TEN FACTS ABOUT ORANG-UTANS

1) Orang-utans are red-haired apes that live in the tropical rainforests of Sumatra and Borneo in southeast Asia.


2) These magnificent mammals measure 1.2m to 1.5m tall and weigh up to 100kg. And they have one seriously big arm span - some males can stretch their arms 2m from fingertip to fingertip!

3) The orang-utan is one of humankind's closest relatives - in fact, we share nearly 97% of the same DNA! The word orang-utan comes from the Malay words 'orang- utan', meaning 'human of the forest'.

4) Orang-utans spend most of their time up in the trees, where they use their long, strong arms and hook-shaped hands to climb and swing from branch to branch. Come bed time, they sleep in leafy nests high off the ground, where it’s harder for hungry enemies (such as leopards and other big cats) to get them!


5) Daytime eaters, their diet consists mostly of fruit and leaves - but they also eat nuts, bark, insects and, once in a while, bird eggs, too.


6) Female orang-utans give birth about once every eight years. Infants stay with their mother for six to seven years, until they've learnt the necessary skills to survive on their own. During this time, a very special bond is formed between the mother and child.


7) Unlike other great apes, such as chimpanzees, gorillas and bonobos, these gangly guys don't like to live in groups. A female will usually have a baby (or two) with her, but males like to be alone.

8) Orang-utans are noisy creatures when they want to be, making loud howls and bellows that can be heard for miles around! It's usually the males that make these calls so that they can stay out of each other's territory.
9) These amazing apes generally have long lives - in captivity they can live for 50-60 years, and in the wild, 30-40 years.


10) Sadly, orang-utans are today on the endangered species list. Deforestation in the forests where they live has reduced their habitat, and illegal hunting has put populations at serious risk. That's why we need to do all we can to help them. Swing by wwf.org.uk/adoption to find out how you can adopt an orang-utan and help to protect their future!