14 DAY TRIAL // Back in 2011, Semeru went down in history as the first male zoo-born orangutan to be released in the wild. Unfortunately, it appears that the orangutan recently passed away following his being bitten by a venomous snake.
The wildlife rangers who discovered his body in a rainforest on the island of Sumatra, Indonesia, explain that Semeru died while settling in a sleeping nest.
“Semeru had a beautiful nature and was a beacon of hope for this critically endangered species. It is sad news but we know there are risks for any animals living in the wild and there was nothing that his trackers could have done,” argued Peter Mawson, the current Perth Zoo director of animal health and research.
Semeru was born at Perth Zoo in June 2005. Both his parents, Sekara and Dinara, and his siblings are still living at this animal sanctuary.