The Toronto Zoo has announced that Molek, its eldest male Sumatran orangutan, has died.
The 32-year-old orangutan was euthanized Wednesday, June 30, by veterinarians following a medical examination that revealed he was suffering from complete renal failure, a progressive kidney disease. Zoo officials said things took a turn for the worse over the past two weeks when Molek starting showing signs of lethargy, a complete loss of appetite and other adverse symptoms. In a press release, the zoo said it was a difficult decision to make, but in the end, he was humanely and peacefully put to rest.Molek was born in 1978 at the Zoo Atlanta and arrived in Toronto in 1996 as part of the zoo's Species Survival Plan. Molek would end up fathering three offspring; two of them, Jingaa and Kembali, are still at the zoo. Popular with zoo visitors, Molek was easily recognized by his shaggy, long, brown hair and his droopy facial features. A fully grown male orangutan like Molek can typically weigh up to 120 kilograms."He was like a gentle giant," said zookeeper Matt Berridge. "Very peaceful and very loving toward the younger orangutans."Sumatran orangutans originate from the tropical rainforests on the island of Sumatra where they are critically endangered due to habitat loss. Across the globe it is estimated 60,000 orangutans exist in the wild, but less than 7,000 remain in Sumatra.The zoo has six remaining orangutans at its Indo-Malaya pavilion.