orangutan

orangutan

The orangutan (whose name comes from two Malay words that together mean "person of the forest") is a genus of only two Asian species Great apes. Native of Indonesia and Malaysia, orangutans are found only in the rainforests of Borneo and Sumatra. Classified in the genus Pongo, orangutans were considered a kind. However, since 1996, they were divided into two species: the orangutan-of-borneo (P. pygmaeus) and the orangutan, Sumatran (P. abelii). Furthermore, the kind-of-orangutan borneo is divided into three subspecies. Orangutans are also the only surviving species of the subfamily Ponginae, which also included several other species such as gigantopithecus, the largest known primate. Both species have had their genome sequenced and appear to have diverged about 400,000 years ago. Orangutans diverged from the rest of the great apes for approximately 15.7000000 to 19.3000000 years ago.

Orangutans are the most arboreal primates and spend most of their time in trees. Your hair is typically reddish-brown, unlike the hair of Gorillas and Chimpanzees. Males and females differ in size and appearance. Are between 1.10 and 1.40 m tall and weighs between 35 and 100 kg, while adult males generally weigh 200 kg, which is the third largest species of primate world, surpassed only by the gorilla and man, with whom it shares about 97% of genes. Orangutans are territorial animals, to demarcate territory the male gives a loud cry that warns other orangutans not to enter into their territory. Are the most solitary species of great apes, with sociable ties only occur mainly between mothers and their independent children who are together for the first two years. Consequently adult males seeking females only once a year, during the dry season and mate frontally. A notable feature is the sexual growth "tabs" on the sides of the forehead and neck of mature males, which gives them a very peculiar aspect.

The main threats to wild orangutan populations include hunting, habitat destruction and illegal trade of animals for use pet. According to scientists, there are still just over 100,000 orangutans in the world, and the rapid growth of devastation rhythm allows predicting the extinction of the species occur in a few decades.

Females live in groups, but apparently the same hierarchy found in other species of anthropoid and learn how to care for puppies older females. Puppies are born after nine months of pregnancy, going to cling to the long of the mother's back. In the wild environment, reproductive rate is low, which further contributes to the risk of extinction. The chicks are on average eight years with his mother, to become independent, which makes the orangutans mothers, primates who care for longer their children (not counting the human being.

Orangutans live on average 35 years to 40 years in the wild and 50 years in captivity.