Wildlife

Orangutan's Team Murder Startles Anthropologists

The first known instance of a female orangutan involved in the killing another female in the wild was observed by anthropologists studying the primates in Borneo.

The murderous female, Kondor, was aided in the assault by a young male, Ekko.

The attack seemed to result from Kondor being bitten by the victim, Sidony, after she attempted to approach Sidony’s daughter.

The brutal assault on Sidony went on for 33 minutes, during which the two attackers took turns beating and biting the victim.

Scientists say while orangutans frequently attack each other, it’s unprecedented for a male to be used as a “hired gun” to protect a female or to kill with her.

Another male eventually intervened to rescue Sidony, but her wounds were too severe and she died two weeks later.

Destruction of the dwindling orangutan habitat through deforestation may have at least partially contributed to the unusual behavior, experts say.

Ekko, top, and Kondor, bottom, teamed up in a Borneo forest to kill Sidony.