Download Topic: Sumatran Orangutan (Pongo abelii) Theme: Adaptations to

Sheila Gallogly
Central Zone
June 20, 2009
Topic:
Sumatran Orangutan (Pongo abelii)
Theme: Adaptations to live in the wild
Target Audience: Appropriate for all ages
Supporting Information:
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World’s largest tree dwelling animal.
Are found in the tropical rainforests of Sumatra in Indonesia.
Considered critically endangered. 50K-60K left in the wild.
Endangered due to illegal logging, mining, farming, the spread of palm oil plantations.
Poached for live animal trade.
Reduction of livable habitat is forcing them to move into smaller areas that can’t support them.
Could go extinct in the wild in 10-20 years.
Reproduction is slow- once every 6-8 years (females have 4-5 babies in their lifetime)
Males can weigh up to 300 pounds & females up to 110 pounds.
Males can measure up to 5’ tall & females up to 4’ tall.
Arms stretch out longer than their bodies- 7’ from tip to tip.
Most of their lives are spent in trees- rarely coming to the ground.
When on the ground they walk on their hands and feet.
Long narrow hands & feet help them grasp branches.
Have opposable thumbs & big toes to help grab branches.
Move in the forest by brachiating (swinging from branch to branch) & are strong enough to hang from
their feet to eat dangling fruit.
Mature males at around 15 years develop large cheek pouches which females find attractive.
Develop a large throat sac which makes a notable and recognizable sound in the wild.
This “Long Call” is used to locate and make known their presence to females or warn other males away.
Eat fruit (jackfruit, lychees, mangos & figs) leaves, bark, flowers, honey insects & vines.
Are diurnal- awake during the day.
Build a new nest each night for sleeping 15-100 feet up a tree.
Life span up to 35 years in the wild & up to 60 years in zoos.
Live a semi-solitary life perhaps because food is scarce.
Adult females may be seen with their young or other adult females.
Use tools like branches to help them eat insects and honey or large leaves to shelter them from rain.
They share 97% of our DNA & are one of our closest relatives.
Pleasurable:
Whose hair is longer- the male or female? (Male)
Relevant:
In what ways are Orangutans like humans? (Both diurnal & have opposable thumbs)
Prop:
Orangutan hand paddles
Questions:
What are the other 3 Great Apes in addition to the Orangutan? (Gorillas, chimpanzees, bonobos)
How many species of Orangutans are there? (2- Sumatran & Bornean)
References: Introduction to the Primates Living & Fossil by SI Rosen, Prentice Hall
The Orangutan Conservancy, www.orangutan.net
Orangutan Foundation International, www.orangutan.org