All About Orangutans
A teaching resource for elementary school-aged children
By: Amber Jones
Let’s meet some orangutans.
Tom
Butet
Akmad & Baby Atlas
Orangutans are Great Apes.
• Mammals
• Big bodies
• Opposable
thumbs
• Smart
• Tool users
• Bendy lips
• Endangered
Do you know the difference?
•
•
•
•
Apes
No tail
Larger brains
Longer lives
Great Apes: Africa
and Asia
• Lesser Apes: Asia
Monkeys
•
•
•
•
•
Tail
Not as large brains
Don’t live as long
Old-world: Africa and Asia
New-world: Central and
South America
Orangutans live in Southeast Asia.
Canada
Sumatra
Borneo
Orangutans live in the rainforest.
So do lots of other things!
Orangutans live in trees.
Climbing is easy for orangutans.
They have long arms and thumbs
on their feet.
But Orangutans aren’t always in trees.
Bornean Orangutan
Sumatran Orangutan
Males are larger than females.
Orangutans live in small family groups.
• Mom
• Kid
• Baby
• Neighbors:
– Sisters
– Cousins
Orangutans are frugivores.
But they also eat:
• Fruit
• Leaves
• Flowers
• Tree bark
• Seeds
• Honey
• Insects
• Small animals
• Bird eggs
Orangutans spend most of their time
resting, traveling, and eating.
Every night they make nests.
Orangutans make and use tools.
• Dipping tools
• Fruit-openers
• Umbrella-hats
• Scratching sticks
Siswi makes a leaf hat.
Orangutans are an Endangered Species.
• Problem: Loss of habitat
• Solution: Protect their habitat
Orangutans are not good pets.
• Problem: Illegal Pets
• Solution: Rehabilitation
Orangutans can be rehabilitated.
Now he lives in the forest.
MU used to live in a cage.
What did we learn today?
If you want to learn more….
• Information on orangutans and conservation,
check out:
– Borneo Orangutan Society Canada
– Sumatran Orangutan Conservation Programme
• Information about popular apes, check out:
– Koko the gorilla
– Kanzi the bonobo
– Chantek the orangutan