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[Carrie McLaren <carrie AT stayfreemagazine.org>]

Popular Ape Who Liked to Escape Dies at San Diego

San Francisco Chronicle; Dec 2, 2000

An orangutan that endeared himself to San Diego Zoo workers and visitors
with his penchant for escapes and mischief died yesterday after battling
cancer.

The 29-year-old ape known as Ken Allen was euthanized at 11:05 a.m., said
Doug Myers, executive director of the San Diego Zoological Society.

Zoo officials had announced this week that Ken Allen was dying of lymphoma,
which had been diagnosed in October.

The ape was born at the zoo to Borneo orangutans Bob and Maggie. In the
1980s, Ken Allen made three escapes from the orangutan enclosure,
briefly enjoying freedom before he was caught by zoo workers. Other
orangutans followed his lead.

Zoo workers attempted to go undercover, dressing as tourists, to see how the
apes climbed over the wall, but the orangutans were not fooled. They waited
until the surveillance ended before trying again.