Sumatran Orangutan Interesting Facts and Pictures

Sumatran Orangutan Interesting Facts and Pictures | The Sumatran Orangutan is a species of orangutan native to the Indonesian island of Sumatra. The Sumatran Orangutan is one of only two species of great ape that are found in Asia, the other being the slightly larger and closely related, Bornean orang-utan. The Sumatran orang-utan is found inhabiting tropical and sub-tropical rainforest in the lowlands of Sumatra and the habitat of the Sumatran orang-utan extends into the moist swamps. Due to extensive deforestation in the Sumatran orang-utan's natural habitat, the Sumatran orangutan is now much rarer than the Bornean Orangutan.

Sumatran Orangutan Interesting Facts and Pictures

The Sumatran Orangutan is known to be a lot more sociable than it's large Bornean cousin, with groups of Sumatran orang-utans often gathering together to feed and play.

The Sumatran Orang utan is however more confined to the trees as it is at risk from large ground dwelling predators such as the Sumatran tiger.

The Sumatran orang utan is one of the great apes, a group that includes orangutans, gorillas, humans and chimpanzees.

As with the other great apes, the Sumatran orangutan has a number of features which makes living in the jungle a bit easier, including having opposable thumbs which come in handy when the Sumatran orang-utan is peeling fruit.

Sumatran Orangutan Interesting Facts and Pictures

The Sumatran orangutan is an omnivorous animal, but the majority of it's diet is made up of eating fruit which the Sumatran orang-utan is known to travel vast distances through the forests to find.

The Sumatran orang utan also eats leaves, nuts and berries, along with insects and occasionally small animals such as lizards and rodents.

Due to it's large size, the Sumatran Orang-utan has few real predators in it's native Sumatran forests, with the Sumatran tiger being it's only real predator.

The biggest threat to the Sumatran orangutan is habitat loss caused by deforestation which has completely wiped out the Sumatran orangutan populations in certain areas.

Female Sumatran orangutans are able to mate when they are about 15 years old and, give birth to a single Sumatran orang-utan baby.

The baby of Sumatran Orangutan is dependent on it's mother and generally remains with her until it reaches the age of 3 and becomes more independent.

Today, the Sumatran orang utan is one of the world's most endangered species with as few as 7,000 Sumatran Orangutan individuals thought to be left in the wild.

The main reason for the demise in the Sumatran Orangutan populations is deforestation across the island for logging and to make way for palm oil plantations.