old. Proving the exception, chimpanzees, live longer than gorillas. The oldest chimpanzee on record, Little Mama was 79 when she died in November of 2017.

Conservation: Are Gorillas Under Threat?

All four subspecies of gorillas are considered to be under threat – mountain gorillas are classified as being endangered, while the other three subspecies are considered Critically endangered. Cross River gorillas, the largest of the great apes, are the most threatened with fewer than 300 mature Cross River gorillas left in the world today.