Slideshow B8: Orang-utans

Where do they live?Orang-utans live in the rainforest tree tops of Sumatra and Borneo.

What do they eat?

• Fruits that grow on trees.• Figs and nuts.• Lots of leaves.• Some insects.• An occasional bird.

Why are they endangered?

• They are hunted and trapped.• Their habitat is being

destroyed. The rainforest is being cut down for oil palm plantations.

What do they look like?• They have brown eyes.• A large, broad oval-shaped face with a

prominent mouth area. • A flattened nose with flared nostrils.• Their coat is coarse and long.• Their hair is red-orange and brown.• Male orang-utans have large cheeks (flanges)

and a throat sac.

Orang-utan facts!

• They are very intelligent.• They are solitary.• They live 45–50 years.• They weigh about 100kg.• They grow to 1.5m.• They have excellent hearing.• They have colour vision.• They build platform-like nests high

up in the trees to sleep.