Rare orangutan dies at Prague Zoo

A veterinarian and zookeepers were unable to save a rare Sumatran orangutan named Padang at Prague Zoo in the early hours of Sunday. The great ape had undergone surgery to try and correct serious gastrointestinal problems. After the operation, Pandang collapsed at around 12 AM. Those involved tried to revive the ape for some four hours. The Sumatran orangutan is one of the most threatened species in the wild; there are only some 7,300 in the wilderness. In captivity, the orangutan can reach up to 60 years of age, compared to between 30 and 45 in nature.

Author: Jan Velinger