15 Surprising Orangutan Facts About The Great Apes

Orangutans live in the trees of Borneo and Sumatra, whose intelligence and resourcefulness distinguish them from other primates. One of the most intriguing orangutan facts is their ability to use tools to complete tasks. For example, they use sticks to get honey and remove insects from trees.

Furthermore, they use leaves as umbrellas. Additionally, their social behavior is another interesting aspect: males defend their territories while females care for their young for an extended period. 

Still can't get enough orangutan facts? Check out our article on the different types of monkeys and explore their relative in our gorilla facts! Then read these monkey quotes for some cheeky sayings from the primate world.

Summary: Essential Orangutan Facts

Orangutan Q&A

15 Interesting Facts About Orangutans In Detail

1. Orangutans are the only great apes native to Asia.

Orangutans, or "red apes," have distinctive reddish-brown fur, helping them blend into their rainforest habitat. Their color also separates them from their African relatives, such as gorillas and chimpanzees. Thanks to their robust and flexible limbs, orangutans have adapted perfectly to the dense canopies of Southeast Asia.

Moreover, these great apes live only in the tropical forests of Borneo and Sumatra. These lush habitats abound in orangutan food, from fruits and leaves to insects. Additionally, the tall trees in these ancient forests are essential nesting and foraging resources.

Although orangutans are generally solitary, they are important in Asia's rainforests. They naturally disperse seeds, helping forests regenerate and keeping the ecosystem balanced. 

2. Three orangutan species exist in the world.

Bornean orangutans (Pongo pygmaeus) have a robust build and broad face, distinguishing them from their Sumatran and Tapanuli counterparts. These adaptations emerged to help them avoid predators and survive on different food sources. Bornean orangutans spend more time on the ground and have heavier bodies than other species.

The Sumatran orangutan has a thinner frame and longer facial hair; they look like beards. Since they live on an island, they eat more fruits, requiring them to evolve leaner bodies to move through the trees. Additionally, their longer facial hair might improve communication or help them find mates. Researchers have also observed that Sumatran orangutans are friendlier than Bornean ones.

Meanwhile, the Tapanuli orangutan is a recently discovered species in a small region of North Sumatra. While their build and fur resemble the Sumatran orangutan, the Tapanuli have frizzier hair, trimmer heads, and flatter, wider faces. Moreover, they had to evolve separately since they lived in the isolated Batang Toru forest.

Read more: Types of Orangutans.

3. Orangutans spend their lives in trees.

As the largest tree-dwelling mammals on Earth, orangutans have mastered the trees. They move between branches to find food, shelter, and safety.

Over the centuries, these animals have evolved impressively long arms. For example, orangutans' arms stretch 1.5 times the length of their legs. Their long arms let them swing effortlessly from one branch to another. Moreover, orangutans' hands and feet are mighty. Since they also have opposable thumbs, they can grab branches securely and maintain balance.

Besides, orangutans have opposable big toes on their prehensile feet, allowing them to climb or cling to branches. Research shows that these primates can even use their feet like hands.

4. Orangutans’ diet consists of fruit and more.

Another interesting orangutan fact is that orangutans eat over 300 fruits, like figs, durian, and lychee. Figs supply them with crucial calories and nutrients, while durians are a rich and satisfying meal. Likewise, these great apes savor the sweetness of lychees. 

Although an orangutan eats mainly fruit, it also won't say no to other food sources. For instance, they eat leaves, which give them fiber and nutrients. Meanwhile, tree bark gives them minerals and improves their digestion. While looking for food, orangutans sometimes select specific leaves or bark for the most nutritious parts⁴.

On the other hand, orangutans also eat insects like termites and ants for valuable protein and fat. Occasionally, orangutans even eat small mammals, birds, and bird eggs, especially when food is scarce. 

5. Orangutans have unique fingerprints.

Like humans, each orangutan has its own unique set of fingerprints. Researchers have analyzed their distinct patterns to discover their biology and evolution.

Why the similarity? Orangutans share almost 97% of the same DNA as humans. This close genetic relationship emphasizes the need to study and conserve orangutans to understand human evolution and biology.

Moreover, like humans, these apes can solve advanced problems, learn by observing, and display self-awareness. Researchers have observed wild orangutans using tools and even taught captive sign language. 

6. Orangutans are semi-solitary apes.

Compared to other great apes like gorillas and chimps, orangutans prefer to live alone. For example, adult males mostly isolate themselves; they only interact with females during mating. Though they might cross paths with other orangutans from time to time, they don't last long. However, these apes, particularly mothers and their young, can still be social when needed.

Orangutans' semi-solitary lifestyle is an adaptation to the availability of resources in their habitats. By living alone, they avoid food competition, primarily because of the unequal distribution of small fruit trees in the forest. 

7. Some male orangutans develop large cheek pads on their faces. 

Not all males sport the large cheek pads, or flanges, a signature feature of some fully mature individuals. Composed of fatty tissues, these cheek pads typically emerge when a male orangutan turns 35. Genetic and environmental factors influence the growth of flanges.

When choosing a mate, female orangutans generally find flanged males more attractive. They consider a male's flanges a sign of maturity and dominance since flanged males are larger, bigger, and enjoy a higher social standing. These males also rule over larger territories and emit long vocal calls that females can hear from considerable distances. However, unflanged males can still reproduce at a lower success rate than their flanged counterparts.

