Monday, January 24, 2011

Sabah prepared to bring home displaced orang utan

KOTA KINABALU: Malaysia is prepared to assist any non-governmental organisations rehabilitate the orang utan in their native environment in Sabah.

Plantation Industries and Commodities Minister Tan Sri Bernard Dompok said the Government wanted to assist in the rescue and rehabilitation of displaced orang utan currently placed in zoos in Europe and United Kingdom.

He gave an example of an obese orang utan, Oshine, rescued from a private owner and currently being rehabilitated by Monkey World in Dorset United Kingdom.

Until it arrived in Monkey World, the orang utan had never seen another orang utan, Dompok said during a dialogue with Sabah NGOs regarding plantation issues.

“I told them (NGOs) this is one thing (rescuing orang utan) that they may want to do. The Government will give assistance to help them get back the displaced apes,” he said.

Dompok said there was no reason for the orang utan to suffer in the cold north European climate as there was ample space in Sabah’s forests.

Weighing about 100kg, the 13-year-old Oshine was raised by a South African couple who fed him marshmallows and other sweets.

Continue reading at: Sabah prepared to bring home displaced orang utan
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