Apenheul’s oldest spider monkey Pepi dies at 57 as Kerkrade zoo welcomes baby Gorilla

The Netherlands’ primate parks marked both loss and new life around the New Year, with the death of Apenheul’s oldest resident in Apeldoorn and the birth of a baby gorilla at GaiaZOO in Kerkrade.

Pepi, a Colombian spider monkey and the oldest animal at Apenheul, died on New Year’s Eve at the age of 57, the zoo said Friday. She had lived at the park since 1972, a year after Apenheul opened, and reached what the zoo described as an “extremely high age” for her species.

Colombian spider monkeys typically live about 25 years in the wild. Even in captivity, life expectancy is usually estimated at 40 to 50 years, making Pepi’s age of 57 exceptional.

“In all those years, Pepi left an indelible impression on many animal caretakers, guides, and visitors,” the Apeldoorn zoo said in a statement.

Despite those age-related issues, Pepi remained active until recently. The zoo noted that even last summer, she was still climbing into the highest treetops. “A beautiful memory to look back on. We will miss her,” Apenheul said.

While Apenheul was saying goodbye to its oldest monkey, GaiaZOO in Kerkrade welcomed new life. On New Year’s Day, a western lowland gorilla was born at the zoo. “Both mother and young are doing well,” GaiaZOO said in a statement.