Scientific name: Pongo pygmaeus
Origin: Asia (Borneo)
Size: 1.1-1.4m
Diet: Omnivore
IUCN status: Critically endangered
Threats: Conversion of rainforests to palm oil plantations, poaching for its meat and for the illegal pet trade
Zoos I have seen them: Dublin Zoo, Chester Zoo, Ménagerie du Jardin des Plantes
Interesting fact: Orangutans are the largest arboreal animals, even heavier than the sun bear. Unlike the great apes of Africa, they usually tend to be solitary. In 2017, a third orangutan species became recognised: the Tapanuli orangutan (P. tapanuliensis) from Batang Toru in Sumatra.
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