World's oldest gorilla celebrates 67th birthday at Berlin zoo

A gorilla who is believed to be the oldest in the world has begun celebrating its 67th birthday at Berlin zoo.

Fatou was born in 1957 and arrived at the zoo - in what was then West Berlin - in 1959.

Ahead of her official birthday on Saturday, keepers on Friday served up a treat of fruit and vegetables.

Vet Andre Schüle said there is no gorilla older than Fatou in any other zoo, adding that “we have to assume that there is no animal older than her in the wild," where animals do not live so long.

Fatou lives in an enclosure of her own and prefers to keep her distance from the zoo’s other gorillas.

Fatou recently became the zoo's oldest resident following the death of Ingo the flamingo earlier this year.

The bird was believed to be at least 75 and had lived at the zoo since 1955.