Sumatran orangutan

Inji: Age 55

The oldest Sumatran orangutan on the continent and one of the oldest on the planet, Inji is "in amazing shape for her age... she has no trouble getting around and no major health concerns" according to Asaba Mukobi, the zoo's senior primate keeper. A recent TakePart feature suggested that what we've learned from Inji could help save her wild counterparts. 

Inji was born in the wild sometime around 1960 and came to the United States through the (then legal) pet trade, making it into the Oregon Zoo as a donation from her owner in 1961.

According to Mukobi, "The pet trade is illegal now, but it ís still around. It ís one of the major threats to orangutans' survival, along with human encroachment and habitat loss from palm oil plantations. Orangutans right now are at the brink of extinction - especially in Sumatra, where Inji comes from.

Asian elephant

Packy: Age 53

Thought to be the tallest Asian elephant in North America, Packy stands at an astonishing 10 and a half feet and is a true super-heavyweight at around six tons. Born in 1962, Packy helped scientists better understand elephants and ushered in a new era in elephant welfare.

According to Bob Lee, who oversees the zoo's elephant program and has known Packy for over 15 years, it's mind-boggling to consider the past era that the animal was born in:

"Kennedy was president, the Beatles hadn't made any records yet... We just want to give him the most comfortable life we can... his toughness always impresses me. Sometimes itís easy to forget he's a geriatric elephant."

Humboldt penguin

Hermosa: Age 33

Despite having arthritis and declining strength in her eyes, Hermosa has defied the odds and reached the ripe old age of 33 while in the care of the Oregon Zoo. Most Humboldt penguins in their natural habitat along the South American coastline off of Peru and Chile live about 20 years, but Hermosa is still kicking and has even shacked up with a male Humboldt named Tamale.

She may not be laying her own eggs anymore, but the pair still provide foster care for other, less experienced penguin parents. Humboldt penguins are among the most at-risk of the 17 known penguin species, as they are threatened by overfishing of the animals they prey on, entanglement in fishnets themselves, and breeding disruption due to commercial removal of the guano deposits where the birds lay their eggs. Their population is estimated at just 12,000 breeding pairs. 

Polar bear

Conrad: Age 30

Conrad is described as still being very playful, which is probably due in no small part to weekly tests and medications hidden inside fishy treats. At 30 years old, he has smashed the median life expectancy for his species of about 20 years. Nicole Nicassio-Hiskey, the zoo's senior marine animal keeper, tributes the staff's efforts to keep him healthy, active and engaged.

Conrad was born December 1st, 1984, at the Riverbanks Zoo in Columbia, S.C. and came to Portland in 1986. Three years ago, he and his sibling sister, Tasul, became the first polar bears to voluntarily donate blood. This animal-welfare advance allows the animals to take part in their own geriatric healthcare, and has been a boon to scientists studying wild bears in the arctic.

Amur leopard

Kia: Age 19

Kia turns 20 on October 9th, and is the oldest Amur leopard on the continent. Perhaps the most endangered big cats in the world, around 70 Amur leopards are estimated to live in their southeast Russian origin. Zoos in Europe and North America are participating in coordinated breeding efforts to preserve the species, and though Kia's breeding years are behind her now, she has given birth to 10 cubs in her lifetime. 

Lesser Flamingo: Age 49

Big Pink: Age 49

Big Pink is almost as old as the plastic lawn flamingo invented in 1957. Officially known in the International Species Information System as B30007, he is estimated to have hatched around 1966, making him the oldest lesser flamingo on the planet. Big Pink lived in the San Antonio Zoo until 2013, when he was transferred to Oregon Zoo to receive their specialized care for elderly animals. 

The lesser flamingo is the pinkest of the two Old World species, as well as the smallest species of flamingo. At an estimated population of around 2 million, they are not technically endangered, though their primary breeding sites are threatened by human encroachment and industrial pollution.