Oregon Zoo’s Delilah Celebrates Landmark 50th Birthday in Portland
Everyone loves birthdays, and this one's a big one for Oregon Zoo's Delilah.
That's the name of the zoo's chimpanzee celebrating the milestone. Delilah was born on May 25th, 1973 at the Portland Zoological Gardens. She's one of the oldest residents at the zoo. While Delilah is 50, she's NOT the oldest chimp.
Who is the oldest chimpanzee living at the Oregon Zoo?
Jackson is 51, and Chloe has the honor of being the oldest chimp at the Oregon Zoo. She is 54-years old. All three chips have surpassed the average lifespan of a chimpanzee, which is 33-years in the wild, and 42-years at zoos..
Renowned conservationist Dr. Jane Goodall visited regularly.
Dr. Goodall is considered to be the world's leading expert on chimpanzees. After Delilah was born, Goodall would visit with Delilah and the others. She helped raise funds for the zoo's new primate area that opened in 2020. Goodall has worked on conservation and animal welfare issues for many years.
“During Delilah’s early years, Dr. Goodall helped the zoo find funding for a big outdoor area to house all the chimps,” said Kate Gilmore, who oversees the zoo’s primate area. “The Primate Forest habitat was inspired by those early developments, and we’re so happy that Delilah gets to enjoy it during her golden years.”
Watch footage recorded by Delilah, courtesy of the Oregon Zoo.
The Primate Forest is open to the public, where visitors can watch chimps, orangutans, and gibbons climb and swing in the area. You can read more about the zoo here.