Zoo Miami Mourns Loss Of Orangutan

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SOUTHWEST MIAMI-DADE (CBSMiami) -- Zoo Miami is mourning the loss of "Bonnie," a 31-year-old female Orangutan who died Thursday night following an emergency procedure. The procedure was required for the removal of a full-term, non-viable fetus that she was unable to deliver naturally.  Bonnie was born at the Audubon Zoo on January 26, 1985 and arrived at Zoo Miami on May 8, 2009.

Zoo staff had been aware of Bonnie's pregnancy and has been monitoring it closely for several months.  She was scheduled for a full exam with an OB/GYN and ultrasound specialist on Monday, August 29th.  However, after displaying signs of elevated distress Thursday afternoon, she was immobilized and brought to the zoo hospital for emergency tests and treatment.

The tests confirmed the presence of a full term fetus that showed no signs of life and needed to be removed immediately to prevent further distress and infection to Bonnie who was already in critical condition.

Though the staff was able to successfully extract the fetus, Bonnie was not able to recover and died within hours of the procedure.

Orangutans are the largest tree-dwelling mammals in the world with males often weighing over 200 pounds and having an arm-span of close to 8 feet.  The name "Orangutan" translates into "man of the forest."  They are found in Indonesia on the islands of Borneo and Sumatra and are critically endangered due to poaching and deforestation for palm oil plantations.