Orangutan (Pongo pygmaeus)

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The Orangutan

The Orangutan (Pongo pygmaeus) is the only one of the great apes that makes its home on the continent of Asia. In the Malay language, ‘orangutan’ literally translates to “man of the jungle.” Currently listed as endangered, orangutans are in danger from forest clearing and especially poaching, even though it is currently illegal to own, kill, or export one. There are estimated to be only about 30,000 currently living in the wild.

Orangutans are only found on the islands of Sumatra and Borneo in Indonesia. Unlike other apes, they are solitary creatures, and males and females usually only associate when mating. Females will occasionally travel in groups, usually consisting of sisters or mother and daughter and various offspring. They are found most often in the trees and will only touch ground when absolutely necessary. They sleep in the trees in nests made of leaves and branches. When they do travel by ground, they walk on all fours, but this is very difficult as their feet are more like hands without a heel bone.

Like humans, Orangutans have hands with opposable thumbs, and their feet also have an opposable toe. They are relatively large with the males weighing in at 170 pounds (77 kg) and reaching a length of 37 inches (95 cm). The females are smaller, usually weighing about 81 pounds (37 kg) and reaching a length of 31 pounds (78 cm). They are covered in long reddish-brown hair, except for their faces, which are black and hairless. The males develop puffy cheek pads that are attractive to the females, and they also have pouches under their throats that they use to amplify their voices.

Interesting Fact: Orangutans are very sophisticated creatures and have been known to use handfuls of leaves as napkins, wrapping them around their hands to protect them when they handle sharp or spiny objects, and use them as umbrellas to shade from the sun or protect from the weather.

Fruit is the main part of an Orangutan’s diet. They appear to know where all the fruit trees are in the areas where they live, even knowing when they will bear fruit. They have also been known to eat leaves, bark, insects, and even small mammals and birds. They appear to store fat for the monsoon season when the rains wipe away a lot of the food supply.

Female orangutans reach sexual maturity at about 13-16 years old, but the males usually aren’t fully mature until they are at least 20 and their cheek pads have fully developed. They will, however, attempt to mate before that time, sometimes using force if necessary. Females will only have babies every seven to nine years, seeking out a male when she is ready. Gestation lasts eight to nine months, with usually a single baby being born after that time. The young are raised by the females, and they will nurse for up to four years, being carried by their mothers the entire time. They will stay close for at least eight years, sometimes up to 15 years. The average life span for an orangutan in the wild is 30-40 years.

Further Information on the Orangutan:

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Bibliography:
Orangutan. Encarta Encyclopedia, © 2000.
Endangered in the wild: Islands. Accessed on August 14, 2004 at http://www.bagheera.com/inthewild/van_anim_orang.htm.
Orangutan Foundation International - Orangutan Facts and Figures. Accessed on August 14, 2004 at http://www.orangutan.org/facts/orangutanfacts.php.
Center for Orangutan and Chimpanzee Conservation. Accessed on August 14, 2004 at http://www.prime-apes.org/html/orangutans.html.