Audubon Zoo: Sumatran Orangutan - New Orleans, LA

Children viewing a lion up close at Audubon Zoo

Meet Sumatran Orangutans at Audubon Zoo

Orangutans are arboreal apes that rarely touch their feet to the forest floor. At Audubon Zoo, you can see their climbing skills on full display when you visit the Sumatran Orangutans in their sky-high Asian Domain habitat.

Sumatran Orangutans Fast Facts

Conservation Status: critically endangered – extremely high risk of extinction
Habitat/Range: tropical rainforests of northern Sumatra, Indonesia
Diet: Omnivore – primarily fruit, supplemented by leaves, flowers, bark, insects
Size: 4-6 ft. tall; Males: 110-250 lbs.; Females: 65-110 lbs
Lifespan: 30-50 yrs. in the wild; 50+ yrs. in human care
Fun Fact: The word “orangutan” means “person of the forest” in Malay.

Orangutans are the only large-bodied apes native to Asia.

Orangutans are the only apes with long, orange hair.

From fingertip to fingertip, an orangutan’s arm span can exceed 7 feet.

Male orangutans develop large cheek pads known as “flanges.”

Sumatran Orangutan Habitat & Range

Sumatran Orangutans live in rainforests in northern Sumatra, an Indonesian island.

Learn More About Sumatran Orangutan Habitat & Range

Historic vs. Current Range
Sumatran Orangutans were once distributed all over the Indonesian island of Sumatra but are now restricted to its northern tip. Their range has shrunk as Sumatra has undergone rapid deforestation.

Habitat
Sumatran Orangutans inhabit tropical forest in both mountainous and lowland areas.

Sumatran Orangutan Behavior

Sumatran Orangutans are tree-dwelling apes that spread out in the rainforest. They are the most solitary of apes in the wild, but not here at Audubon Zoo!

Learn More About Sumatran Orangutan Behavior

Going Solo
Sumatran Orangutans build large nests 40 to 60 feet off the ground, where they nap during the day and sleep at night. Adult males live alone and intentionally avoid crossing paths with other males. Females are also solitary by nature but form strong bonds with their offspring and keep their youngest close for up to 8 years.

Foraging for Fruit
By spreading out in the forest, orangutans lessen competition for food. Everyone has enough space to forage successfully. These great apes are frugivores, or fruit eaters. They may supplement their diet with leaves, bark, and insects, but fruit is what they really crave. They have excellent geospatial memory and can mentally map all the trees in their territory. They remember when each tree is going to bear fruit and travel hand over hand through their territory, visiting each tree. (This form of locomotion is called brachiation.) Orangutans sample approximately 300 species of fruit in the wild, and all that consumption makes them important seed dispersers!

Caring for Baby
Female orangutans typically become mothers for the first time in their mid-teens. They give birth to one baby at a time, and only every 8 years or so. Twins are very rare. Orangutans have the longest average interval between births of any terrestrial mammal, including humans.

Learning from Mom
Females form close bonds with their offspring and provide all parental care. Young orangutans have little to no interaction with their fathers; instead, they learn everything they need to know from their mothers. Males will separate from their mothers around age seven and go off to establish their own territories. Females may stay nearby but will become increasingly independent, especially as their mothers prepare to give birth again.

Sumatran Orangutan Conservation

Fewer than 14,000 Sumatran orangutans survive in the wild today, but dedicated conservationists in Indonesia and around the world are working hard to secure a better future for these charismatic apes.

Learn More About Sumatran Orangutan Conservation

Threats
Sumatran orangutans are threatened by poachers and by habitat loss due to deforestation. The forest that they depend upon is rapidly disappearing, as trees are felled for timber and land is converted into oil palm plantations. Meanwhile, poachers kill orangutans for meat and tend to target females. They then capture and sell infants and juveniles as pets. The killing, capture, possession, and sale of orangutans is illegal under Indonesian law, but these activities happen routinely, nonetheless.

Conservation Efforts
To keep Sumatran orangutans from going extinct, their remaining forest habitat must be preserved and better protected. This is a primary conservation focus for the species. Orangutans are considered an umbrella species: by protecting their habitat, other forest species that share their habitat benefit as well, including Asian elephants and tigers. Audubon Zoo participates in the AZA’s Orangutan SAFE Program, which aims to protect and restore wild orangutan populations and their habitats through public engagement, increased conservation funding, and field work. Learn more at the AZA’s official SAFE page: AZA SAFE.

Sumatran Orangutans FAQs

Where can I see the Sumatran Orangutans at Audubon Zoo?

You can see Sumatran orangutans in the Asian Domain at Audubon Zoo. They are a must-see on your visit!

Check the Zoo map or download the Zoo app to use the interactive map and easily locate their habitat during your visit.

Are the Sumatran Orangutans part of any conservation program?

Yes, Audubon Zoo participates in the AZA’s Orangutan SAFE Program, which aims to protect and restore wild orangutan populations and their habitats through public engagement, increased funding for conservation, and in situ field work.

What do the Sumatran Orangutans eat at the Zoo?

Orangutans at Audubon Zoo receive a varied diet that includes lettuces and other vegetables, fruit, and specially formulated primate biscuits. Sometimes they snack on hard-boiled eggs as well!

How can I help Sumatran Orangutans in the wild?

You can exert your power as a consumer! Download the FREE PalmOil Scan Mobile App and use it to make orangutan-friendly choices when grocery shopping. Download HERE.

Sumatran Orangutans

at Audubon Zoo