56-year-old chimp gives birth at zoo

? A 56-year-old chimpanzee has surprised officials at a zoo in northeast Kansas by giving birth.

Officials at Sunset Zoo in Manhattan announced Monday that Suzie the chimp gave birth to a female on Aug. 18 and that the mother and baby, pictured above, are in good health.

Zoo director Scott Shoemaker says Suzie was taken off birth control because of medical concerns — and because zoo officials didn’t think she would get pregnant at her age.

Zoo curator Mark Ryan says he hasn’t heard of any older chimpanzee who has given birth anywhere in the country.

Chimpanzees in captivity usually live to about 60.