Chester Zoo 

Sumatran Orang-utan

These primates are immediately recognisable due to their very long arms, sometimes stretching up to two metres in length. They have extremely flexible dexterous hands and feet with which they can easily grasp and manoeuvre objects and even use basic ‘tools’ such as twigs and sticks to probe for food. They use their limbs to sway branches and swing through the trees.

They have dark expressive faces and their reddish body coats are long, rough and shaggy. Males are substantially larger than females and have a distinctive throat pouch and cheek pads either side of the face.

What they eat

Fruits, seeds, termites, occasionally birds eggs.

How long they live

An average of 50 years, sometimes longer.

Biology

Sumatran Orang-utans are social animals and often come together in large groups to feed. They spend most of their time in the trees and at night build high nests from branches and leaves, often constructing a canopy for extra shelter. Females generally don’t have young until they are about 15 years old and there is usually a lengthy interval between offspring. Infants spend the first few years close to their mother, being constantly nursed and carried by them for up to two years.

Did you know?

If the loss of their habitat continues at its current rate there are serious fears the Sumatran Orang-utan could be extinct within our lifetimes.