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Colo, first gorilla born in a zoo, celebrates 58th birthday

Colo, the first gorilla born in captivity, had close calls as a youngster, including unexpectedly being born weeks early at the Columbus, Ohio, zoo and a near-fatal bout of pneumonia.

By Frances Burns
A western lowland gorilla holds a newborn. UPI/Brian Kersey
A western lowland gorilla holds a newborn. UPI/Brian Kersey | License Photo

COLUMBUS, Ohio, Dec. 22 (UPI) -- Colo, who was the first gorilla born in a zoo when she arrived prematurely, celebrated her 58th birthday Monday at the zoo in Columbus, Ohio.

The western lowland gorilla's birthday party was to be livestreamed around the world. Keepers set out treats to tempt Colo to remain within camera range for her worldwide public.

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Colo, now the oldest gorilla in captivity in the United States and possibly the world, is no stranger to celebrity. When she was born in 1956 at the Columbus Zoo and Aquarium, then Mayor M.E. "Jack" Sensenbrenner gave away cigars labeled "It's a girl" and both Time and Life magazines featured stories on the newborn.

Her name is short for Columbus. The zoo said she was called Cuddles in her early days until a contest was held to pick a name.

Colo came close to death at least twice, starting when Warhren Thomas, a part-time keeper, found the newborn on the floor of her mother's cage several weeks before her expected arrival. At 6 she survived a bout of pneumonia after veterinarians predicted she would soon be dead.

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She was removed from her mother and raised by humans because zoo staff feared her mother, Millie, would harm her.

Before Colo's arrival, efforts to play matchmaker with male and female gorillas had been unsuccessful. Thomas brought Millie and her mate together at night after the zoo's director had ordered Millie and her mate to be kept in separate cages because he feared they would attack each other.

Captive-bred western lowland gorillas are now common. Colo herself has had three children, 16 grandchildren, 10 great-grandchildren and three great-great-grandchildren.

The species is classified as critically endangered.

For a gorilla her age, Colo appears healthy, Audra Meinelt, assistant curator of the zoo's Congo Expedition, said.

"She does not appear to have a single bit of trouble with her eyes or ears," Meinelt said. "Mostly, she has arthritis in her hands and feet."

Meinelt expected Colo to enjoy her birthday party.

"She knows the whole day is about her," Meinelt said. "She'll get a cake, and she'll get presents to open -- wrapped boxes with a few extra treats like mixed nuts and clementines."

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