URANG UTAN......

Orang Utan....... mayas kok urang dituk.......




ORANG UTAN - The name Orang Utan comes from the Malay phrase Orang Hutan or "man of the forest". These primates can be found mainly in Borneo (estimated population : 22,000) and Sumatera (estimated population : 5,000).

The largest tree-climbing animal in the world, the orang utan (Pongo pygaeus) is now an endangered species mainly because of the loss of its habitat due to logging, agriculture, fires and hunters who often kill the mother to capture an infant to sell as pets.

In addition, these primates have a slow reproductive rate and females have only one baby every seven to eight years. Infants stay with their mothers until they are about seven or eight. Orang utan are totally protected in Malaysia.

Unlike chimpanzees and gorillas, orang utans do not live in large social or family groups. They are semi-solitary animals. Adult males are usually found alone and adult females are generally accompanied by one or two offsprings. Adolescent orang utans are the most socialable, spending up to half of their time in small groups of two to five.

Adult males are much larger than females and often grow to 1.5m in height and average 120 kg in weight. Females, on the other hand, only grow to about 1.2 m in height and weigh only 45 kg. Adult males also have large cheek pads and a large pouch of skin under their chin.

Orang utans eat leaves, barks, buds, stems, fruits and will occasionally eat insects, although they are mainly fruit eaters.