Orang utan dies after two weeks of battling severe injuries

Gedau when he was found at the oil palm estate

KOTA KINABALU: After almost two weeks fighting for its life, the severely injured orang utan found at an oil palm estate in Gedau, Beluran, finally succumbed to his injuries.

The 20-year-old orang utan which was later named Gedau by wildlife officials died from the slash and stab wounds and blood poisoning due to infections 13 days after it was rescued.

Sabah Wildlife Department director William Baya said the orang utan died at about 4.30pm on Sunday due to severe complications caused by the savage attack by an Indonesian plantation worker on July 13.

“For the first few days the orang utan seemed to be improving,” he said in a statement.

Unfortunately when the orang utan was further monitored at the Sepilok Orangutan Rehabilitation Quarantine and Clinic facility, William said it became obvious that the parang wound to the back was so deep that it had punctured the air sac (a loose pouch located around the throat used for vocalising), causing severe infection.

“The results of the post mortem confirmed that the orang utan died of acute and severe septicaemia (commonly known as blood poisoning) caused by the initial wound and also smaller secondary wounds,” he said.

Gedau was discovered by plantation workers at the estate not far from east coast Sandakan district on July 13.

The 38-year-old attacker, Syam Sul, who claimed to have attacked the orang utan after it chased him, will be spending a year in jail after he was found guilty of hurting the primate.

William said they would be appealing for a heavier sentence to be imposed on Syam.

“Since this case has escalated to a killing of a fully protected species and not just injuring it, I have directed my prosecution officer to appeal for a much heavier punishment,” he said.