Orangutans

The word orangutan means “person of the forest.”

They’re the only great ape found in Asia.

These red apes are found only in on the southeast Asian islands of Sumatra and Borneo.

Orangutans are the largest arboreal mammal.

Orangutans have extremely long arms, longer than their body and just slightly shy of most professional basketball players. An adult male orangutan’s arms can stretch up to 7 feet (2 meters) long from fingertip to fingertip.

Orangutans spend 90 percent of their time in trees.

The “long call” of the male can be heard over a mile (2 kilometers) away.

Infants stay with their mothers for 6 or 7 years. Females give birth only once every 8 years – the longest time period of any animal.

Orangutans live a long time – 30 to 40 years in the wild, and up to 60 years in captivity.

There are two species of orangutans, Sumatran and Bornean.

Sumatran orangutans tend to have longer and lighter-colored hair. Male Bornean orangutans tend to have larger flanges (cheek pads), and female Bornean orangutans rarely have a beard (unlike female Sumatrans).