Injured orang utan rescued from estate

In safe hands: The injured orang utan being treated by vets and wildlife officials at the Sepilok Orang Utan Rehabilitation Centre.

KOTA KINABALU: An injured orang utan, believed to have been slashed, has been rescued from a plantation in east coast Sandakan.

The adult male orang utan is being treated at the Sepilok Orang Utan Rehabilitation Centre as wildlife rangers investigate whether it was attacked by hunters or other groups.

The orang utan had slash wounds and other injuries on its body, but was recovering, said Sabah Wildlife Department director William Baya.

“It seems to be OK and is responding to treatment,” he said, adding that rangers rescued the orang utan after an oil palm estate owner saw it in his plantation at about noon on Tuesday.

A police report was lodged that evening.

Orang utan are among fully protected animals in Sabah.

On Aug 18, 2003, three orang utan – named Mambo, Terry and Mary – were found dead with stab wounds at the Shangri-La Rasa Ria Nature Resort in Tuaran, about 40km from here.

Two other animals were injured in the attack but to date, no arrests have been made.