Orangutan 'Robin' Dies At Denver Zoo
DENVER (CBS4)- "Robin" a 40-year-old male orangutan at the Denver Zoo has died. He was euthanized on Friday after a severe decline in his health.
The Denver Zoo said Robin was the second-oldest male orangutan in North American zoos and had exceeded the life expectancy of 27.7 years.
"This has been a particularly hard loss for our staff, volunteers and community. Robin was a warm and engaging animal that was adored by all. He was known to make silly faces to get a reaction from guests. Certainly the world is a lesser place without this beautiful creature," said says Denver Zoo Senior Vice President for Animal Care and Conservation Brian Aucone in a statement.
The zoo said Robin had experienced health problems on and off over the last couple of years including arthritis which veterinary and animal care staff managed with anti-inflamatories and pain medication.
At the end of 2014, Robin started showing signs of neurologic degeneration and numerous tests were conducted to try to decipher the root of Robin's illness, including MRIs and CT scans.
Robin was also diagnosed with pneumonia recently but did not improve with treatment. The zoo said the past week Robin got worse with extreme lethargy, lack of appetite and loss of fine motor skills. That's when zoo staff made the decision to euthanize Robin.
"The decision to euthanize an animal is always a difficult one and something we consider very carefully. Robin was in pain and his condition continued to worsen. Unfortunately at his age, he was not going to recover. I speak for all of us at Denver Zoo when I say how grateful we were to have him for so many years," says Denver Zoo Staff Veterinarian Gwen Jankowski in a statement.
Three other orangutans call the Denver Zoo home, including 27-year-old Nias, 13-year-old Bernas (Junie) and 5-year-old Hesty.
