9 June 2023
MANHATTAN (KSNT) – Manhattan’s Sunset Zoo is celebrating its chimpanzee on a long life, and breaking a record.
The Sunset Zoo will celebrate Susie, a female chimpanzee, who is turning 69 Monday, June 12. She is the oldest living chimpanzee in human captivity in the world, according to a press release from Sunset Zoo.
According to the National Library of Medicine, evidence suggests the age difference between humans and monkeys is one to three years.
Susie came to the Sunset Zoo in 1974, where she has been filling her days with climbing and playing in her enclosure. Susie is an extraordinary chimp, as she is exceeding the average lifespan of a chimpanzee, which is around 40-years-old.
Because of her age, she does get special care to ensure she is well taken care of.
“Susie does get additional supplements such as Ensure drinks and is being treated for arthritis, but for her age she is remarkable,” Sunset Zoo Animal Curator, Kirk Nemechek said.
To celebrate this monumental occasion, zoo staff will be celebrating Susie’s birthday all weekend with a card shower in the gift shop for gifts to sign, according to the press release. Monday, June 12 at 10 a.m., the zoo will host a birthday celebration at the chimpanzee habitat.