Happy Birthday Shelly! One of the world's oldest critically endangered lemurs turns 30

By SOPHIA STANFORD, NEWS REPORTER Published: 00:33, 13 May 2026 | Updated: 00:54, 13 May 2026 A critically endangered red ruffed lemur, thought to be one of the world's oldest, was given a 30th birthday party at Blackpool Zoo. Shelly, who will be turning 30 today, is believed to be the oldest of her species in the UK and the 7th oldest across the globe. Her milestone was marked by adoring staff at the zoo, who made her a special birthday cake and dressed up with party hats.  Red ruffed lemurs are classified as critically endangered on the IUCN Red List with populations still in decline.  While daunting for many young people, turning 30 was cause for huge celebration for the team as red ruffed lemurs typically only live between 15 and 20 years in their native Madagascar. Even under human care in zoos, reaching 30 is exceptionally rare. Carefully managed diets, safe environments and expert care from keepers and veterinary staff are all factors in the long lifespan of captive lemurs. International breeding programmes also help safeguard the future of the threatened red ruffed lemur. Shelly, who will be turning 30 today, is believed to be the oldest of her species in the UK and the 7th oldest across the globe  Her milestone was marked by adoring staff at the zoo, who made her a special birthday cake and dressed up with party hats Luke Minns, Section Head at Blackpool Zoo said: 'Shelly is an incredibly special animal and reaching 30 is a huge milestone, not just for us but for the species as a whole. 'She is an ambassador for red ruffed lemurs and a great example of how expert knowledge and dedication can support animals to live longer and healthy lives.' Shelly is not the first animal to have reached an impressive age while being a resident of Blackpool Zoo. Darwin the Aldabra, the 'much-loved' giant tortoise and Blackpool Zoo's longest-staying resident, lived until a modest age of 105. The tortoise had lived through two world wars and two global pandemics before his death, which was announced by 'extremely saddened' staff in 2022. The 'irreplaceable' and 'iconic' reptile had been a popular attraction at the zoo since its opening 50 years ago. Zookeepers said he had been receiving specialist treatment for a leg problem before his condition deteriorated. Despite consulting with leading worldwide veterinarians, the zoo said it made the 'very difficult decision' to put him to sleep. A spokesman said: 'He was a wonderful link for so many people to the fascination of reptiles and he has really inspired the next generation of conservationists. 'He was an irreplaceable feature of the zoo's history. 'He had a personality on par with his size and was loved by all of our visitors. 'Staff and keepers are extremely saddened at his passing and are being comforted by the kind messages of condolence we are receiving.' The species, which originate from Aldabra Atoll in the Seychelles, are among the longest-living animals on Earth. No comments have so far been submitted. Why not be the first to send us your thoughts, or debate this issue live on our message boards. By posting your comment you agree to our house rules. Do you want to automatically post your MailOnline comments to your Facebook Timeline? Your comment will be posted to MailOnline as usual. Do you want to automatically post your MailOnline comments to your Facebook Timeline? Your comment will be posted to MailOnline as usual We will automatically post your comment and a link to the news story to your Facebook timeline at the same time it is posted on MailOnline. To do this we will link your MailOnline account with your Facebook account. We’ll ask you to confirm this for your first post to Facebook. You can choose on each post whether you would like it to be posted to Facebook. Your details from Facebook will be used to provide you with tailored content, marketing and ads in line with our Privacy Policy.