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News

L.A. Zoo's Long-Ailing Male Orangutan Has Died

By  Lindsay William-Ross
Published Nov 15, 2012 11:00 PM
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The Los Angeles Zoo has announced that Minyak, their 31-year-old male orangutan died Thursday.

Minyak had been ill his whole life, thanks to a chronic respiratory illness he contracted in infancy, according to City News Service.

Though long-ailing, Minyak was still virile; he fathered two female baby orangutans--Berani and Elka and in recent years, following a groundbreaking 2003 surgery to remove the air sac that caused his ailment.

Minyak had been at the L.A. Zoo since 2001. He died of cardiac and respiratory arrest while undergoing a routine checkup.

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"With all of his medical issues, Minyak's zookeepers described him as a fighter, extremely cooperative and very forgiving,'' stated the L.A. Zoo, adding: "He will be missed by everyone.''

Related:
Video: Watch a Baby Orangutan Climb for the First Time!
Orangutan Escapes Netting at L.A. Zoo, Prompting Zookeepers to Shut Down the Red Ape Rainforest

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