Orangutans

Orangutan Basics

The world’s largest and heaviest tree dwelling mammal, orangutans are Asia’s only great ape. Living exclusively in the rainforests of Sumatra, an Indonesian island, and Borneo, an island split between Malaysia, Indonesia and Brunei, their name means ‘person of the forest’ in the Malay language. There are three species – Bornean, Sumatran and Tapanuli (only identified in 2017) – each differing slightly in appearance but all considered critically endangered due to deforestation, poaching and the illegal pet trade.

Living 30 to 40 years in the wild and up to 60 in captivity, orangutans lead a solitary life within a ‘home range’, though mothers and babies form a strong bond, spending between 6 and 8 years together as the young orangutan learns to live alone. One of the most intelligent great apes, orangutans use a variety of sophisticated tools, have been observed on numerous occasions to learn new skills and behaviours and, like other great apes, display emotions including laughter-like vocalisations when playing.

Orangutans have long muscular arms and gripping hands and feet for life in the treetops, where they spend 90% of their time, even sleeping in complex nests that they build high off the ground from branches and vegetation. They spend their days foraging for food, resting and travelling, eating a huge array of wild fruits, young leaves and shoots, insects, soil, tree bark and occasionally eggs and small invertebrates. Critical to the health of the forest, orangutans play an essential role in seed dispersal, eating over 500 plant species.    

Orangutan Conservation

Unfortunately, the greatest danger to an orangutan are humans. We have caused orangutans population to decline more than 50% in the last 60 years and reduced their habitat 55% over the past 20. This is due to deforestation and devastation of habitats to make way for palm oil and other monoculture plantations, poaching for bush meat and the kidnapping of young orangutans for the illegal pet trade.

As bleak as it sounds, there is much conservation work going on in Borneo and Sumatra to save the orangutan and its habitats. Charities like the WWF are working closely with organisations that monitor the wildlife trade, who work to reduce human-orangutan conflict and provide alternative ways to manage plantations, establish ecotourism and plan better land use.

In Malaysian Borneo, there are two flagship sanctuaries - Sepilok Orangutan Rehabilitation Centre in Sabah state and Semenggoh Wildlife Centre in Sarawak state - that work with orphaned and injured orangutans, preparing them for life, or to return to life, in the wild or the semi-wild of a nature reserve. Visitors to these wonderful centres fund community outreach programmes that raise awareness and educate the public on conservation, encouraging essential community involvement in the effort to protect orangutans and save their habitats.

Where to See Orangutans

It is increasingly difficult to see orangutans in the wild, though if you’re very lucky, you may spot them swinging through the trees in places like the wilderness that lines the Kinabatangan River in Sabah, Malaysia.

The best place to see orangutans in Borneo is to pay a visit to Sepilok Orangutan Rehabilitation Centre in Sabah or Semenggoh Wildlife Centre in Sarawak (or both!) where you’ll not only get to observe these glorious great apes, but your entrance fee will contribute to their conservation.

Both centres were founded for research and rehabilitation, taking in young orangutans orphaned or rescued from the illegal pet trade, as well as injured adults. The youngsters are taught the skills needed for them to survive in the wild, and the injured adults given the space to remain independent while they heal, before all are released into a nature reserve where they can live a semi-wild existence safely. These individuals roam the forest freely and can return to the centre and the rangers for a free meal if they fancy it – there are morning and afternoon feeding sessions that you can attend to see them do just that. There is the odd occasion when no orangutans will come to eat, but this is a good thing! It means they’ve found food for themselves. Both centres also have a nursery for their youngest residents – you won’t be able to beat seeing baby orangutans exploring the world in their own adorable way.

How to See Orangutans with Wendy Wu Tours

We have several tours on which you can visit the orangutans of Malaysian Borneo, including visits to Sepilok and Semenggoh plus a river cruise along the Kinabatangan River, one of the best places to spot an orangutan in the wild.