COLUMBUS, Ohio – The first gorilla born in a zoo is turning 57 with a celebration broadcast live to online viewers from her home at the Columbus Zoo and Aquarium.
The female western lowland gorilla, Colo, will celebrate her birthday Sunday with a yogurt-frosted cake made of peanut butter, applesauce, honey and shredded carrots.
The zoo says its website will stream pre-recorded interviews with those closest Colo to starting at 1:30 p.m. with a live feed beginning at 2:00 from the zoo’s Congo Expedition region that will give viewers a front row seat to the party when Colo receives her cake and other gifts filled with treats, berries and tomatoes.
Born at the zoo in 1956, Colo is the oldest gorilla in any zoo, officials say.
Her name, which is short for Columbus Ohio, was chosen from more than 7,500 entries in a national “Name the Baby Gorilla” contest.
In the late 60’s and early 70’s Colo gave birth to three children and now has 16 grandchildren, 10 great-grandchildren and three great-great-grandchildren.
The approximately 120,000 western lowland gorillas left in the wild are threatened by poaching, habitat destruction, and diseases like Ebola, zoo officials said.
The zoo supports several great ape projects and other conservation efforts.