Did you know that Orangutans are 1 of the tallest primates in the world? They are about 1.4-1.5m.Also the weight for a male orangutan is 110kg. While the female weighs 55kg. They have no tail. Pongo pygmaeus are mainly fruit eaters. But, they will also eat leaves, bark, buds, flowers, seeds, insects, young birds and eggs. This animal is built very weird. Their arms reach down to their ankles.

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These animals usually live alone but infants usually remain with their mother. At the age of 6-9 years orangutan's usually strike out on their own. These animals have a redish-brown coat of hair. It is very shaggy. One interesting fact is that males have large cheek pads. Also they have a throat pouch. This inflates during a calling; a calling is when they make loud noises to tell other males not to get to close. This is how orangutans mark their territory. This noise is very loud and it echoes over a large area.

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Young orangutans have white speckles of skin around their eyes. Youngsters are usually born in 8 to 9 months. Similar to humans. Orangutans are found in lowland tropical forests in Sumatra and Borneo only. They're population is getting smaller and smaller. They move easily through the trees and swing past branches. Orangutans are known to have an 8ft arm spand across. These animals can climb to the highest tree in the forest.

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Unlike the Chimpanzee that can walk on it's hind legs, the Orangutan, which when on the ground almost always walks on all fours. Males go to the ground more than females. The female Pongo pygmaeus lives almost all of its life in the trees. This animal is also endangered like many animals. This is because human hunting and because they have such a low birth rate. There is known to be only 20,00 to 27,000 left in the world. Orangutans are the quietest of all apes. They might grunt or smack there lips once in a while but other than that they are mainly quiet. There grunt is similar to a Lions roar.

 

Author:Emily K. 

Published:2006

 

Photo Credit: Photo by Jeremy Scholz, taken at Chaffee Zoo, 2007