The Sumatran Orangutan

"Indonesia's Vulnerable Great Ape Species"

Asia has two Great Apes: the Sumatran orangutan (Pongo abelii) found only on the Indonesian island of Sumatra and the Bornean orangutan (Pongo pygmaeus) found only on the island of Borneo (the third largest island in the world comprised of parts of Indonesia, Malaysia and all of Brunei).

The other apes, mountain gorillas and chimpanzees, are from Africa.

With only two island strongholds as the last remaining sanctuaries for the endangered orangutan, wild populations thrive only in rainforests where an abundance of plant life and insects sustains their large body size.

But the devastating effects of deforestation, forest fires, expansion of agriculture, and hunting threaten the long term survival of this primate species.

When looking into the eyes of an orangutan, it is difficult not to find a connection to our primate cousin and wonder just how little separation there is between humans and these graceful tree dwelllers.

A Male Orangutan Feeds on Fresh Fruit Plucked from a Tree
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Sumatran Orangutan: 10 Natural History Facts

• Recent estimations of orangutan populations in Sumatra determined that there are about 7,500 individuals spread out among very scattered forest blocks.
• Teeth found in caves in Sumatra suggest that original orangutans were larger than the present day animals.

• Orangutans in Sumatra, but not Borneo, use tools for digging into tree holes to extract honey or insects and make a water scoop from leafy branches.
• Studies also suggest that Sumatran orangutans are more sociable and have more cultural behaviours than their Bornean counterparts.
• In Sumatra, the local name for an orangutan is mawas although the term orangutan refers to "forest people" in the Malay language.
• The Sumatran species features a longer face, longer hair and a lighter red-orange tint over the more chocolate species in Borneo.
• The diet of the Sumatran orangutan consists primarily of fruit, followed by leaves, bark and insects, owing to the abundance of fruit producing trees in the rainforest.
• Fragmented forests, small population sizes and threats to each separated group make the Sumatran species more endangered than the sub-species in Borneo.
• Since the 19th century nearly two thousand orangutans have been extracted from Borneo and Sumatra and shipped off to zoos and research institutions abroad.
• Studies suggest organutans in Sumatra develop more slowly and that a females only give birth to 3-5 offspring in a lifetime.

Sumatran Orangutan: Sightseeing Opportunities

There are two good places to see an orangutan in the wild in Sumatra. One is a national park that covers the northern third of the island, the other a well established rehabilitation centre.

It is well worth the extra time and cost to plan a trip to these locations to observe one of the planet's great mammal species. It 20 years time, the Sumatran species may disappear. For more information on these fascinating primates, check out our orangutan facts.

Indonesia

Bohorok Rehabilitation Centre (Sumatra) - Located about 80 km from Medan at Bukit Lawang, this popular site sits on the eastern side of Gunung Leuser and has been in operation since 1973. These semi-wild orangutans provide tourists with viewing opportunities as they arrive at a feeding station.

Gunung Leuser National Park (Sumatra)- Probably the island's best protected area, take a jungle excursion with local guides into the wilds of this beautiful park to give yourself a chance to see orangutans in the rainforest.

Orang Utan Drinking in River, (Pongo Abelii) Gunung Leuser National Park, Indonesia
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