Orangutan not shot to death
KOTA KINABALU: The postmortem on the adult male orangutan (Pongo pygmaeus species) found dead on the Kinabatangan River on Monday could not determine the direct cause of death, said Minister of Tourism, Culture and Environment Datuk Christina Liew.
Liew said she had received the post-mortem report from the director of Sabah Wildlife Department, Augustine Tuuga.
“I am saddened by the death of the orangutan believed to be 10 years old. I have instructed the Sabah Wildlife Department to intensify efforts on the protection of the State’s wildlife treasures. Orangutans are a totally protected species under the Sabah Wildlife Conservation Enactment 1997.
“Based on the post-mortem, we have ruled out ‘shooting’ since no external injury was observed, and neither was there any sign of fracture. There was no gunshot wound.
“The orangutan could have fallen into the river and died of drowning because it could not swim. The bruising on the neck area might be caused by fall trauma,” Liew said in a statement on Tuesday.
She, however, said samples of organs collected from the animal, including the heart, lung, kidney, gallbladder and liver, will be sent for laboratory studies.
After the carcass was brought to land, the post-mortem was conducted by the Danau Girang Field Centre (DGFC) veterinarian on site as the centre was nearest to where the carcass was found floating at the Lower Kinabatangan Wildlife Sanctuary.
Liew gave credit to the DGFC for its swift action in carrying out the post-mortem.
Tuuga said preliminary diagnosis from a post-mortem indicated the adult male ape could have fallen into the river from a tree and drowned.
“There were no gunshot wounds but there was some bruising around the neck area, possibly from its fall,” he said.
“The report mentioned that they could not determine the direct cause of death,” he added, referring to the report.
Tuuga said there were no external wounds observed and the skin of the carcass was peeling off because of bloating.
“There were no signs of fracture... (and) all organs appeared normal,” he said.
Tuuga said the great ape, aged around 10 years, was believed to have died less than 24 hours before it was found.
He said the carcass was found with dead branches floating around it.
It was spotted by a Danau Girang Field Centre (DGFC) manager.
A post-mortem was conducted by a DGFC veterinarian after the carcass was brought on land, Tuuga added.