Palangka Raya. A male wild orangutan died after being electrocuted while hanging from an electric cable in a residential area on Jalan Tjilik Riwut Km 9, Palangka Raya City, Central Kalimantan, on Friday.

The 14-year-old primate, weighing an estimated 35 kilograms, was electrocuted after hanging on the high-voltage cable and fell into a roadside drain.

A medical team from the Borneo Orangutan Survival Foundation (BOSF) Nyaru Menteng arrived promptly to provide medical assistance but could not save the animal.

Junaidi Slamet Wibowo, Head of the Conservation Section I of the Central Kalimantan Natural Resources Conservation Center, said the orangutan likely originated from the forest near the outskirts of the Rungan River in Palangka Raya. He explained that male orangutans typically travel about 5 kilometers daily in search of food.

“This orangutan was looking for food and accidentally entered a residential area. Unfortunately, it climbed onto a high-voltage power line and was electrocuted, leading to its fall,” Junaidi said.

Before evacuating the body, the medical team checked the orangutan’s heartbeat to confirm its condition. After its death was confirmed, the body was taken to the BOSF Nyaru Menteng clinic in Palangka Raya.

“A necropsy or autopsy will be conducted tomorrow at the BOSF Nyaru Menteng clinic before the orangutan is buried,” Junaidi added.

According to the Environment and Forestry Ministry, the orangutan population in Sebangau National Park, Palangka Raya, reached 8,973 individuals as of June 2024, up from 6,080 orangutans in previous years. This growth has been attributed to efforts to preserve their habitat.

Despite the increase in some areas, orangutan populations in Indonesia remain threatened with extinction due to habitat destruction caused by human activities such as mining, logging, and agricultural expansion.