Our oldest gorilla Mouila dies at 54

A gorilla who made it into the record books as the oldest western lowland gorilla in the UK has died at the age of 54.

Howletts boss Damian Aspinall tweeted news of Mouila’s death on Tuesday, saying: “Mouila our oldest gorilla, 54, died last night of old age.

“I knew her my whole life. She was a sweet friend to me. I will miss her.”

Mouila became a star on her 50th birthday in 2010, when she made it to the human equivalent age of 100 at the wild animal park in Bekesbourne.

She became the oldest western lowland gorilla in the UK and one of the oldest of her kind in the world. Keepers marked the occasion by giving her birthday presents of boxes filled with treats.

Mouila was a mum-of-eight, and her offspring have gone on to breeding programmes across the world.

Picture: Aspinall Foundation/David Rolfe SAD DEATH: Western lowland gorilla Mouila died at Howletts on Tueday at the age of 54