Conservation Status: CRITICALLY ENDANGERED
Common Name: Orangutan, Orang-utan
Scientific Name: Pongo pygmaeus
Type: Mammal
Diet: fruits
Length: 1.2 – 1.4 m
Weight: 50 – 100 kg
The Bornean orangutans are one of the three extant species of great apes native to Indonesia and Malaysia. These magnificent creatures can be easily identified by their brownish-red hair and large size. As one of the most intelligent primates in the world, these great apes are also highly respected for their intelligence, gentle demeanor, and strong familial bonds.
Males and females can be distinguished by size and appearance. Dominant adult males have distinctive cheek pads and produce long calls that attract females and intimidate rivals. Immature males lack such characteristics and resemble adult females.
Orangutans are the most arboreal of the great apes and spend most of their time in trees. They are also the most solitary of the great apes, with social bonds occurring primarily between mothers and their dependent offspring, who stay together for the first two years. Although fruit is the most important component of an orangutan’s diet, the apes will also eat vegetation, bark, honey, insects and even bird eggs if required. They can live over 30 years in both the wild and captivity.
However, the Bornean orangutan along with the two other orangutan species (Sumatran orangutan and Tanpanuli orangutan) are considered to be critically endangered. Human activities have caused severe declines in populations and ranges.
Currently, multiple conservation and rehabilitation organizations have been established to combat the threats to wild orangutan populations from poaching, habitat destruction, and the illegal pet trade. Hopefully, such organizations help preserve the remaining wild population of orangutans.
References:
- “7 Animals In Southeast Asia You Should Not Miss | GOASEAN”. GOASEAN, http://www.goasean.com/7-animals-in-southeast-asia-you-should-not-miss/.
- Nater, A.; Mattle-Greminger, M. P.; Nurcahyo, A.; Nowak, M. G.; et al. (2017-11-02). “Morphometric, Behavioral, and Genomic Evidence for a New Orangutan Species”.
- “Orangutans | National Geographic”. Nationalgeographic.Com, https://www.nationalgeographic.com/animals/mammals/group/orangutans/.
Animals in South-East Asia 