Happy birthday Coco! Europe’s oldest female chimp turns 58

The oldest female chimpanzee in Europe celebrated turning 58 yesterday – and enjoyed her day in the sun with a tasty fruit tea ice block and her favourite selection of vegetables.

Twycross Zoo in Warwickshire penned an excited birthday message on social media in honour of their ‘special lady’ as it shared a slew of photos of the ape over the years.

Coco, a mother of six who has more than 15 grandchildren, has lived at the zoo for the last 54 years.

‘A part of our history, since 1969 she’s called Twycross Zoo her home and has been an amazing ambassador for her species,’ the Instagram post gushed.

She is also a great-grandmother to three chimps, including the zoo’s youngest of the species – called Tuli, 16.

And it would seem Coco’s familial legacy carries, as her son Jambo is also Twycross’s dominant male chimpanzee.

Giving birth to six children who went on to have 19 kids in total, she was a vital part in breeding programmes and is a beloved resident by zoo staff .

‘We have been celebrating Coco’s 58th birthday throughout the weekend,’ Amanda Addison, animal team manager of great apes, said.

‘And providing her with some of her favourite tasty treats to enjoy with the rest of the chimpanzee troop to mark the occasion.’

Oat-filled branches and blossom were also on the festive menu as she and other chimps enjoyed the day together.

Chimpanzees are currently endangered in the wild due to hunting, the illegal bushmeat and pet trade.

Chimpanzee Eden opened at Twycross Zoo opened in 2018 and is aimed to provide  a ‘modern, state-of-the-art habitat for the species and is home to all of the Zoo’s 14 chimpanzees’.

The world’s oldest chimp, Little Mama, is thought to have reached up to 80 years before she died in the United States.

Coco, a mother of six who has more than 15 grandchildren, has lived at the zoo for the last 54 years

Coco is also a great-grandmother to three chimps, including the zoo’s youngest of the species – called Tuli

The oldest female chimpanzee in Europe yesterday celebrated turning 58 – and enjoyed her day in the sun with a tasty fruit tea ice block

Meanwhile Joao – a male chimp in South Africa – is currently the world’s oldest living of the species at an estimated 73 to 78 years old.

There are four living classifications of great apes or ‘Hominidae’ – Orangutan, Gorilla, Pan (consisting of chimpanzee and the bonobo) and Homo, of which only modern humans remain.

Chimpanzees, along with bonobos, both share 98.7 per cent of their DNA with humans – making the two species our closest living relatives.

Like us, chimps are highly social animals, care for their offspring for years and can live to be over 50 years old.

Female chimpanzees spend most of their time with their young or with other females, although they live in communities that are dominated by adult males.