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Orangutans

Pongo

Orangutans are large great apes in the genus Pongo and are the only great apes native to Asia, living on the islands of Borneo and Sumatra (Indonesia and Malaysia). They are the most arboreal of the great apes, spending over 90% of their waking hours in trees, and typically sleep in nests they build in the canopy. Orangutans are primarily fruit-eaters and they are notable for tool use in the wild. Three living species are recognized: the Bornean orangutan (P. pygmaeus), Sumatran orangutan (P. abelii), and the Tapanuli orangutan (P. tapanuliensis). All three are listed as Critically Endangered on the IUCN Red List, with habitat loss and fragmentation among the main threats.

Orangutans are large great apes in the genus Pongo and are the only great apes native to Asia, living on the islands of Borneo and Sumatra (Indonesia and Malaysia). They are the most arboreal of the great apes, spending over 90% of their waking hours in trees, and typically sleep in nests they build in the canopy. Orangutans are primarily fruit-eaters and they are notable for tool use in the wild. Three living species are recognized: the Bornean orangutan (P. pygmaeus), Sumatran orangutan (P. abelii), and the Tapanuli orangutan (P. tapanuliensis). All three are listed as Critically Endangered on the IUCN Red List, with habitat loss and fragmentation among the main threats.