Sacramento Zoo orangutan Makan dies after long battle with respiratory disease

The Sacramento Zoo is mourning the death of Makan, its male Sumatran orangutan.

Zoo officials said Makan died Monday after years of treatment for a chronic respiratory disease known as Orangutan Respiratory Disease Syndrome, or ORDS.

The disease is similar to cystic fibrosis in humans and is often fatal for orangutans within a few years of diagnosis, zookeepers said. Makan's care team had been treating and monitoring him for the disease for the last 10 years.

Makan had even been trained to voluntarily take medication and inhale vapors from a nebulizer as part of his treatment.

However, over the weekend, Makan's care team noticed his illness had rapidly worsened. Despite intensive treatment and around-the-clock monitoring, zookeepers said his symptoms did not improve.

On Monday, Makan's care team tried one more procedure to help him, but his illness was too severe. He went into cardiac arrest during the procedure and could not be saved.

Makan was 23 years old.

Zoo officials said Makan came to Sacramento in 2009 as a 6-year-old. Keepers described him as confident, curious and a fast learner.

"Makan wasn't a picky eater, but his most beloved treats were blueberries and almonds," said Primate Supervisor Janine in a statement.

He also fathered a child, Nangka, with one of the zoo's female orangutans in 2023. The zoo called Nangka's birth a major achievement for the genetic diversity and conservation of the species, which is critically endangered.

Sumatran orangutans are native to the Indonesian island of Sumatra.