Save Orangutans
Over 60 % of Orangutan habitats were destroyed in the last 40 years.
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The Orangutan is closer to humans than the Chimpanzee or Gorilla.
Orangutan (Pongo) is a species of ape that has its home in the rainforests of Borneo and Sumatra. Together with Chimpanzees and Gorillas, these are the closest relatives to man. The Orangutan shares about 97 % of the DNA of humans. Based on other features, however, Orangutans are even closer to us. There are currently three species of Orangutan, and according to the IUCN Red List, all three are critically endangered. There are approx. 55 000 to 65 000 individuals living in the wild (Bornean Orangutan: approx. 35 000 - 45 000 individuals, Sumatran Orangutan: approx. 15 000 individuals and Tapanuli Orangutan: approx. 800 individuals).
Face of an Orangutan in Semenggoh Nature Reserve, Borneo. Source: Unsplash
Did you know… the Orangutan is the heaviest tree-living animal?
The name "Orangutan" comes from the Malay or Indonesian words orang, meaning "person", and hutan, meaning "forest" – literally "forest man". This is the only species of ape living outside of Africa. Today, Orangutans can only be found in some parts of Borneo and Sumatra. In the past, they lived throughout Southeast Asia and Southern China. Today, Orangutans live in mountainous, lowland and floodplain forests and swampy areas, usually at a distance of 6 to 10 miles from a water source. They spend almost all their time in the treetops. They also build a new nest there every day. Its construction is precise, yet it only takes them about 5 to 10 minutes. Sumatran Orangutans live up to an altitude of 5 000 ft above sea level, Bornean Orangutans live up to an altitude of 3 000 ft above sea level.
Distribution of Orangutans. Source: viaGood
Orangutans have a strong sexual dimorphism (visible differences between male and female at first glance). Males are about 4 ft 6 in tall and weigh approx.165 lb. Females typically measure about 3 ft 9 in in height and weigh an average of 82 lb. Orangutans have an incredible arm span – over 7 ft from fingertip to fingertip.
Comparison of the size of Orangutan and human. Source: viaGood
Appearance The body is covered in a typical long reddish-brown coat, but can also range in color from bright orange to maroon or dark chocolate. The skin is gray-black in color. The Orangutan has a distinctive face, which for the most part is not covered in fur, but males can grow beards and mustaches. Some adult males have flappy cheek-pads, known as flanges, to show their dominance over other males. In addition, males are equipped with a throat bag that allows them to make loud calls.
Faces of males (from left) of Bornean, Sumatran and Tapanulian orangutans. Source: Wikipedia
The hands of Orangutans look similar to human hands – they have four fingers and an opposable thumb (which is significantly shorter). However, the positions of the joints and tendons show adaptation to movement in the treetops. Orangutans are able to grasp an object firmly, even without the use of their thumbs. They do not have to use only their hands for gripping, because their feet are also equipped with four toes and an opposable big toe.
Did you know… Orangutans can practice geophagy (consumption of rocks or soil)? This may be for the purpose of replenishing mineral substances.
Subspecies Until 1996, all Orangutan populations were evaluated as subspecies of one species. However, two species began to be distinguished: the Bornean Orangutan (Pongo pygmaeus) and the Sumatran Orangutan (Pongo abelii). In 2017, a population of Orangutans living in the mountainous areas of Sumatra, south of Lake Toba was identified as a different species, the Tapanuli Orangutan (Pongo tapanuliensis).
An Orangutan female with her baby. Source: Wikipedia
Bornean Orangutan (Pongo pygmaeus) The Bornean Orangutan is similar in size to the Sumatran Orangutan, but on average is slightly lighter. Its diet consists of more than 400 types of food, including wild figs, leaves, seeds, birds' eggs, flowers, honey, insects and bast (but to a lesser extent than the Sumatran Orangutan). They obtain water from both fruit and tree holes. **Population: **about 35 000 - 45 000 individuals living in the wild.
According to IUCN Red List of Threatened Species, the Bornean Orangutan is critically endangered**.**
There are three subspecies of the Bornean Orangutan:
- Northwest Bornean Orangutan (Pongo pygmaeus pygmaeus) – Sarawak (Malaysia) and northern West Kalimantan (Indonesia)
- Central Bornean Orangutan (Pongo pygmaeus wurmbii) – southern West Kalimantan and Central Kalimantan (Indonesia)
- Northeast Bornean Orangutan (Pongo pygmaeus morio) – East Kalimantan (Indonesia) and Sabah (Malaysia)
Sumatran orangutan at Bukit Lawang, Indonesia. Source: Wikipedia
Sumatran Orangutan (Pongo abelii) Compared to the Bornean Orangutan, it is similar in size, but slightly heavier. Its food composition is based on fruits and insects – preferred fruits include figs and breadfruit. Sometimes it even eats bird eggs or small vertebrates. The Sumatran Orangutan spends much less time eating the bast of trees. Regarding its appearance, the coat of the Sumatran Orangutan is thinner than the Bornean Orangutan. These animals are found northwest of Lake Toba.
Population: approx. 15 000 individuals living in the wild.
According to the IUCN Red List of Threatened Species it is critically endangered.
Frontal view of Pongo tapanuliensis. Source: Wikipedia
Tapanuli Orangutan (Pongo tapanuliensis) An isolated population of Orangutans in the Batang Toru area of southern Tapanuli was reported as early as 1939. The population was rediscovered by an expedition to this area in 1997. It was not until 2017 that this was described as a separate species. Tapanuli Orangutans are more reminiscent of Sumatran than of Bornean Orangutans. They have frizzier hair, smaller heads and flatter and wider cheeks. Unlike the other species, both males and females have beards. The Tapanuli Orangutan occurs south of Lake Toba.
