
Photographed at Sepilok Orang Utan Sanctuary,
Sabah, Borneo.
Order : PRIMATES
Family : Pongidae
Species : Pongo pygmaeus
Height, male : 140 cm
Height, female : 120 cm
Tail length, : no tail
Weight, male : 50-100 kg
Weight, female : 30-50 kg
References : M2 |
One of Asia's most famous
species ... and one of the most endangered, the Orang Utan endears itself
easily to us humans. Threatened by habitat loss and poaching this species is
the most peaceful of the Great Apes.
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Juveniles spend their time
just hanging around. |
Orang Utans feed mainly on
forest fruits and young leaves. Adult males can reach a height of 1.4
metres, and the outstretched arms can measure up to 2.4 metres. Often
solitary, this is the only primate which builds nests of small branches and
twigs. Census studies of the Orang Utan often rely on counting these nests
to gain a rough estimate of the population.
The Orang Utan is found
only on the islands of Borneo and Sumatra, where there are estimated
populations of around 15,000 and 9,000 respectively.
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