ORANGUTANS

By Ria

DIFFERENT SPECIESThere are two different species of orangutans.The first species is the Bornean orangutan. It lives on the island of Borneo. The second species is the Sumatran orangutan. This one lives on the island of Sumatra.

WHAT THEY EATThey mostly eat fruit. Their favourite fruit is a big spiky fruit called a Durian. It smells really bad and tastes a bit like custard and garlic but they love it! They also eat some types of flowers, honey, bark, leaves and insects.

ARE THEY APES OR MONKEYS? Orangutans are Great Apes. Other great apes are gorillas, chimpanzees and human beings. Great Apes have large brains, forward-facing eyes and gripping hands.The easiest way to distinguish between monkeys and apes is to look for a tail. Apes don't have tails and monkeys do.

ORANGUTAN BABIESOrangutans have one baby at a time. Babies stay with their mother until they are 7 or 8 years old - this is longer than any other mammal except humans.

WHY THEY ARE ENDANGERED?

Orangutans are losing their homes as rainforests are being cut down for wood to make paper and furniture. Land is also cleared to grow palm oil, an ingredient in lots of foods and cosmetics. It is thought that Sumatran orangutans may be the first Great Apes to become extinct unless people help to protect them.

Thank you for reading.