1# Orangutan's Facts

1) Where are orangutans found?
    Orangutans are found in Indonesia and Malaysia on the islands of Borneo and Sumatra.

2) How many species of orangutan are there?
    There are two species of orangutan - the Sumatran orangutan (Pongo abelii) and the Borneo orangutan     (Pongo pygmaeus). 


3) Are orangutans monkeys or apes?
    Orangutans are a species of great ape along with gorillas, chimpanzees and bonobos. The great apes are a      group of mammals that all have large brains, forward-facing eyes and gripping hands. Humans are also great apes. In fact we share 96.4% of our genetic makeup with orangutans! Apes and monkeys are both primates. The easiest way to distinguish between monkeys and apes is to look for a tail. Apes don’t have tails where as most monkey species do.

4) How long do orangutans live?
    In the wild, orangutans may live up to 45 years or more. The oldest captive orangutan was a male called “Guas” at the Philadelphia Zoo who lived until he was 58!

5)What does the word ‘orangutan’ mean?
     Orangutan means ‘person of the forest’. It comes from the Malay words ‘orang’ meaning people and ‘hutan’ meaning forest.

6) What is ‘arboreal’?
    Arboreal means tree-living. The orangutan is the largest arboreal animal in the world and is well adapted for life in the trees. The orangutan can grasp branches with both its hands and feet and has very mobile shoulder and hip joints. Both these features help the orangutan to travel through the forest canopy. Orangutans make and sleep in a new nest every night.


7) How sociable are orangutans?
    Unlike gorillas, chimpanzees and bonobos, orangutans do not live in large social or family groups. They are semi-solitary animals. Adult males are usually found alone and adult females are usually accompanied by one or two offspring.


#credit to : http://www.orangutan.org.uk