# History-making orangutan killed by a snake



## News Bot (Apr 3, 2013)

SEMERU, the first male zoo-born orangutan in the world to be released back into the wild, has died after being bitten by a deadly snake.






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*Published On:* 03-Apr-13 01:01 PM
*Source:* via NEWS.com.au

*Go to Original Article*


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## Wing_Nut (Apr 3, 2013)

What a total shame. A tragic loss to these pioneering conservationists.


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## longqi (Apr 3, 2013)

Trimeresurus sumatranus, probably one of these did it
they really pack a punch
only other one might be Tropidolaemus wagleri but their venom much weaker

both are small snakes
probably pulled one down with leaves while it was making its nest


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## Snake Catcher Victoria (Apr 3, 2013)

I dont think the bloodwork has been done so the vet was just theorising it could have been a snake becase the orange had puncture wounds on its back.Sems a bit rough to blame a snake without proof.
They get enough bad publicity


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## bohdi13 (Apr 3, 2013)

it's very sad and a shame and all but that's how things work in the wild and there are many years to come to retry, trial and error. sure they get a bad reputation but the snake might have been in a situation where it was cornered. snakes choose flight over fight.


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## longqi (Apr 3, 2013)

ssssnakeman said:


> I dont think the bloodwork has been done so the vet was just theorising it could have been a snake becase the orange had puncture wounds on its back.Sems a bit rough to blame a snake without proof.
> They get enough bad publicity



Not sure that its too bad publicity
Simply part of any ecological circle
Too much emphasis is placed on saving animals like orangs dolphins seals tigers etc
But they cannot survive if the ecosystems they need are no longer there
So saving ecosystems is much more important in the long term
Ecosystems include slugs snails snakes plants and mosquitos

cute/cuddly/empathetic are great words for raking in cash
but do little in the wider scheme of things 

so if a wild animal is killed by another wild animal in a natural course of events
how can we unfairly judge either one??


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## jairusthevirus21 (Apr 3, 2013)

longqi said:


> Not sure that its too bad publicity
> Simply part of any ecological circle
> Too much emphasis is placed on saving animals like orangs dolphins seals tigers etc
> But they cannot survive if the ecosystems they need are no longer there
> ...




I agree completely... except for mosquitos... They can go to hell! lol


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