Asia’s oldest and world’s second oldest chimpanzee named Rita residing at Delhi National Zoo is all set to turn a year older on December 15. The zoo authorities threw a birthday party for her on Thursday, two days prior due to consecutive holidays. The female chimpanzee will turn 59 this year.
“This year a walk through rally was organized and a huge cake was cut to celebrate her birthday. She was given extra dry fruits keeping in mind the winter season,” said Riaz Ahmed Khan, curator of Delhi National Zoo. The decision to hold the celebration on Thursday was taken because of the two consecutive holidays on Friday and Saturday, he added.
“Not many people were invited in the celebration, so a big screen was installed outside the park for viewers to see the activities live,” said Khan.
Apart from the staff members of the zoological park, primary children of Pragati Public School, Dwarka were also invited.
“We invite children every year, this year, pre primary children from the school attended the celebrations. Because children were there, many games including various ball games were also played,” he said.
The female chimpanzee is special for the zoo as she happens to be the oldest animal of the zoo besides being the only chimpanzee in the zoo, as per the curator.
Riaz said, “Rita is the only one we have in the great apes here. Some years ago, she bred with Max and gave birth to four offspring. Unfortunately, no one survived.”
The female also sent to Chatbir Zoo in Punjab on April 5, 1985 and returned to the Delhi zoo on November 7, 2006.
“She came to Delhi zoo for the first time in 1964 from Amsterdam where she was born on December 15, 1960,” Khan said.