Orang Utan *Totally Protected Species*
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The Orang Utan (Malay term meaning Jungle Man) is an instant crush for
anyone who sees it in its natural habitat. Cute, adorable and disturbingly human-like, it
has to be nature's ultimate humor!. The Orang Utan is native in Sabah, Sarawak and Kalimantan.
Also locally called "Mawas" or "maias".
Orang utans are omnivorous, feeding mainly on forest fruits, shoots, leaves and tree bark, but they occasionally eat small lizards, insects and bird eggs. They are very long-lived (up to 60 years in captivity) and mature slowly, producing one infant roughly every 4-5 years. This slow reproductive rate, and the need for densely packed trees to facilitate their movement, had made them highly sensitive to habitat loss. They are also threatened by hunting for the illegal pet trade. There are two subspecies of orang-utan: the Bornean orang-utan Pongo pygmaeus pygmaeus and the Sumatran orang-utan Pongo pygmaeus abelii. Members of the Sumatran subspecies tend to be larger and lighter coloured than those from Borneo. Tourists can sight the Orang Utan at close range at Sepilok Orang Utan Sanctuary and Rehabilitation Center which is about 25 KM from Sandakan, Sabah. Orang Utan rehabilitation centers: |
Fast Facts Type: Mammal Diet: Omnivore Average lifespan in the wild: 30 to 40 years Size: Standing height, 4 to 5 ft (1.2 to 1.5m) Weight: 73 to 180 lbs (33 to 82 kg) Protection status: Endangered Size relative to a 6 ft (2 m) man: |
See description of Orang Utan.
See Orang Utan Image #1 | Image #2