Orangutan mugs tourist in Malaysia
By THE ASSOCIATED PRESS
KUALA LUMPUR, Malaysia - A Malysian official says an orangutan at a wildlife sanctuary mugged a French tourist for her backpack, leaving the woman bruised and scratched.
Wilfred Landong, chief park warden of Malaysia's Sarawak state, says Odile Nordon, 24, was taking photographs of Delima, a female orangutan in Malaysia's Semenggoh Wildlife Centre on Sunday, when the animal grabbed at the backpack.
They fought briefly over the bag, with Delima ripping Nordon's pants.
Ladong says Nordon had scratches and bruises on her knees and thighs.
Park rangers gave her medical treatment.
Nordon, who managed to keep her backpack, told the New Straits Times newspaper she thought orangutans were friendly, cuddly creatures.
"It's a painful lesson to find out the truth," the newspaper quoted Nordon saying.
Landong said the park considered what happened to be "an accident."
"We are not faulting anyone," he said.
"But we remind tourists that they should not go too near the orangutans."
Orangutans are native to the forests of Malaysia and Indonesia. They have a shaggy, reddish-brown coat, long arms and no tail. The wildlife centre has several signs warning visitors to walk away if orangutans approach them because the animals tend to grab at humans and objects, Landong said.
By THE ASSOCIATED PRESS
KUALA LUMPUR, Malaysia - A Malysian official says an orangutan at a wildlife sanctuary mugged a French tourist for her backpack, leaving the woman bruised and scratched.
Wilfred Landong, chief park warden of Malaysia's Sarawak state, says Odile Nordon, 24, was taking photographs of Delima, a female orangutan in Malaysia's Semenggoh Wildlife Centre on Sunday, when the animal grabbed at the backpack.
They fought briefly over the bag, with Delima ripping Nordon's pants.
Ladong says Nordon had scratches and bruises on her knees and thighs.
Park rangers gave her medical treatment.
Nordon, who managed to keep her backpack, told the New Straits Times newspaper she thought orangutans were friendly, cuddly creatures.
"It's a painful lesson to find out the truth," the newspaper quoted Nordon saying.
Landong said the park considered what happened to be "an accident."
"We are not faulting anyone," he said.
"But we remind tourists that they should not go too near the orangutans."
Orangutans are native to the forests of Malaysia and Indonesia. They have a shaggy, reddish-brown coat, long arms and no tail. The wildlife centre has several signs warning visitors to walk away if orangutans approach them because the animals tend to grab at humans and objects, Landong said.
Time for some OT justice. What does the insensitive ape deserve?
Please, no comments on the use of "monkey" and "ape". If my interchanging is not appro then just let it go.
The important thing here is that this agression not go unchecked.
edit: Perhaps a kindly mod would fix the typo in the title.....
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