SALINE COUNTY – Employees and fans of Rolling Hills Zoo are mourning the death of beloved Sumatran orangutan, Clyde. He died Wednesday morning due to medical conditions that are relatively common in orangutans, according to a social media report.

A fan favorite at the Zoo, at 40 Clyde had already outlived the average 28-year life expectancy of orangutans, according to the AZA’s MLE lifespan table.

Born August 1976 at the Cheyanne Mountain Zoo, Clyde came to Rolling Hills Zoo based on an SSP recommendation as a non-breeder in 2011 from the San Diego Zoo. 

Clyde had been a gentle partner for Rusa, Rolling Hills Zoo’s female orangutan. From the day they were introduced he impressed her and she was often found near him. He succumbed to her every whim and let her take whatever she wanted – even the food right out of his mouth. If she was out of sight he would look through the door just to make sure that she was still there. 

Clyde was affectionately called, “a grumpy old man” by his caretakers, and at age 40 he did things in his time while teaching them patience.

Clyde was also featured in the 2016 April issue of National Geographic as part of Joel Sarore’s Photo Ark.