(Pongo pygmaeus), a large anthropoid ape, the only representative of the genus Pongo. There are two subspecies: P. p. pygmaeus, from the island of Kalimantan, and P. p. abelii, from Sumatra.
Adult males measuring 130–150 cm tall weigh 100–150 kg. The females are much smaller than the males. The coat is coarse and very long and ranges in color from reddish to reddish brown. The face is naked and broad, and the ears are small. The males have large ridgelike cheek pads. The skull is long, and in females, has ridging. Cranial capacity is between 400 and 500 cc. There are no buttock pads or tail. The arms are very long, reaching as much as 3 m when extended. The hands are broad and long, but the thumbs are rudimentary. The legs are relatively short, and the feet are narrow and long-toed. The first toe is short and often lacks the nail. Both hand and feet are prehensile.
Orangutans live in marshy forests. They move through the trees by grasping branches with their hands and feet. On the ground they walk on all four limbs. Orangutans are found in small groups. They build shelters in which they sleep during the night. The animals feed on bird eggs and on the fruits of durian and other trees.
Orangutans reach sexual maturity between the ages of ten to 12 years. The gestation period is 275 days. The youngster, which weighs about 1.5 kg at birth, is nursed for three or four years. In the wild, orangutans may live 30 years. A rare and endangered species, the orangutan is protected by law.
T. D. GLADKOVA