The Bornean
orangutan is a species of orangutan native to the island of Borneo. Together
with the Sumatran orangutan, it belongs to the only genus of great apes native
to Asia. Like the other great apes, orangutans are highly intelligent,
displaying advanced tool use and distinct cultural patterns in the wild.
Orangutans share approximately 97% of their DNA with humans.
The Bornean
orangutan is a critically endangered species, with deforestation, palm oil
plantations and hunting posing a serious threat to its continued existence.
The Bornean
orangutan is the third-heaviest living primate. A survey of wild orangutans
found that males weigh on average 75 kg, ranging from 50–100 kg, and
1.2–1.4 m long; females average 38.5 kg, ranging from 30–50 kg,
and 1–1.2 m long. The Bornean orangutan has a distinctive body shape with
very long arms that may reach up to 1.5 meters in length. It has a coarse,
shaggy, reddish coat.
The Bornean
orangutan lives in tropical and subtropical moist broadleaf forests in the
Bornean lowlands, as well as mountainous areas up to 1,500 meters above sea
level. This species lives throughout the canopy of primary and secondary
forests, and moves large distances to find trees bearing fruit.It can be found in the two Malaysian states of Sabah and Sarawak, and three of the four Indonesian Provinces of Kalimantan. Due to habitat destruction, the species distribution is now highly patchy throughout the island; the species has become rare in the southeast of the island, as well as in the forests between the Rejang River in central Sarawak and the Padas River in western Sabah.



