A world famous walking gorilla today celebrated his birthday just like the rest of us – with a specially baked cake.

Ambam, who shot to fame in 2011 when a video of him walking like a human went viral on the internet, turned 25 at his home at the Port Lympne Wild Animal Park near Hythe.

Weighing in at 220kg, the western lowland gorilla has attracted more than 5.9 million views on YouTube and was also featured on Channel 4’s Rude Tube.

Video: Graham Stothard meets the special birthday boy

The cake might not appeal to human tastes, however, and was made up of potatoes, carrots, oranges and bananas.

Lynsey Mclean, owner of the SugarRush Baking Company in Hastings, baked the party centrepiece.

She said: “I did try it myself – it wasn’t bad actually. He seemed to eat it up pretty quickly.

“He had a main fruit and vegetable base for his cake – there was no sugar or anything, it was all natural extracts.”

Learning to standing fully upright is uncommon among other western lowland gorillas, helping to boost Ambam’s international fame.

But the internet sensation hasn’t let the fame go to his head, with gorilla keeper Helen Roberts commenting on his laid-back attitude.

She added: “He’s a very popular gorilla here at the park and lots of people know him.

“Because he’s quite laid-back and easy-going he’s pushed around by the others quite a bit, so to get a cake all to himself is a great treat for him.”

Ambam is one of a number of western lowland gorillas living at the park, who are a critically endangered species in the wild with numbers falling by more than 60% over the last 20 years.

This had been down to hunting, habitat changes and disease.

The park – which is run by the Aspinall Foundation - has been working on a project called 'Back to the Wild' which previously saw a family of gorillas from Kent return to the wild.

Stories you might have missed

Man 'repeatedly stabbed estranged wife in graveyard'

Patient 'left in urine soaked sheets' after brain injury

Dramatic rescue of boy, 11, stuck waist-deep in mud

Man had 'no recollection' of slashing gay lover's throat