What is Bornean orangutan?
The Bornean orangutan, Pongo pygmaeus, is a mostly arboreal great ape of Borneo, distinct from Sumatran and Tapanuli orangutans.
Traits and way of life
1. Species and identifying features Long arms and grasping hands aid movement through trees. Some adult males develop cheek pads. Large ranges and slow reproduction make continuous forest crucial. 2. Habitat and diet It eats fruit, leaves, bark and other plants and builds tree nests. Carrying seeds from fruit helps regenerate tropical forests.
Behavior and conservation
3. Behavior and reproduction Adults are often relatively solitary. Mothers care for young over many years while they learn food choices, climbing and nest building; births are widely spaced. 4. Ecology and conservation Agricultural expansion, fire, fragmentation and hunting threaten the species. Forest corridors and reduced conflict matter; rescue cannot replace habitat protection.