BERLIN — Fatou, the world's oldest gorilla living in captivity, celebrated her 69th birthday at the Berlin Zoo on April 13, 2026, with a feast that included cherry tomatoes, beets, leeks and lettuce. The western lowland gorilla did not receive a birthday cake because sugar is not healthy for her.

Fatou was likely born in the wild in western Africa and was believed to be about two years old when she arrived in what was then West Berlin in 1959. Her exact birthdate is unknown, and April 13 is her designated birthday. According to Guinness World Records, a French sailor took Fatou out of Africa and bartered her to cover his bar tab in Marseille, France. A French animal trader then sold her to the Berlin Zoo.

Gorillas can live for around 35 to 40 years in the wild and longer in captivity. At 69, Fatou has far exceeded the typical lifespan for her species. In 2024, she became the Berlin Zoo's oldest resident following the death of Ingo the flamingo, who was believed to be at least 75 years old and had lived at the zoo since 1955.

Fatou now 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 suffers from arthritis and hearing loss. Berlin Zoo primate supervisor Christian Aust said that Fatou is friendly with the zookeepers and stubborn.