Danish zoo's 41-year-old penguin declared world's oldest

Oct. 14 (UPI) -- A gentoo penguin at a Danish zoo was declared the world's oldest-living penguin in captivity after having her age confirmed as over 41 years old.

Guinness said the female penguin at the Odense Zoo in Denmark was confirmed to be 41 years, 141 days old as of Oct. 4 of this year, earning her the world record.

The bird, named Olde, Danish for "great-grandmother," has lived long beyond the usual 30-year lifespan for a member of her species in captivity. In the wild, gentoo penguins typically live for 15-20 years.

A female African penguin named Tess previously gained attention when she died at the age of 40 at the Pueblo Zoo in Colorado. A male African penguin is believed to have lived to reach the age of 42, but his longevity was not confirmed by Guinness.

Olde hatched at the Edinburgh Zoo in Scotland in 1979 and has lived at the Odense Zoo since 2003.

"Our zookeepers are professionals and as such they don't have favorites -- but I think it's safe to say that Olde holds a special place in their animal-loving hearts," said Danni Larsen, the Odense Zoo's press and media officer.

"The process of getting her recognized by Guinness World Records has been a talking point both among zookeepers and in the office, and we're really proud of Olde and the care the zookeepers give to her, as with all our penguins," Larsen said.