Oregon Zoo's World's Oldest Orangutan, Inji, Turns 59-Years-Old

PORTLAND, OR – Inji is a Sumatran orangutan and the oldest resident at the Oregon Zoo. They call her "ultra-geriatric."

She's just – sort of, more on that in a second – turned 59-years old and the zoo thinks that she is the oldest orangutan in the world.

As for her exact age and birthday, the zoo does not know for sure. What they do know is that she arrived at the zoo on January, 20, 1961 and, at the time, they thought that she was about a year old.

Get all the latest information on what's happening in your community by signing up for Patch's newsletters and breaking news alerts

Inji had been born in the wild and was brought to the zoo by her own who got her through then-legal wild animal trade.

"We're thankful that we’ve been able to give Inji a good home, but it's heartbreaking to think about the circumstances that brought her here, the zoo's senior primate keeper Asaba Mukobi says. "Even though the pet trade is illegal now, it still exists. It is considered a major threat to orangutans' survival, along with human encroachment and habitat loss from palm oil plantations.

" Orangutans are at the brink of extinction — especially in Sumatra, where Inji comes from."

As for Inji's health, Mukobi says that she's in great shape.

"Inji’s in amazing shape for her age," Mukobi says. "She has no major health concerns. She isn’t taking any special medication beyond aspirin.

"Her age and remarkable condition say a lot about the quality of care she's received over the years."

If you're looking to visit Inji and wish her a happy birthday, you'll have to wait as she's currently in a temporary site as the zoo finishes work on its new Primate Forest area.

Photo via Oregon Zoo.