OSHINE, known as the world’s fattest orangutan, ballooned to an astonishing 15 stone while on a diet of jelly and marshmallows before her miraculous weight loss.
The obese ape was kept as an exotic pet in South Africa and fed various sweets by her adopted family.
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Oshine had her owners wrapped around her finger, with only a raspberry blow or a clap being necessary to earn herself a plate of jelly – sometimes followed by some marshmallows.
The orangutan lived in the house in Johannesburg, South Africa, for 13 years and was treated just like a human.
She didn’t need to swing from trees or forage for food like her ancestors did – Oshine sat back and was spoilt rotten by her family.
But despite Oshine being loved by her owners, the consistent feeding of sweets and other processed foods led her to balloon in weight which stopped her from walking on her knuckles.
With her mobility limited, other health warnings began to surface like potential diabetes, high blood pressure, cholesterol, heart disease and shortened life expectancy.
Despite Oshine only being 3ft 6 tall, she weighed an unbelievable 15 stone.
Soon the obese ape was put on a plane to London and to the Monkey World Rescue centre in Dorset who agreed to rehome her after her doting parents were able to accept they were causing her obesity.
When she landed in 2010, she was put on an ultra-strict diet and exercise programme where she was given daily instruction on how to shed the weight and be a “normal” sized ape again.
Oshine’s regime includes a well-balanced diet of fruit, vegetables and nuts.
The massive orangutan was sold as a baby to a couple living in Indonesia where it’s common to keep the animals as pets – despite them being an endangered species.
When the couple’s own children left home, Oshine took on the role of human children and became their world.
She lived in their house with them and was dressed in nappies and baby clothes.
When the couple moved to South Africa, there was no doubt that the orangutan would come with them.
But as Oshine grew up, she became less like a baby and more like an ape, unsurprisingly.
She got too big, clumsy and aggressive to live indoors with her doting parents so she was moved to her own special house out in the garden.
The couple soon realised this was not the right way an ape should live and soon contacted Monkey World, a globally known ape sanctuary that’s rehoused more than 230 primates from all over the world.
When she arrived here, Oshine was definitely a spoiled and stubborn brat who had grown used to having her own way
Dr Alison Cronin
It took a stagging two years to complete the paperwork for Oshine to move, but her owners were completely heartbroken when she eventually left.
Monkey World’s director Dr Alison Cronin told the Daily Mail: “When she arrived here, Oshine was definitely a spoiled and stubborn brat who had grown used to having her own way.
“The thing is, her owners never acted out of malice or neglect.
“They adored her, and loved making her happy. She wasn’t fed junk food around the clock.
“She received her daily rations of fruit, vegetables and the occasional cooked chicken breast — which is very similar to the diet she would have in the wild.
“But her owners did like to give her treats — and she developed a definite taste for jelly, sweets and marshmallows.”
Oshine was living in an enclosure in her owners back garden, and despite it being spacious, she had nowhere to swing or climb – and therefore no way of burning off calories.
Dr Cronin said Oshine had nothing to do all day but “sit around on her backside and eat”.
Once Monkey World, located in Dorset, England, took massive Oshine in, it was initially hard for her to get used to the other organgutans.
Dr Cronin explained: “It’s like introducing a 13-year-old who has never played with other children to the realities of life in the playground.
“It is going to be very scary and will take her a while to work things out.
“Change is horrid – even more so for an adult than a youngster – and you have to remember that Oshine is an adult.”
It’s like introducing a 13-year-old who has never played with other children to the realities of life in the playground
Dr Alison Cronin
Despite worries, Oshine settled in well and showed that inside she has orangutan instincts, like climbing 30ft to the top of her new two-story enclosure to sleep.
Apes do this as they know it’s the safest to sleep high in the jungle and avoid predators.
Oshine also initially spent a few hours of every morning in a primate creche with another adult female who was put there to take care of four young orphans.
And Oshine has regulated to her new diet, and absolutely loves melon.
The world’s fattest animals
THERE have been several real-life animals that gained fame for their extraordinary size and weight.
Here are some of the most famous “fat” animals:
Knut the Polar Bear: Knut was a polar bear born in captivity at the Berlin Zoo in Germany in 2006. He gained international fame as a cub after being hand-raised by zookeepers. However, as he grew, Knut became quite large, partially due to a diet high in fats to mimic his natural diet. Polar bears are naturally large, but Knut’s fame brought attention to his impressive size as he grew into adulthood.
Sammy the Fat Cat: Sammy was a domestic cat who became famous in the UK. He weighed around 41 pounds, making him one of the heaviest cats on record. Sammy’s size was a result of overfeeding and lack of exercise. Sammy’s case brought attention to the issue of pet obesity and led to discussions about proper diet and exercise for pets.
Goliath the Pig: Goliath was a pig who lived in Germany. He weighed over 1,000 pounds, making him one of the largest pigs ever recorded. Goliath became a local celebrity due to his massive size. Goliath’s story highlighted the potential for extreme weight gain in pigs, especially when bred for size.
Katy the Cow: Katy was a dairy cow from Australia. She gained fame for weighing over 2,200 pounds, making her one of the heaviest cows in the world at the time. Katy’s story drew attention to the size potential in dairy cows, especially those bred for milk production.
The Guinness World Record Fatty the Dog: : A dog named Zorba, an English Mastiff, holds the Guinness World Record for the heaviest dog, weighing 343 pounds. Though not “fat” in the unhealthy sense, his massive size made him famous. Zorba’s size was a reminder of the importance of managing the diet and exercise of large breed dogs.
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