Where does the Bornean orangutan live?
The Bornean orangutan exists only on the island of Borneo, in South-East Asia, shared between Indonesia and Malaysia. It lives in lowland and montane rainforests, up to 1,500 m. It inhabits the canopy of old-growth and secondary forests, and travels long distances to find fruit-bearing trees. It belongs to the only genus of great apes native to Asia, and it is the largest of the three orangutan species. Its coat is coarse and reddish.
What does the Bornean orangutan eat?
The Bornean orangutan is mainly a fruit-eater: fruit makes up more than 60% of its diet. It also eats seeds, flowers, leaves, bark, sap, vines and bird eggs. Its very long arms can reach 1.5 m. It is highly intelligent: it uses tools and shows distinct cultural patterns. Males develop large cheek pads.
Is the Bornean orangutan endangered?
Yes: the IUCN lists it as Critically Endangered. Deforestation, palm oil plantations and hunting threaten its survival. Its population fell by 25% between 2005 and 2015. In Sarawak it is a "totally protected animal" under the 1998 Wild Life Protection Ordinance.
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