Orangutan

great ape · rainforest · super smart

Treetop life. Orangutans live in the rainforests of Borneo and Sumatra, spending most of their time high up in the trees swinging from branch to branch.

Three special species. There are three kinds: the Bornean, Sumatran, and Tapanuli orangutan. The Tapanuli was only confirmed as its own species in 2017!

Clever apes. Orangutans are great apes, close cousins of humans, and they're famous for being smart and using tools.

Ancient family. Their branch of the ape family split off between about 19 and 16 million years ago, making them very ancient relatives.

Once everywhere. Long ago during the Ice Age, orangutans ranged across Southeast Asia and even into southern China.