March 2018^ DISCOVER^51BORNEAN ORANGUTAN
Pongo pygmaeus
SUMATRAN ORANGUTAN
Pongo abelii
The orangutan is the only great ape
in Asia. It was once widespread
across the continent, but today its
range has shrunk to the threatened
rainforests of Sumatra and Borneo
in Southeast Asia, where they are
critically endangered.
Orangutans can live up to 50
years. Females don’t start to
reproduce until between 10 and
12 years old, and they give birth
every three to five years at most.
Such a low birth rate makes it
hard for the species to recover
from sharp population declines.
Much of their tropical rainforest
homelands are being cleared to
make way for oil palm plantations.
The race is on to protect the
50 percent of orangutans that live
outside of protected areas and find
themselves living in the path of
industry, machines and chain saws.