Chantek was raised not unlike a human child.
The orangutan was taught to communicate with American Sign Language, eventually picking up more than 150 words. He understands most spoken English, though was shy around strangers. He also learned other human habits like cleaning his room. He also figured out how to use the bathroom.
But at age 39, geriatric for an orangutan, Chantek passed away at his home at Zoo Atlanta. The facility sadly announced the death of Chantek on August 7.
While the cause isn’t yet known, Chantek had progressive heart disease.

The zoo is in mourning.
Veterinarian Hayley Murphy, who is the zoo’s vice president of animal divisions, fondly remembered Chantek.
“Chantek will be deeply missed by his family here at Zoo Atlanta. He had such a unique and engaging personality and special ways of relating to and communicating with those who knew him best. It has been our privilege to have had him with us for 20 years and to have been given the opportunity to offer him a naturalistic environment where he could get to know and live with his orangutan family,” she said.
“Chantek’s long life is a great testament to the dedication of his care team and to the work of the Great Ape Heart Project, the combined efforts of which made it possible for us to give him the best care and quality of life the zoological community has to offer,” she added.
Sad news: @ZooATL family mourns passing of Chantek the orangutan. Full story here: https://t.co/P9LFQYF60E pic.twitter.com/3KtbZ5Zifc
— Zoo Atlanta (@ZooATL) August 7, 2017
Chantek, a Bornea/Sumatran hybrid orangutan was born Dec. 17, 1977 at the Yerkes Language Research Center.
And arrived at Zoo Atlanta 20 years later.
“Although he frequently used ASL to communicate with his caregivers, with whom he developed close personal bonds throughout his years at Zoo Atlanta,” the zoo said. “He was shy about signing with individuals he did not know and often chose forms of communication which are more typical of orangutans, such as vocalizations and unique hand gestures.”
Almost a year ago, the zoo announced it had started a progressive medical regimen to treat Chantek’s symptoms of heart disease.
Experts even performed the world’s first voluntary echocardiogram (EKG) on an awake orangutan. Chantek was treated similar to humans with heart disease and put on a healthy, low-sodium diet.
A necropsy will be performed to determine an exact cause of death.
But by all measures, Chantek lived a long life.
Both Bornean orangutans and Sumatran orangutans are critically endangered in the wild due largely to habitat destruction and human encroachment. Sumatran orangutans could be extinct within 10 years, according to experts.
Photos Zoo Atlanta