Lankan tourist attacked by orangutan

28 August 2015 04:26 pm

A Sri lankan national now domiciled in New Zealand was hospitalised after being bitten on the knee by an orangutan while trekking in North Sumatra, according to the Jakarta Post.

The attack may have been carried out by the 38-year-old 'Minah', an orangutan who has attacked a number of foreign tourists in the Bukit Lawang resort area.

He was identified as Binula Wickramarachchi, 27, by Riswan Bangun, manager of the Sumatra Orangutan Observation Centre in Bukit Lawang.

He said the tourist was currently in a satisfactory condition at the Colombia Hospital in Medan.

Details of the encounter are scarce, but it is understood Wickramarachchi was bitten on his right knee.

Wickramarachchi is originally from Sri Lanka but is currently living in Auckland.