The world’s oldest lowland gorilla living in a zoo, Trudy, has passed away at the great age of 63, found dead in her cage by the zoo’s director Susan Altrui.
Trudy, one of the world’s last wild-caught gorillas, had lived at the Arkansas zoo for more than 31 years.
“There are so many memories, stories and anecdotes to share about Trudy,” Altrui said in a statement. “She is a cherished member of the Little Rock Zoo family. To say that she will be missed and that her absence is felt is an understatement. We are glad to know she had a good home with us here.”
She went by several nicknames from different trainers. Her former trainer Syd Tanner called her “boss lady,” while others described her as a spunky ape with a mind of her own, according to CNN.
As previously stated, Trudy was one of the world’s last wild-caught gorillas, as most gorillas are born in captivity nowadays. Back in 1988, Trudy and her breeding partner Ollie were the first two lowland gorillas in Arkansas, according to the zoo.
She lived to the ripe old age of 63, which according to the National Zoo, is at least 10 years over the average number of 40 or 50 years in the wild and in captivity, respectively.
