(FOX40.COM) — Makan, a 23-year-old male Sumatran Orangutan living at the Sacramento Zoo, has died from a long-term illness, officials announced Tuesday.
Makan had suffered from an chronic respiratory disease known as Orangutan Respiratory Disease Syndrome for over a decade. The disease is thought to be genetic and often fatal.
While medication and inhaled vapors from a medical device called a nebulizer helped extend his life, his health took a rapid turn for the worst over the weekend and he did not improve despite around-the-clock care. On Monday, veterinarians attempted an anesthetized procedure to alleviate his condition. During the procedure, Makan went into cardiac arrest and couldn’t be resuscitated, the zoo said.
Makan (Photo courtesy of Sacramento Zoo)
Sumatran Orangutans are Critically Endangered speciates native to the Indonesian island of Sumatra. When living under human care in captivity, Sumatran Orangutans can live until their mid 50s to early 60s.
Makan was born in 2003 at another facility and was moved to the Sacramento Zoo in 2009. He fathered a child named Nangka with another female at the zoo named Indah in 2023, the zoo said.
The zoo called Makan a “fast learner” who often was used to help test new primate keepers.
“Makan wasn’t a picky eater, but his most beloved treats were blueberries and almonds,” said Primate Supervisor Janine. “We would play ‘airplane’ with his morning biscuits during nebulizer treatments and see how far back he could lean while catching food in his mouth. Whether it was cramming himself into a surprisingly small plastic tub or gathering all the branches, blankets, and hay to make a massive bed, nest making seemed to be his favorite activity.”
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