Malaysian Orangutan Facts
SPECIES:
| MALAYSIAN ORANGUTAN (PONGO PYGMAEUS) |
STATUS:
| ENDANGERED |
DISTRIBUTION:
| Found in the wild on the Malaysian islands of Borneo and Sumatra. |
HABITAT:
| Tropical forest, open woodland and grassland. |
FOOD:
| Mostly fruit, but also other vegetable matter, insects, small vertebrates and birds' eggs. |
SIZE:
| 1.25 - 1.5m (4 - 5ft); 39 - 90kg (66 - 200lb) |
MATURITY:
| 12 - 15 years |
BREEDING:
| Sinlge young born every 3 -4 years |
LIFE SPAN:
| 60 years |
THREATS:
| Wild Orangutans in steadily shrinking habitats as their woodland and forest homes have been gradually replaced by famrs, grazing lands and villages.
Vast areas of rainforest have been flooded by the water held back by dams, and other areas have been dug up by mining companies looking for precious metals and other minerals. Even in some protected areas, Orangutans are still illegally hunted for their meat, or captured to be sold as pets or for medical research. In times of war, orangutans are further threatened by weapons such as land mines and the movement of large numbers of refugees into their habitat. Conserving Orangutans takes much time and costs much money and unfortunately many of the countries where wild orangutans live, have very little money and need help for conservation from richer nations. |
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Rock-a-bye Orangutan
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A three-year-old orangutan swings on a tree vine
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Orangutan with Leaf Hat
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