Image source: ALEX ASHBURY / PERTH ZOO
On Monday (18/06/2018) Sumatra's oldest orangutan in the world died at the age of 62 years.
Puan, the name of the female orangutan, died at the Perth Zoo, Australia.
The master lived in the zoo since granted by the Malaysian government in 1968. Puan is believed to have been born in Sumatra in 1956. This made him listed in the Guinness Book of Records as the oldest verified member of his species in 2016.
According to the zoo, Sumatran orangutans rarely live above the age of 50 years in the wild. Puan himself plays an important role in the breeding program of its species. He has 11 children and 54 breeds scattered around the world. "He did so much for the colonies at the Perth Zoo and the survival of the species," said Holly Thompson, the primate watchdog at the zoo quoted by Channel News Asia on Tuesday (19/06/2018). "In addition to being the oldest member of our colony, he is also a founding member of our world-renowned breeding program and left a tremendous heritage," he continued.
Puan's death is due to euthanasia being done to her. this decision was taken by the zoo because Puan experienced various complications related to age. These complications are thought to affect the quality of life. This is stated in an obituary written by Martina Hart, the zookeeper who worked with Puan for the last 18 years.
"Over the years Puan's eyelashes have grayed, his movements slowed and his mind began to deviate, but he remains the mother of the calm, dignified female leader as ever," wrote Hart quoted from The Guardian, Tuesday (19/06/2018).
"You need and deserve respect, and he certainly gets it from all the guards for years and is the feminine founder of the best breeding colony in the world." Hart also wrote that Puan taught him about his patience. "He taught me that natural and outer instincts never disappear even in captivity, he is in a zoo environment, but to the end he always maintains his independence," wrote Hart. this article has been published on Kompas.com with the title "The Oldest Sumatran Orangutan in the Dead World at Age 62 Years" https://sains.kompas.com/read/2018/06/19/120500023/orangutan-sumatera-world-in-world-mati-on-years-62-tears.