Bella, the esteemed matriarch of orangutans, celebrated her 63rd birthday this week, solidifying her status as the world’s oldest living orangutan in captivity.
Born around 1961, Bella, a Sumatran orangutan (Pongo abelii), was discovered in the wild and relocated to Hagenbeck Zoo in Hamburg, Germany, in 1964, where she has resided ever since.
Described by zoo staff as being in impeccable condition, Bella was treated to a special birthday feast consisting of soft-boiled rice and an assortment of fruits. She graciously shared her celebratory cake with Berani, one of her beloved adopted offspring.
While the average lifespan of a wild orangutan ranges from 35 to 40 years, captivity can extend their life expectancy to approximately 50 years, making Bella’s longevity all the more remarkable.
Bella ascended to the title of the oldest living orangutan in 2021, following the passing of Inji, another female Sumatran orangutan at Oregon Zoo, USA, who was believed to have been a year older than Bella. Known for her gentle demeanor, Bella has been characterized by her caretakers as honest, prudent, curious, intelligent, and loving, with no history of aggression.
Throughout her remarkable life, Bella has birthed six offspring of her own and nurtured four adopted youngsters, earning her the affectionate moniker of “supermom.” As her dental health has waned over the years, Bella now savors meals of semolina porridge flavored with savory Maggi sauce or sweetened with honey, along with soft fruits and vegetables.
Bella’s birthday coincides with another notable milestone in the ape world, as the world’s oldest living gorilla in captivity, Fatou, turned 67 years old on April 13. Captured in the wild in 1959 and later acquired by Berlin Zoo, Fatou has become a beloved fixture at the facility.
In today’s zoological landscape, the capture of wild animals for zoo exhibits is widely condemned by the zoological community, with the focus shifting toward captive breeding programs and the care of animals born within zoo environments.
