Cookie (cockatoo)
Encyclopedia
Cookie is a male Major Mitchell's Cockatoo
residing at Brookfield Zoo
, near Chicago
, Illinois
, USA. He is believed to be the oldest member of his species alive in captivity, at the age of 78 in June 2011, having significantly exceeded the average lifespan for his kind and is one of the longest-lived birds on record. The next-oldest Major Mitchell's Cockatoo to be found in a zoological setting is a 31-year-old female bird located at Paradise Wildlife Sanctuary, England. Information published by the World Parrot Trust
states longevity for Cookie's species in captivity at 40–60 years.
Cookie is Brookfield Zoo's oldest resident and the only surviving member of the animal collection from the time of the zoo's opening in 1934, having arrived from Taronga Zoo
of Sydney
, New South Wales
, Australia
, in the same year and judged to be one year old at the time.
In 2007, Cookie was diagnosed with and placed on medication and nutritional supplements for osteoarthritis
and osteoporosis
– medical conditions which occur commonly in aging animals and humans alike, although it is believed that the latter may also have been brought on as a result of being fed a seed-only diet for the first 40 years of his life, in the years before the dietary requirements of his species were fully understood.
Cookie was 'retired' from exhibition at the zoo in 2009 (following a few months of weekend-only appearances) in order to preserve his health, after it was noticed by staff that his appetite, demeanour and stress levels improved markedly when not on public display. He now lives permanently in the keepers'
office of the zoo's Perching Bird House, although it has been stated that he may still make occasional appearances for special events such as his birthday celebration, which is held each June.
Major Mitchell's Cockatoo
The Major Mitchell's Cockatoo also known as Leadbeater's Cockatoo or Pink Cockatoo, is a medium-sized cockatoo restricted to arid and semi-arid inland areas of Australia...
residing at Brookfield Zoo
Brookfield Zoo
The Brookfield Zoo is zoo located in the Chicago suburb of Brookfield, Illinois. The zoo covers an area of and houses around 450 species of animals....
, near Chicago
Chicago
Chicago is the largest city in the US state of Illinois. With nearly 2.7 million residents, it is the most populous city in the Midwestern United States and the third most populous in the US, after New York City and Los Angeles...
, Illinois
Illinois
Illinois is the fifth-most populous state of the United States of America, and is often noted for being a microcosm of the entire country. With Chicago in the northeast, small industrial cities and great agricultural productivity in central and northern Illinois, and natural resources like coal,...
, USA. He is believed to be the oldest member of his species alive in captivity, at the age of 78 in June 2011, having significantly exceeded the average lifespan for his kind and is one of the longest-lived birds on record. The next-oldest Major Mitchell's Cockatoo to be found in a zoological setting is a 31-year-old female bird located at Paradise Wildlife Sanctuary, England. Information published by the World Parrot Trust
World Parrot Trust
-History:When the Trust was founded in 1989 at Paradise Park in Cornwall, UK, it was decided that the main objective was to promote the survival of all parrot species and the welfare of individual birds...
states longevity for Cookie's species in captivity at 40–60 years.
Cookie is Brookfield Zoo's oldest resident and the only surviving member of the animal collection from the time of the zoo's opening in 1934, having arrived from Taronga Zoo
Taronga Zoo
Taronga Zoo is the city zoo of Sydney, New South Wales, Australia. Officially opened on 7 October 1916, it is located on the shores of Sydney Harbour in the suburb of Mosman...
of Sydney
Sydney
Sydney is the most populous city in Australia and the state capital of New South Wales. Sydney is located on Australia's south-east coast of the Tasman Sea. As of June 2010, the greater metropolitan area had an approximate population of 4.6 million people...
, New South Wales
New South Wales
New South Wales is a state of :Australia, located in the east of the country. It is bordered by Queensland, Victoria and South Australia to the north, south and west respectively. To the east, the state is bordered by the Tasman Sea, which forms part of the Pacific Ocean. New South Wales...
, Australia
Australia
Australia , officially the Commonwealth of Australia, is a country in the Southern Hemisphere comprising the mainland of the Australian continent, the island of Tasmania, and numerous smaller islands in the Indian and Pacific Oceans. It is the world's sixth-largest country by total area...
, in the same year and judged to be one year old at the time.
In 2007, Cookie was diagnosed with and placed on medication and nutritional supplements for osteoarthritis
Osteoarthritis
Osteoarthritis also known as degenerative arthritis or degenerative joint disease, is a group of mechanical abnormalities involving degradation of joints, including articular cartilage and subchondral bone. Symptoms may include joint pain, tenderness, stiffness, locking, and sometimes an effusion...
and osteoporosis
Osteoporosis
Osteoporosis is a disease of bones that leads to an increased risk of fracture. In osteoporosis the bone mineral density is reduced, bone microarchitecture is deteriorating, and the amount and variety of proteins in bone is altered...
– medical conditions which occur commonly in aging animals and humans alike, although it is believed that the latter may also have been brought on as a result of being fed a seed-only diet for the first 40 years of his life, in the years before the dietary requirements of his species were fully understood.
Cookie was 'retired' from exhibition at the zoo in 2009 (following a few months of weekend-only appearances) in order to preserve his health, after it was noticed by staff that his appetite, demeanour and stress levels improved markedly when not on public display. He now lives permanently in the keepers'
Zookeeper
A zookeeper is a worker in a zoo, responsible for the feeding and daily care of the animals. As part of their routine, they clean the exhibits and report health problems...
office of the zoo's Perching Bird House, although it has been stated that he may still make occasional appearances for special events such as his birthday celebration, which is held each June.