Bornean orangutan

Pongo pygmaeus/Pongo abelii  

Height:Males: 5'9"; Females: 4'2"
Weight:Males: up to 260 lbs; Females: up to 140 lbs
Geographic Distribution:P. pygmaeus: Borneo; very patchy distribution, absent or very uncommon in southeastern Borneo; P. abelii: Sumatra
Habitat:Lowland and tropical rain forest
Wild Diet:Durians, rambutons, jackfruit, lydees, mangosteens, mangoes, figs, leaves, insects, soil, tree bark, woody lianas, and small vertebrates
Zoo Diet:Primate chow, raisins, grapes, bananas, oranges, apples, sweet potatoes, carrots, romaine and escarole lettuce, kale, parsley, spinach, cucumbers, tomatoes, mealworms, crickets, green peppers, and corn
Status in the Wild:Orangutans' dependence on an arboreal lifestyle makes them very susceptible to habitat disruption. Clear-cutting forest for extensive agricultural development, notably palm oil plantations in Sumatra and Borneo, have led to a rapid decline in orangutan populations and an increase in numbers of orphaned orangutans. Orangutans are being rehabilitated at several stations in Malaysia and Indonesia, where confiscated young pets or orphaned orangutans are trained to return to the wild. Clear-cutting primary forest and mature secondary forest important as orangutan habitat serves to extirpate orangutan populations. The rapid habitat loss has led to many hundreds of juvenile orangutans being cared for in sanctuaries. Sanctuary caregivers are challenged with the task of rehabilitating, socializing, and providing basic care for so many youngsters who have had their normal rearing disrupted through habitat loss.
Location:Tropic World

Orangutans are sexually dimorphic (with two distinct gender forms): males are significantly taller than females are and weigh more than twice as much as females do. Both male and female orangutans range in color from bright orange to maroon or dark chocolate. The form of orangutans is well-adapted to an arboreal life-style. Their arms are very long and reach to their ankles when they stand upright. They have very long fingers and dexterous hands. Their feet are broad and look very similar to their hands, with long, grasping toes for climbing. They are the only primate with two distinct forms of mature males. Flanged males, with cheek pads, long hair, a large throat sac, and long calls, are intolerant of other mature males. Nonflanged males do not develop the secondary sex characteristics of flanged males: cheek pads, long hair, long calls, large size, and defense of territory. The nonflanged males are closer to females in body size. Both forms can impregnate females and contribute to the population's reproduction. The transition from unflanged to flanged is dependent upon complex social cues not yet fully understood. Like other great apes, orangutans have no tail, are large-brained, and are sapient (aware of themselves as individuals).
 

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