KOTA KINABALU: Sabah Tourism, Culture and Environment minister Datuk Christina Liew (pic) is saddened by the recent death of an adult male orang utan in the Kinabatangan district.
She said though there were no signs of foul play on the ape based on a preliminary post-mortem, it was still necessary for the Sabah Wildlife Department (SWD) to step up protection efforts for this protected species.
"I am saddened by the death of the orang utan believed to be 10-years-old. I have instructed the SWD to intensify efforts on the protection of the state's wildlife treasures,” she said in a statement.
“Orang utans are a totally protected species under the Sabah Wildlife Conservation Enactment 1997,” said Liew.
She said based on the post-mortem, they have ruled out a shooting since no external injuries were observed, and neither was there any sign of fracture.
“There was no gunshot wound. The orang utan could have fallen into the river and died of drowning because it could not swim,” she said.
Liew said the bruising found on the ape’s neck area might be caused by fall trauma.
Samples of organs collected from the animal, including the heart, lung, kidney, gallbladder and liver, will be sent for laboratory studies, she said.
The carcass of the orang utan was found floating in a river close to the Lower Kinabatangan Wildlife Sanctuary on Feb 12, with researchers believing that it had died less than 24 hours prior.
After the carcass was brought to land, a post-mortem was conducted by the Danau Girang Field Centre (DGFC) veterinarian on site as they were nearest to where the carcass was found.
Liew gave credit to the DGFC for its swift action in carrying out the post-mortem.