Some researchers propose that flanges may have evolved to intimidate rivals or protect male orangutans during physical altercations. Flanges may also improve males' vocalization, helping them communicate more effectively. 

8. Orangutans give birth to 1 baby every 8 to 9 years.

Female orangutans usually give birth to just one offspring every 8-9 years. After delivery, orangutan infants undergo a protracted dependency period³. 

Adult females in the wild typically reach sexual maturity at 15-16. At that age, they give birth to their first offspring. However, captive males and females can reproduce much earlier. Some females as young as eight have given birth, while males have fathered babies before ten. 

Still, the orangutans' slow reproduction rate remains critical to their population dynamics. Orangutan mothers dedicate themselves to nurturing and teaching their offspring essential survival skills over an extended infancy period. 

Halfway through? Keep reading to find out why palm oil plantations have harmed orangutan habitats and what people have done to support these great apes!

9. Orangutans create elaborate sleeping nests.

As skilled treetop architects, orangutans expertly pick and bend sturdy branches to build a secure nest¹. Then, they layer soft leaves, twigs, and foliage to create a cushion, helping them sleep. An orangutan can build this nest in only 5 to 10 minutes.

Curiously, orangutans make a new nest each night, rarely reusing past ones. By creating new beds, these apes minimize parasites, get maximum rest, and avoid predator detection. Orangutans also change sleeping locations regularly. 

Learning how to make nests starts at an early age. Young orangutans observe their mothers and other adults to learn essential nest-building skills. Through practice and imitation, they gradually master the technique. 

10. Orangutans have the longest childhood among great apes.

Compared to other great apes, orangutans have the longest childhood, lasting 6 to 7 years. This long childhood gives them enough time to learn crucial rainforest navigation skills. Under their mother's guidance, young orangutans learn to forage, build nests, and spot potential threats from anywhere.

During this period, orangutan mothers build a deep bond with their young, who stay with them constantly. In turn, the mother provides nourishment, protection, and transportation. The young orangutan then builds connections with their peers through play and observation. However, they remain with their mother even as they gain more independence.

11. Orangutans can solve complex problems.

Thanks to observation and imitation, orangutans learn to use sticks to extract insects from tree bark. They poke and prod at the bark to remove the insects while avoiding injury².

Besides foraging, orangutans use tools to make themselves comfortable. For example, they can use leaves as umbrellas when it rains. Instead of running for shelter, these ingenious animals pick out big sturdy leaves and hold them over their heads. 

12. Orangutans communicate with grunts, squeaks, and a “long call.”

Orangutans communicate with each other through unique vocalizations. They grunt, squeak, or emit their distinctive "long call." For example, orangutans grunt while feeding or moving around the forest canopy to tell other orangutans where to move or to convey satisfaction. 

The "long call" comprises powerful sounds that resonate for up to a kilometer. Adult male orangutans perform the call to assert their dominance and mark their territory. Besides, the long call attracts the attention of nearby females, telling them that a dominant male is available to mate. 

13. Orangutans are the gardeners of the rainforest.

Thanks to their appetite for fruit, orangutans have built a symbiotic relationship with fruit trees. While feeding, they disperse seeds throughout the forest.

Moreover, orangutans can also dispose of seeds through their droppings while they move around the rainforest. Some seeds must pass through an orangutan's digestive system to germinate. 

Orangutans also create gaps in the forest canopy, inviting sunlight to reach the forest floor and help new plants grow. Additionally, they can transfer pollen between blossoms while eating.

A substantial orangutan population is a good indicator of the health of rainforests since they need to live in vast unspoiled areas. 

14. Deforestation is the largest threat to orangutans.

Over the years, the demand for palm oil has damaged their natural habitats. Moreover, orangutans are in severe danger because their habitats, Indonesia and Malaysia, hold 85% of the world's oil palm plantations. Between 2010 and 2030, Borneo might lose roughly 220,000 square kilometers of forest, or 30% of its total land area. 

Besides deforestation, orangutans also suffer from the illegal wildlife trade and tourism. Poachers hunt these apes for meat; farmers take revenge on them for raiding their crops. Meanwhile, hunters collect defenseless orangutan babies for exotic pets. Furthermore, unregulated tourism can disturb orangutan habitats and increase their stress. They can also promote disease transmission between humans and apes.

15. Orangutans are critically endangered species.

The International Union for the Conservation of Nature and Natural Resources (IUCN) Red List has placed all three orangutan species on the endangered species list. Today, the decline in their populations poses a clear danger to countless other species sharing their habitat.

In response, groups like Orangutan Foundation International (OFI) and the Borneo Orangutan Survival Foundation (BOSF) have tried to conserve the orangutans. They prioritize habitat restoration, anti-poaching patrols, and rehabilitation programs for orphaned orangutans. Likewise, they promote sustainable palm oil production. 

Additionally, a cornerstone of orangutan conservation is the rehabilitation process, which involves rescuing, rehabilitating, and reintroducing orangutans into the wild. Since 2012, this strategy has returned over 1,200 orangutans to their natural habitats. OFI and BOSF also run rehabilitation centers to ensure orphaned orangutans receive the care and skills they need to survive in the wild. These centers are also sanctuaries for apes that cannot be released because of physical or behavioral limitations.

Related: To further explore the animal kingdom, check out some of the other animals that start with O.