166 images Created 22 Jan 2016
Sumatran Orangutans
The Sumatran orangutan is a great ape species native only to Sumatra. Together with the Bornean orangutan and the Tapanuli orangutan (also in Sumatra), they make up the three species of great apes native to Asia. Orangutans live to be 35 - 50 years old. Sumatran orangutans differ in appearance to the Bornean and Tapanuli orangutans. The male cheek flanges are more rounded and they have golden/blond beards that are much longer than the other two species. They are also slightly lighter in color. Both of the Sumatran orangutans, the Sumatra species as well as the Sumatran Tapanuli species are almost exclusively arboreal virtually never traveling on the ground. Adult males do so only rarely whereas the Bornean males often spend time on the forest floor. Both species of Sumatran orangutans are reported to also have closer social bonds than their Bornean cousins.There are numerous threats to the future existence of all three orangutan species and these threats are all imposed by humans. Rapid deforestation and devastation of habitat due to palm oil plantations and the illegal pet trade are the greatest threats to the survival of the wild orangutans. Please visit my Wild Focus Expeditions' website to find out a way that you can help. Copy and paste this link to your browser: (https://wildfocusexpeditions.com/conservation/sumatran-orangutan-conservation-programme/)