Orangutans

Orangutans are remarkable great apes and the largest arboreal animal—they spend most of their lives in trees. The name orangutan comes from the Indonesian words “orang” (people) and hutan “forest.” In a mostly solitary lifestyle, they move through the trees using opposable thumbs and big toes and upper body strength and, looking for energy-rich fruits from more than 500 different kinds of plants!

Orangutans are easy to tell apart from other great apes, as well as monkeys. Like other apes, they lack a tail. They have reddish-orange hair and long arms—up to a 9-foot span for males! Male orangutans have two body forms: flanged males have large cheek pads and are dominant over unflanged males.

Orangutans are intelligent problem solvers and tool users. They use these skills in their natural habitats to forage for food and care for young. Orangutan females are dedicated mothers, caring for their young alone for up to a decade. Orangutans have the longest time between births—6 to 9 years—of any mammal!