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Doctors brought in for health check of 33-year-old orang utan Dinar

Michael TraillThe West Australian
Perth Zoo. 33yo male Orangutan Dinar goes under anaesthetic for a health check at the Perth Zoo.
Camera IconPerth Zoo. 33yo male Orangutan Dinar goes under anaesthetic for a health check at the Perth Zoo. Credit: Jackson Flindell/The West Australian

A rare medical check-up under general anaesthetic has revealed one of Perth Zoo’s favourite orang-utans was not faking a case of the man flu.

Doctors, some usually tasked with treating human patients, were brought into the zoo’s wildlife hospital on Friday to give 33-year-old Dinar his first check-up under general anaesthetic for six years.

The near-100kg orang-utan was acting lethargic, “out of sorts” and had flu-like symptoms that led to the check-up.

33yo male Orangutan Dinar goes under anaesthetic for a health check at the Perth Zoo.
Camera Icon33yo male Orangutan Dinar goes under anaesthetic for a health check at the Perth Zoo. Credit: Jackson Flindell/The West Australian

“Whilst under general anaesthetic, we did a thorough veterinary exam, which involved a collaboration between zoo vets, veterinary specialists and doctors who normally treat human patients,” Perth Zoo’s Danielle Henry said.

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“It appears Dinar has a mild case of sinusitis, so no man flu or hayfever, and will be on a course of antibiotics.”

Dinar recovered in his sleeping quarters and was back out swinging in the zoo’s jungle exhibit in no time.

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