Orangutan

Orangutans are great apes native to the rainforests of Indonesia and Malaysia. They are now found only in parts of Borneo and Sumatra, but during the Pleistocene they ranged throughout Southeast Asia and South China. Classified in the genus Pongo, orangutans were originally considered to be one species. From 1996, they were divided into two species: the Bornean orangutan and the Sumatran orangutan. In 2017, a third species, the Tapanuli orangutan, was definitively identified. The orangutans are the only surviving species of the subfamily Ponginae, which split from the other hominids between 19.3 to 15.7 million years ago. The most arboreal of the great apes, orangutans spend most of their time in trees. They have proportionally long arms and short legs, and have reddish-brown hair covering their bodies. Adult males weigh about 75 kg, while females reach about 37 kg.

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Orangutan calls have an intricate structure resembling human language

Orangutan communication sheds light on human speech origins

Orangutan mothers help offspring to learn

Orangutan drawings change with season and mood

Orangutan Finding Highlights Need to Protect Habitat | Iconic great apes in Borneo lost muscle during fruit shortages

Orangutan finding highlights need to protect habitat

Orangutan finding highlights need to protect habitat