Sumatran orangutan
(Pongo abelii)
| Fact title | Fact data |
|---|---|
| Size |
30 to 90 kg
|
| Average lifespan |
44-54 years
|
| Sexual maturity |
about 15 to 24 years
|
| Conservation |
Critically endangered
|
| Population |
Fewer than 14,613 (*IUCN 2016)
|
Project Hope Star - Kedaung
Kedaung was found living in the sack of a plantation worker at two years old and was rescued by the Orangutan Information Centre. He has since moved to undertake "jungle school" with the Sumatran Orangutan Conservation Program and Frankfurt Zoological Society, learning the necessary skills to be able to return to the jungle, such as which fruits are OK to eat and how to build a nest. Now five years old, he is doing well at school and is on track to be returned to the wild.
Kedaung was found living in the sack of a plantation worker at two years old
General Info
Orangutans share 96.4% of their genetic makeup with humans. Unlike most primates, however, they are largely solitary. Apart from humans, young orangutans spend longer with their mother than any other primate – usually eight years. During this time time they learn vital survival skills from their mothers like nesting, what fruits are OK to eat and when to eat them. Sumatran orangutans are primarily fruit eaters (frugivores), but also eat young and mature leaves, seeds, shoots, pith, flowers, insects such as termites and ants, bark and, on occasion, the meat of slow loris. Sumatran orangutans are among the most endangered great apes on the planet.
Conservation
Critical orangutan habitat is rapidly being lost through deforestation in Sumatra. Their habitat has decreased by more than 80% in the last 20 years. Hunting orangutans for meat and killing adult females to obtain infants for the illegal pet trade has also caused an estimated decline in the orangutan population of 30 to 50% in the last 10 years. Recent forest fires have also harmed orangutan habitat.
