Orangutan(Pongo pygmaeus / Pongo abelii)
Orangutans naturally preside in the forests of Borneo and Sumatra, local people refer to them as the "Orang Hutan" which literally translated means people of the forest. These striking animals are the largest living tree mammal in the world, building their nests high in the trees from twigs, leaves and branches and using the canopy of leaves to shelter from harsh weather and potential predators.
The Orangutan is the closest living relative to humans, sharing a whopping 97% of the same DNA. Orangutans tend to live in their family groups, with the males protecting their territory and the females grouping together. This male/female divide is advantageous for the species as they are rarely competing for food, foraging for vegetation in different locations - due to their size, male Orangutans tend to keep to the floor of the forests whilst the females stick to climbing.
Female Orangutans reach puberty at 8 years old and similarly to humans carry one baby during pregnancy. On average an Orangutan will only give birth every 8 years which is on average four offspring in a lifetime. Mothers are responsible for nursing their babies until they are six years of age, carrying the tiny bundles with them and teaching them what to eat and how to find it.
There are noticeable differences between the male and female Orangutan, with males larger in size than females, with longer and thicker hair, cheek pads and throat sacs. Males have a particularly distinctive call aided by the throat sac that is used to advertise its presence to any females close by and to warn any alpha males away from their own territory. Similarly Sumatran and Bornean Orangutans are noticeably different - the Bornean Orangutan has a broader face, is more rotund, shorter and has dark rust coloured hair. The Sumatran Orangutan has a narrower face with red/orange hair.
Orangutans at Chester Zoo
Average weight of adult male: 82kg
Average weight of adult female: 36kg
Arm span: 3 metres
Number of babies: 1
Pregnancy: 8 and a half days
Life span: 35 years in the Wild
Amazing Animal Fact
An Orangutan's arms stretch out longer than their bodies and can reach in some cases up to 7ft from fingertip to fingertip.
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