Massa (1930 – 30 December 1984) was a male gorilla who reached the age of 54 years. At the time, this was the oldest gorilla ever recorded, though later individuals would eventually surpass that record. Massa was born in the wild in Ghana. He was shipped to the United States at an early age and his first owner was Brooklyn eccentric Gertrude Lintz. In 1935, after accidentally spilling water on Massa, which startled him severely, Lintz decided to sell him to the Philadelphia Zoo. In his prime, Massa weighed 400 lbs (181 kg).