(Courtesy: Phoenix Zoo) DuchessPHOENIX (AP) -
The Phoenix Zoo held a celebration Saturday commemorating the life of Duchess the orangutan, who lost a battle with lymphatic cancer.
Duchess was North America's oldest Bornean orangutan, zoo officials said.
The 52-year-old Duchess was euthanized June 24 after being diagnosed earlier this month.
Workers said she lived well beyond the 40-year life expectancy of orangutans in the wild.
Visitors on Saturday were able to leave their favorite memory or photo of Duchess on a 4-by-8-foot card and heard stories about her from zookeepers and staff.
Duchess was 2 years old when the zoo opened in 1962. She gave birth seven times, and most of her offspring live at various zoos around the country.
Duchess was one of the zoo's few remaining original animals.
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