Fossil records show that orangutans have been here on Earth for more than 800,000 years and populations once spread from China to as far as Sulawesi.
Today, orangutans in the wild can only be found on the islands of Borneo and Sumatra, making Malaysia one of only two countries in the world that is home to wild orangutans.
The bond between an orangutan mother and her young is one of the strongest in nature. During the first two years of life, the young rely entirely on their mothers for both food and transportation. The moms stay with their young for six to seven years, teaching them where to find food, what and how to eat and the technique for building a sleeping nest. Female orangutans are known to “visit” their mothers until they reach the age of 15 or 16.
Bornean orangutans are key to a healthy forest ecosystem, which we need for clean air, fresh water, climate change mitigation, soil stability and recreation.
Sadly, orangutan numbers are declining due to:
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