Orangutans
By Matthew
Classification
Orangutans (which means person of the forest) (The scientific name if pongo). They are the third closest greate ape to humans and the largest aboreal mammal. This ancent animal need saving, read on to find out how to help
Appearance
Orangutans fur is a brownish red, the males, sometimes grow beards and mustaches. Also when fully grown can reach 1.5 meter tall, and the females, 1.25m. A fully grown female can reach 30kg - 50kg, and the males, 50kg - 90kg. There arm-span can reach a staggering 2 meters!
Behavior
Orangutans have a very strange behavior. They spend 90% of their time in the trees and barely ever adventure down to the ground and if they do they walk on all fours. They also have a habit of imitating humans. There is a video of a orangutan washing socks, an imitation of human behavior.
Habitat
The orangutan make there home in nests, where are these nests you ask, they are in Borneo and Sumatra. These two places are the only places left in ten world (excluding zoos) where orangutans live. In the wild there are many reserves and protected areas where orangutans can live and not be in the threat of poachers or logging but over 3/4 don't.
Orangutans live in nests high up In the trees. They have up to 2 nests at any one time, they may re-make these nests every day. As long as orangutans have fertile soil they will make these nests, even if the trees aren't good quality they will make nests.
Threats
There are lots threats, from palm oil to poaching, they are infinite. The palm oil industry has wrecked orangutans population to under 50000 in the wild. The forests get logged for timber (another massive threat), then they plant the plantations which can be 100 ht across. The other main threat is poaching, the poachers mainly poach for the babies (they sell for up to $30000 as pets). Sometimes they need to kill the mother as well, if they do this they us the fur for clothing and rugs.