Editing Massa (gorilla)

'''Massa''' ([[1930]] - 30 December 1984) lived to be 54 years old, and until 2008 <ref>[http://www.tv3.co.nz/Worldsoldestgorillacelebrates55thbirthday/tabid/209/articleID/55309/cat/41/Default.aspx  In May 2008, a Gorilla at the [[Dallas Zoo]] named [[Jenny (Gorilla)|Jenny]] celebrated her 55th birthday, becoming the world's oldest known gorilla.]</ref> was the longest lived [[gorilla]] ever recorded. 

Massa was born in the wild in [[Ghana]].  He was shipped to [[United States|America]] at an early age and his first owner was [[Brooklyn]] [[Eccentricity (behaviour)|eccentric]] [[Gertrude Lintz]].  In 1935, after accidentally spilling water on Massa, which startled him severely, Mrs Lintz decided to sell him to [[Philadelphia Zoo]].

In his prime, Massa weighed 400lbs.  

Massa lived at the zoo until his death from a [[stroke]] on 30 December 1984, following a special birthday party held by the zoo, complete with a special cake and a live [[dixieland]] band.  He was buried within the grounds of the zoo.

The film ''[[Buddy (film)|Buddy]]'' was based on the life of Massa (with some elements from the life of another of Mrs Lintz's gorillas, [[Gargantua (gorilla)|Gargantua]], who was known at the time as Buddy).

Massa used to smoke.

==References==
*Milwaukee Public Museum Exhibit: Samson Remembered
*[http://www.findagrave.com/cgi-bin/fg.cgi?page=gr&GRid=8595720 Massa the gorilla] at Find a Grave

==Notes==
{{reflist}}

[[Category:Gorillas]]