A 37-year-old female mandrill named Nikki has been officially recognized as the oldest living mandrill in the world.
Nikki was born on January 13, 1987, at the Oregon Zoo and has been residing at the Phoenix Zoo in Arizona for the past six years. The average life expectancy for a mandrill is 18.3 years, but Nikki has more than doubled this, achieving a remarkable milestone.
To celebrate Nikki’s 37th birthday, her habitat’s windows were decorated, and she was given a behavioral enrichment box filled with primate biscuits, blueberries, and blackberries to stimulate her senses.
Nikki previously lived with her half-sister, Victoria, who also had a long life, passing away at the age of 35 in April 2022. Both mandrills moved to Arizona from a cooler, wetter climate.
Nikki’s caretaker attributes her longevity to the milder winters in Arizona, which are easier on her joints. “Her mandrill companions are also very laid back, and she has adapted a good routine,” the caretaker added.
Nikki shares her habitat with two other mandrills: a male named Jax, who joined her a year after she arrived, and a younger female named Kesi. Nikki has never had offspring.
Her daily diet includes fruit, vegetables, and primate biscuits. She starts her day with breakfast before heading outside, where she spends her time foraging, eating, and engaging with enrichment objects. At the end of the day, she returns indoors for more food and enrichment activities before retiring to her high shelf for the night.
Describing Nikki’s personality, her caretaker said, “She is cautious and endearing. She loves food and foraging in mulch.” Nikki is closely monitored by veterinary and keeper staff, and adjustments are made to her habitat to accommodate age-related needs.
Mandrills, native to equatorial Africa, are the world’s largest monkey species. Adult males typically measure 61-76 cm in length (excluding the tail) and weigh around 25 kg (55 lb), though some can weigh over twice that. They are known for their vibrant facial and rump colors and yellow-orange beards.
The species gained fame through Disney’s 1994 animated film “The Lion King,” featuring a mandrill named Rafiki. However, in reality, male mandrills do not live as long as their female counterparts.
The oldest documented mandrill before Nikki was a female born in June 1964 at the Baltimore Zoo in Maryland. She was transferred to the Dallas Zoo in Texas in 1992 and was last confirmed alive in July 2004, reaching the age of 40.
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