World’s Oldest Orangutan Has Been Put to Rest at Oregon Zoo

A 61-year-old female Sumatran Orangutan named Inji has been humanely "put to rest" by Oregon Zoo officials on Sunday, January 10, 2021. According to Bob Lee, one of them in charge of overseeing the animals, it was hard to make the decision, but it was necessary.

The park had to euthanize Inji to put her out of her suffering as her health has been slowly deteriorating due to old age. She was suffering, and they had to put the orangutan out of her misery.

It left the entire Oregon Zee in mourning for the loss of their beloved Sumatran Orangutan.

"We knew she couldn't live forever, but this really hurts, and I know many visitors are grieving along with us," Lee said in an interview. "Inji's ability to connect with people was incredible. She inspired generations," he added.

In the wild, Orangutans rarely live past the age of 40. And, to find a healthy one of her kind in the wild that reached that age would be even rarer. With the utmost attention and effort that the zoo gave in taking care of Inji, she managed to reach her late 50s before she started experiencing health problems.

That is a remarkable feat for her kind.

"She was moving stiffly, rarely left her nest box, and was no longer interested in even her favorite foods," said Lee, who added that the decision to euthanize Inji came once the primate's pain medications stopped providing her relief.

As a victim of an outdated wildlife trade system, Inji, a wild Sumatran Orangutan born somewhere in the mid to late 1960s, came to the United States as an animal import before she got her forever home at Oregon Zoo.

After her death, the zoo posted a heartwarming tribute for their beloved ape on Instagram. "Inji inspired generations to take action for her species, including her care staff, who now help rehab orphaned orangutans in Indonesia," the zoo wrote. "They kept Inji in great shape throughout her life, and their close bond brought her comfort in her golden years. She'll always be remembered for her gentle spirit."

Aside from the tribute, the zoo also plans to honor the deceased ape in its new Primate Forest, a habitat for chimps and orangutans like Inji, scheduled to open in spring.

Why do zoos and animal shelters euthanize old animals?

An animal conservation organization aims to give the animals in their care the best life that they possibly can.

However, everything must eventually come to an end.

Animals, like humans, eventually succumb to old age. And, with age comes several health complications. To alleviate the pain that these animals face as their health deteriorates, wildlife conservationists assist them and put them out of their misery by humanely putting them to rest.

Aside from senior animals, animals with health concerns can also be subjected to euthanasia, especially those who can no longer be eased by medicine. Keeping these at-risk animals alive may just be putting them up into more pain.

The decision to euthanize them is not an easy one, but it's for the sake of the animal.

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