Orangutans are large anthropoids. Orangutans spend almost their entire life in trees, along which they move with the help of very long arms (span - up to 2 m), helping themselves with their legs.

Social behavior

Orangutans live in family-type harems of 3-5 individuals, although there are also single specimens. The members of the group know each other very well.

Reproduction

Pregnancy lasts about 8.5 months. 1, less often 2 cubs are born. Newborns weigh 1.5-2kg and are completely helpless. The baby clings to the mother's fur on the chest and sucks milk every 3-4 hours. When it reaches 4 months of age, its mother begins to feed him with a special "green puree" - thoroughly chewed plant matter.

Species and people

In ancient times, representatives of the nobility on the Indonesian islands kept one or even several orangutans for entertainment and prestige. And since it was almost impossible to catch an adult monkey, the catchers chased females with cubs. Mothers were killed while taking their babies. Such trapping had practically no effect on the number of orangutans until the Europeans got down to business, and most importantly, while the habitats of orangutans were intact.

Interesting Facts

Orangutans are so adapted to life in trees that they usually drink water from leaves, hollows, or simply lick off their wool after rain.

Communicating with each other, orangutans use 13 sounds, accompanying them with rich facial expressions and gestures.