About Orangutans

Orangutans are great apes native to the rainforests of Sumatra and Borneo. They are known for their intelligence, long arms, and reddish-brown hair. The name "orangutan" comes from the Malay words "orang" (person) and "hutan" (forest), meaning "person of the forest."

There are three species of orangutans:

• Sumatran orangutan (Pongo abelii)

• Bornean orangutan (Pongo pygmaeus)

• Tapanuli orangutan (Pongo tapanuliensis) – the rarest and found only in a small area of North Sumatra.

Key Facts:

• 🦧 Habitat:
  Orangutans live in tropical rainforests and spend most of their lives in trees (they are arboreal).

• 🌿 Diet:
  Mostly fruit, but also leaves, bark, insects, and sometimes honey.

• 🧠 Intelligence:
  Orangutans are among the most intelligent primates. They use tools, build nests every night, and have been observed using leaves as umbrellas or gloves.

• 👶 Slow Reproduction:
  Orangutans have the slowest reproduction rate of any land mammal. A female gives birth once every 7–9 years and cares for her baby for several years.

• ⚠️ Conservation Status:
  All orangutan species are critically endangered due to deforestation, illegal wildlife trade, and habitat loss from palm oil plantations and logging.

Why Protect Orangutans?

Orangutans are a keystone species—protecting them helps preserve entire ecosystems. Saving orangutans means saving the rainforest, which is vital for global biodiversity and climate stability.