Population: approx. 800 individuals living in the wild.
According to the IUCN Red List of Threatened Species it is critically endangered.
Did you know… Tapanuli Orangutans are considered exclusively arboreal? Scientists have not seen them descend to the ground in more than 3 000 hours of observation. This is probably due to the presence of Sumatran tigers in the area.
Life Orangutans live a more solitary life than Chimpanzees or Gorillas. Most social ties are between females and their offspring. Adult males are solitaires.
Young Orangutans stay with their mothers until they reach the age of about 7 years. They spend time learning everything they will need for their future life, including what is good to eat. Infants are so attached to their mothers that they cling to the mother’s body and sleep in her nest until they learn to survive on their own. Due to this long learning curve, Orangutans give birth only once every 7-9 years, which is the longest birth interval of all terrestrial mammals.
Orangutans live in the wild for about 35-40 years and in captivity for about 50 years.
An orangutan at the San Diego Zoo using a tool to extract orange-juice concentrate. Source: Wikipedia
Intelligence Orangutans are among the most intelligent primates. They can understand that objects exist, even when they are not present. The Orangutan was the first non-human species described as using "calculated reciprocity," which involves considering the costs and benefits of exchanging gifts and monitoring them over time. Experiments also suggest that Orangutans can communicate about things that are not present.
Orangutans present an interesting paradox regarding the use of tools. When in captivity, their use of tools and manipulation skills equal that of Chimpanzees, but this behavior is seldom observed in the wild. In any case, the use of tools varies by population. Wild Orangutans in Tuanan, Borneo, for example, use leaves to amplify the sounds they make, or sticks to remove termites, ants and bees from holes in trees.
3 000 - 5 000 Orangutans are killed each year due to hunting and trading.
Orangutans are facing many threats, all caused by humans. What are the main problems?
Logging and Oil Palm Plantations Indonesia is the world's largest producer of palm oil (palm oil is a type of vegetable oil made from the kernels of the oil palm). Orangutans live only in Borneo and Sumatra – countries where more than 60 % of Orangutan habitats have been destroyed by mining and plantations in the last 40 years. If current trends continue, Orangutans are expected to lose 70-80 % of their forest habitat by 2080.
Forest Fires Forest burning is used to obtain land for growing oil palms. Fires often get out of control, particularly in peat forests. Once the peat starts to burn, it is difficult to extinguish a fire. For example, fires in 2015 in Indonesia led to the loss of 2 million hectares of forest, an area the size of Wales. Fires destroy forests, kill wildlife, release huge amounts of carbon into the atmosphere and cause air pollution.
Mining and Quarrying Illegal surface mining of gold and zircon in protected areas has turned the original rainforest into a lifeless wasteland. Mercury, which is used in the mining process, contaminates river systems and kills fish and other wildlife.
Hunting and Trade in Animals The Orangutan is protected in both Malaysia and Indonesia. In these countries, it is illegal to own, trade in, injure or kill Orangutans. Nevertheless, deforestation occurs in the localities where wild Orangutans live. They are considered as pests, and therefore some are shot. Recent estimates show that about 3 000 - 5 000 Orangutans are killed each year. If Orangutan infants survive after the death of their mothers, they often end up as pets in local communities. At this rate, Orangutans could become extinct in the wild in less than 50 years.
Without strict forest protection, Orangutans will have no future.
Everyone can get involved in saving Orangutans. What can you do?
Protection of Rainforests The high and uncontrollable rate of deforestation is a major problem that threatens Orangutans. Therefore, it is essential to protect the remnants of rainforests and thus to prevent the continuing devastation of forests. This includes the active preservation of protected areas and their expansion, in collaboration with governmental organizations and local communities.
Support for Park Protectors Conservationists who are in the field every day are the first to face poachers and conflicts with illegal miners. They are the people who protect animals by removing traps and monitoring the populations of individual animals. Good equipment, which makes their task easier and allows them to be fully committed to the protection of animals on a daily basis, is crucial for their important work.
Construction of Rescue Stations Up to 5 000 Orangutans are killed each year. Poachers then try to sell the orphaned infants on the black market. Thanks to anti-poaching patrols and Park Rangers, these young or injured Orangutans can be taken to Rescue Stations, where they are well taken care of, so that healthy individuals can then be returned to the wild.
Awareness Raising People around the world often have no idea of the connection between the food they eat or the furniture they buy and the situation in the rainforests of Asia. For this reason, there is a need for information campaigns to raise awareness of the destruction of our ecosystems and the lives of Orangutans and other wild forest dwellers.
Ecotourism Travel to explore new regions connected with Orangutan-watching is an attraction to modern tourists. For the local population, this brings benefits in the form of economic opportunities and greater interest in preserving the landscape and animal species.
What can YOU do to help?
Be Aware of Palm Oil Palm oil is used in a large number of foods – from biscuits to cosmetics. See if this oil is produced sustainably from certified sources. If not, do not buy such products. This overview can help you.
FSC-certified Wooden Products Look for the Forest Stewardship Council (FSC) certificate label on wood and paper products. Products marked in this way come from sustainable forest sources.
Recycle By recycling, you will return to circulation materials that would otherwise have to be taken from Nature. This saves natural resources.
Support Charitable Organizations Choose some of the organizations that do good deeds on the front line. Even a small donation can make a big difference in the care of an Orangutan orphan or an injured individual.
