Northwest Bornean Orangutan

Pongo pygmaeus pygmaeus

Irish Name: Órangútan Boirneoch
IUCN Status: Critically endangered

Orangutans are great apes with grey skin covered by long, reddish hair, and no tail (a trait of apes but not monkeys). Orangutans have longer arms than legs and opposable thumbs and toes well suited for climbing.

Northwest Bornean Orangutan

Pongo pygmaeus pygmaeus

Irish Name: Órangútan Boirneoch
IUCN Status: Critically endangered

Orangutans are great apes with grey skin covered by long, reddish hair, and no tail (a trait of apes but not monkeys). Orangutans have longer arms than legs and opposable thumbs and toes well suited for climbing.

General Information

Where do they live? (Natural habitat)

Bornean orangutans are native to the island of Borneo in Indonesia. As an arboreal (tree dwelling) species, they prefer low-laying forests.

How long do they live?

Orangutans live up to 50 years in the wild, and 60 years in zoos.

What do they eat?

Orangutans are herbivores and feed on over 400 species of plants. They forage for and eat fruit, leaves, bark, and flowers, with the occasional invertebrate.

Group name

Orangutans do not have a group name. This is because they are semi-solitary, preferring to live in small groups or on their own.

Zoo Location

The Orangutan Forest

Closest related species / sister species

There are three subspecies of Bornean orangutan. These are: Northwest Bornean Orangutan, Southwest Bornean Orangutan and Northeast Bornean Orangutan.

The subspecies that live at Dublin Zoo are Northwest Bornean orangutans (Pongo pygmaeus pygmaeus)

Animal class

Mammalia

Animal order

Primates

Fun Facts

Person of the Forest

The name ‘orangutan’ is derived from the Malay and Indonesian words ‘orang’ meaning person and ‘hutan’ meaning forest, thus ‘person of the forest’.

Under my Umbrella

Orangutans shelter themselves from the rain and sun by holding a large leaf over their head like an umbrella.

Healthy Eaters

Orangutans are the largest frugivores on Earth (animals that mostly eat fruit). 65% of their diet consists of fruit.

Cheeky Fellas

The male orangutan’s big cheek pads are known as ‘flanges’. As their testosterone levels peak, males begin to develop bigger flanges. They can take up to 20 years to form and it is thought that their main function is to attract females.

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Family Life

Orangutans are typically semi-solitary animals, foraging and nesting alone but sometimes they live in small groups. When ready to breed, females will actively seek out males, and one infant is produced roughly every eight years. Many orangutan behaviours must be taught, and youngsters stay with their mother for the first five to eight years of life.

Baby name

Baby or infant.

Gestation (pregnancy) period

The gestation period is around 8 months.

Number of young at birth

One baby, occasionally two.

Weight at birth

1.5 - 2kg.

Age at maturity

Females are about 12 years at maturity, and males reach maturity at about 15 years.

Size male adult

Male orangutans average 1.36m (136cm) in height and usually weigh on average 87 kilograms.

Size female adult

Female orangutans average 1.14m (114cm) in height and average 37 kilograms in weight.

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Conservation

Critically Endangered

The orangutan is listed as Critically Endangered by the International Union for Conservation of Nature.

Current population estimate

The current population estimate for this species is approximately 104,700. This number is anticipated to decline to 47,000 individuals by 2025.

Threats

Major threats include habitat loss due to palm oil farming, illegal hunting, habitat fragmentation, and fires. These threats are compounded by lack of public awareness and climate change.

What is Dublin Zoo doing?

Dublin Zoo is part of the international breeding programme for this species. The zoo also partners with the Orangutan Foundation who safeguard three areas of critical orangutan habitat in Borneo, Indonesia. One of these areas is the Lamandau Wildlife reserve, which zookeeper Aisleen Greene and Team Leader Ciaran McMahon visited in 2017. The support from Dublin Zoo has helped the Foundation purchase over 5,058 hectares of land to expand the reserve.

Dublin Zoo has also implemented a sustainable palm oil programme throughout the zoo, meaning all products sold in the shops and restaurants are either palm oil free or products with sustainable palm oil certifications.

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Bornean Orangutan Conservation

See what Dublin Zoo is doing to help orangutans in Borneo
Find out more

FAQs

  • Where do orangutans live?

    Orangutans live in Indonesia, and the species of orangutan living in Dublin Zoo is found on the island of Borneo.

  • Why are orangutans endangered?

    Orangutans are endangered because of lack of public awareness in their native habitat, along with significant habitat loss and hunting due to palm oil farming.

  • What do orangutans eat?

    Orangutans are primarily herbivores, eating a wide variety of fruits and plants.

  • How big are orangutans?

    Female orangutans are, on average, 114 cm in height and can weigh up to 50 kg; while males can reach up to 90 kg in weight and are on average 136 cm in height.

  • How long do orangutans live?

    Orangutans live up to 60 years in zoos and 50 years in the wild.

  • How much does an orangutan weigh?

    Female orangutans can weigh up to 50 kg, while males can reach up to 90 kg.

  • How strong is an orangutan?

    It is difficult to measure the strength of an orangutan. They are not as strong as gorillas but are stronger than an adult human.

  • Is an orangutan an ape?

    Yes, orangutans are one of the great apes. Great apes are comprised of gorillas, bonobos and chimpanzees.

  • Are orangutans dangerous?

    Adult males can be aggressive, but overall, orangutans are quite gentle and solitary.

  • Do orangutans have tails?

    Orangutans do not have tails.

  • How smart are orangutans?

    Orangutans are very intelligent, having complex communication patterns and very adept tool-making abilities.

  • What does orangutan mean?

    In Malay, orangutan means “man of the forest.”

  • Are orangutans monkeys?

    Orangutans are primates, but they are apes, not monkeys. Apes are generally larger than monkeys and do not have tails.

  • How are we trying to save orangutans?

    Dublin Zoo is part of the international breeding programme for orangutans, and works with conservation organisations to protect orangutan habitats. Orangutans are particularly threatened by habitat loss due to palm oil plantations and hunting, so reducing palm oil use can help support this species.

  • How intelligent are orangutans?

    Orangutans are very intelligent, having complex communication patterns and very adept tool-making abilities.

  • How long are orangutans pregnant for?

    Orangutans are pregnant for about 8 months.

  • How much orangutans are left in the world?

    As of 2004, it is estimated about 104,700 Bornean orangutans are left in the wild. This number is predicted to fall to 47,000 individuals by 2025.

  • What do you call a group of orangutans?

    There is no true name for a group. Males are solitary and females only occasionally may travel in small groups with their infants in search of food. Larger groups may occur during mast fruiting events but are not generally normal otherwise.

  • Do orangutans have predators?

    Predators of orangutans no longer live on Borneo, so Bornean orangutans are only at risk from predation by humans.

  • Do orangutans mate for life?

    Orangutans do not mate for life.

  • How does deforestation affect orangutans?

    Orangutans are arboreal animals, so deforestation destroys their homes and transport routes. This makes them increasingly susceptible to hunting.

  • How long do baby orangutans stay with their mother?

    Baby orangutans stay with their mother for five to eight years. It takes a long time for them to learn their behaviours from their mother.

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