Baby orang-utan, Gito, left to die in a box ‘looked mummified’

THESE heartbreaking photos show how a baby orang-utan was cruelly left to die out in the sun in a “filthy cardboard box”. WARNING: Graphic content

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HOW could anyone do this?

These heartbreaking photos show a baby orang-utan who was left in a “filthy cardboard box and left out in the sun to die”.

Now being nursed back to health, the orang-utan now named Gito, was discovered by the International Animal Rescue in Borneo, it said “it was one of the worst cases of neglect they had ever seen”.

“Our team in Borneo are currently providing 24-hour intensive care to a baby orang-utan that had been dumped in a filthy cardboard box and left out in the sun to die. He is critically ill, suffering from a highly contagious parasitic skin infection.”

The rescue centre believe the baby orang-utan was taken from its mother to be kept in captivity.

“Gito’s arms were folded corpse-like across his tiny body and he looked almost mummified in his cardboard coffin. Gito had barely any hair on his body and his skin was grey and flaking from sarcoptic mange. The constant itching and pain must have been excruciating.”

“It is incredible that Gito was still alive when our team got to him.

“Gito was rushed straight to our rescue centre for urgent treatment and was immediately put on a drip and course of medication to treat him for dehydration, malnutrition and the severe skin infection.”

International Animal Rescue is hopeful that baby Gito will make a full recovery.

Borneo’s orang-utan population sits between 45,000 and 69,000 and has declined more than 50 per cent over the past 60 years, according to World Wildlife Fund.