10 INTERESTING FACTS ABOUT ORANGUTANS

URGENT: Orangutans are clinging to survival—help protect their treetop homes.

Strong, mostly solitary, deeply intelligent – orangutans are incredible animals. These striking red primates live their lives high up in the treetops of southeast Asia, swinging through the rainforest with remarkable agility. 

To celebrate the heaviest tree-dwelling animal in the world, here are 10 orangutan facts so you can learn more about this fascinating great ape. 

1. There are three different species of orangutans

They may look similar to the untrained eye, with their long arms and shaggy reddish coats, but there are actually three separate species of orangutan: the Bornean orangutan (Pongo pygmaeus), Sumatran orangutan (Pongo abelii), and Tapanuli orangutan (Pongo tapanuliensis).

The Tapanuli orangutan was only described as a separate species from the Sumatran orangutan in 2017, making it one of the world's most recently identified great apes.

2. Their name tells their story

With orang meaning "person" and hutan meaning "forest" in Malay, orangutans are known, quite literally, as “people of the forest”.

3. Orangutans are one of our closest living cousins

If you’ve ever seen an orangutan in person, you’ll know what it feels like to look at an animal that reminds you remarkably of yourself. In fact, we share approximately 96–97% of our DNA with orangutans. This makes them among our closest living relatives—second only to chimpanzees and bonobos.

The similarities don’t stop there. Orangutans have extraordinary cognitive capacities and have been observed using tools like sticks to reach insects through holes in tree bark, big leaves as umbrellas to shelter from rain and even using leaves as gloves to protect their hands from spiny fruits or biting insects.

These behaviours aren't purely instinctual; they adapt, evolve, and are passed down through generations, particularly through the bond between mother and offspring.

4. Orangutan childhoods are a marathon, not a sprint

Orangutans are very slow reproducers with females only giving birth to offspring once every 7 to 9 years.

Youngsters will remain by mum’s side until they are between 6 and 8 years old, learning everything from nest-building and climbing to foraging for food and habitat navigation.

Unfortunately, this slow reproduction rate also means orangutan populations take a really long time to recover after declines.

5. Nightly architects of the canopy

Like us, orangutans like to sleep comfortably!

Each evening, orangutans construct a fresh leafy nest high in the trees using branches and foliage. In wet weather, they sometimes even add a roof.

Fun fact: Because orangutan nests are rarely reused, counting nests—whether from aircraft or on foot—has become the primary method for estimating orangutan populations. In Sabah's Bukit Piton Forest, field rangers have watched nest counts creep upward as restoration efforts take hold, suggesting the welcome return of orangutans to regenerated habitat.

6. They are the gardeners of the rainforest

They may not know it, but orangutans are among the rainforest's greatest seed dispersers.

The diet of these great apes consists mostly of fruit, and they consume hundreds of plant species across their lifetime. As they move throughout the canopy, they inadvertently carry and disperse the seeds of these plants throughout vast areas of the forest, leading to the growth of the next generation of trees.

7. Built for life among the trees

An orangutan’s anatomy is perfectly optimised for treetop existence.

They have remarkably long arms—sometimes spanning over 2 metres from fingertip to fingertip—and exceptionally flexible joints. Move over, yogis!

Coupled with large and powerful grasping hands and feet and strong muscles, orangutans are able to swing, climb, and move between trees with remarkable grace. And good thing: life on the ground is far more dangerous. The trees are where they belong.

8. All orangutan species are critically endangered

Sadly, all three species of this amazing great ape are listed as critically endangered. While it’s difficult to determine exactly how many orangutans remain, estimates suggest that there are just over 104,000 Bornean and fewer than 14,000 Sumatran. There are thought to be fewer than 800 Tapanuli orangutans left in the wild.

While orangutans previously occupied a range across southeast Asia and southern China, their home range is shrinking at an alarming pace. Orangutans are now only found on just two islands, Borneo and Sumatra.

Threats to this incredible animal include deforestation and habitat fragmentation driven by palm oil production, logging, and infrastructure development; devastating forest fires; illegal wildlife trade and human-wildlife conflict.

9. Technology is helping with conservation

Monitoring orangutans across dense, remote terrain has always been extraordinarily challenging. That's why WWF and partners are harnessing cutting-edge tools: drones paired with artificial intelligence models to detect orangutan nests from aerial imagery. The Smart Surveys program combines on-ground forest walks with drone-mapped canopy data; later, deep-learning algorithms automatically flag nests and population patterns. This approach dramatically speeds survey times, reduces human exposure to hazardous terrain, and enables more frequent population tracking—essential for adaptive, evidence-based conservation strategy.

Real restoration success stories underscore the potential. In East Malaysia, WWF-Malaysia's restoration work at Bukit Piton has brought forest back to life. Orangutans are settling back in the regenerated areas, providing hope that with sustained commitment, populations can recover.

10. There are many ways you can help orangutans

Orangutans are facing a number of threats. But thankfully, scientists, conservationists and local communities are doing everything they can to protect them into the future. Here’s how you can help support this work:

Support orangutan programs: Donate or adopt an orangutan through WWF-Australia. Your support funds forest protection, field patrols, habitat restoration, and community engagement in critical orangutan habitats.

Choose sustainable products: Look for FSC-certified wood and paper, RSPO-certified palm oil, and responsibly sourced goods. Supply chain accountability is non-negotiable—your purchasing power sends a clear signal to companies about their practices.

Use your voice: Advocate for change within your networks and support campaigns calling for stronger protections for orangutans. Stay up-to-date with the latest orangutan information and share what you know with family and friends. Sending them this blog is a great place to start!

Orangutans are clinging to survival. With your support, we can ensure they're not just surviving, but thriving.