Orangutan Dies At Kansas Zoo

There is ample evidence that orangutans are the smartest animal on the planet other than humans. They are critically endangered and probably won't be around, in the wild, in 100 years.

They're also TKC's favorite Zoo attraction given that their captivity is mostly for protective purposes . . . Here's a sad story about the demise of a local creature that was otherwise lost in the mix of more important news . . .

38-year-old Orangutan at Kansas Zoo dies following illness

TOPEKA, Kan. - The Topeka Zoo and Conservation Center has announced the death of a Bornean orangutan following a short illness. The zoo says in a statement that Lena, a 38-year-old female, died Monday after becoming ill April 8. Her condition failed to improve, and zoo staff anesthetized her to conduct a full medical workup.