Wildlife Guide · Indonesia & Malaysia

Orangutan

Pongo pygmaeus (Linnaeus, 1760), Pongo abelii (Lesson, 1827), Pongo tapanuliensis (Nurcahyo, Meijaard et al., 2017)

The only great ape of Asia — disappearing faster than we can save them.

IUCN: Critically Endangered

A young Bornean orangutan (Pongo pygmaeus) hanging by both arms outstretched between tree trunks in the rainforest at Sepilok, Sabah, Borneo, surrounded by lush green foliage

Image: Photo: Charles J. Sharp / Wikimedia Commons (CC BY-SA 4.0)

In brief

Orangutans are Critically Endangered great apes found only in Borneo and Sumatra; all three species — Bornean, Sumatran, and Tapanuli — face extinction driven mainly by habitat loss from palm oil and logging, plus the illegal pet trade.

By the WARN Research & Conservation TeamChecked against IUCN Red List & CITES sourcesLast updated June 2026

Orangutans are the largest tree-dwelling animals on Earth and the only great apes native to Asia. All three species — Bornean, Sumatran, and Tapanuli — are listed as Critically Endangered on the IUCN Red List, each with a decreasing population trend. Palm oil expansion, illegal logging, and the pet trade are erasing their forest home at a pace that existing rescue infrastructure cannot absorb.

~800

Tapanuli orangutans — the rarest great ape on Earth

~14,470

Sumatran orangutans remaining (Wich et al., 2016)

~8 yrs

Between births — the longest interval of any primate

~104,700

Bornean orangutans (IUCN, 2016) — down from ~230,000 a decade earlier

Figures sourced from IUCN Red List — Bornean Orangutan (Pongo pygmaeus), IUCN Red List — Sumatran Orangutan (Pongo abelii), IUCN Red List — Tapanuli Orangutan (Pongo tapanuliensis) and other references on this page.

Orangutan: Quick Facts

Vital statistics and key facts about the Orangutan
Lifespan	~30–45 years in the wild; up to 50–60 years in human care
Weight	Males up to ~90 kg in the wild (more in captivity); females ~37–50 kg
Height / arm span	Standing height ~1.2–1.4 m; arm span up to ~2 m (longer than the body)
Diet	Frugivore — mostly fruit, plus leaves, bark, flowers, honey, and insects
Gestation	~8 months (about 227–275 days)
Young per birth	Single infant; ~7.6–8 years between births (longest of any primate)
Maturity	Infants depend on the mother ~7–8 years; females mature at ~12–15 years
Social structure	Semi-solitary — the least social great ape; no true 'group'
DNA shared with humans	About 96.4%
CITES	Appendix I (all Pongo species)

Scientific Classification

Scientific classification of the Orangutan
Kingdom	Animalia
Phylum	Chordata
Class	Mammalia
Order	Primates
Family	Hominidae (great apes)
Genus	Pongo
Species	3 species: P. pygmaeus (Linnaeus, 1760), P. abelii (Lesson, 1827), P. tapanuliensis (Nater, Nurcahyo, Meijaard et al., 2017)

Conservation Status

IUCN Status: Critically Endangered (all three species: P. pygmaeus, P. abelii, P. tapanuliensis)
Population: Bornean ~104,700 (2016); Sumatran ~14,470 (2017); Tapanuli fewer than 800
Trend: Decreasing
Assessed: 2016 (Bornean and Sumatran); 2017 (Tapanuli, on description)
CITES: Appendix I

The Bornean population has fallen an estimated ~86% across three generations; the Tapanuli, described only in 2017, is the rarest great ape on Earth.

Did you know?

Orangutans are master engineers of the canopy: every single night, each one builds a fresh sleeping nest from bent branches and leaves — sometimes adding a leafy 'roof' or 'pillow' — and rarely reuses an old one.

Key Facts: Orangutan

Three species: Bornean (Pongo pygmaeus), Sumatran (Pongo abelii), and Tapanuli (Pongo tapanuliensis) — all Critically Endangered with a decreasing trend.
The Tapanuli orangutan, formally described as a separate species in 2017, numbers fewer than 800 individuals, making it the rarest great ape on Earth and the most recently described.
Females give birth roughly once every 7.6–8 years on average — the longest interbirth interval of any primate, so populations recover extremely slowly.
Orangutans are the only great apes native to Asia and the largest tree-dwelling (arboreal) mammals on the planet.
Conservation groups estimate that over 80% of suitable orangutan habitat has been lost in the past two decades; the IUCN documents an ~86% decline in the Bornean population across three generations.
Orphaned infants found clinging to killed mothers are sold into the illegal pet trade or rescued and taken to rehabilitation centres, where full rehabilitation to soft release can take 5–10 years of specialised forest-school training.

Why Are Orangutans Endangered?

The principal driver of orangutan decline is habitat loss. Lowland rainforest — where orangutans feed, nest, and raise young — is cleared for palm oil, pulpwood, and mining concessions at a pace that far outstrips population recovery. A female orangutan produces only four or five offspring in her entire lifetime, because she gives birth roughly once every eight years, the longest interbirth interval of any primate. When a forest block is cleared and breeding females are killed, a local population can be functionally destroyed within one generation. Hunting, snaring, and the illegal pet trade compound the pressure: infants are captured live when their mothers are killed, then sold as status pets or arriving at rescue centres in severe distress.

What Does Orangutan Rehabilitation Involve?

Rehabilitation is a multi-year process that mirrors the long natural dependency of a wild infant, which stays with its mother for seven to eight years. Orphaned infants need round-the-clock medical care, then surrogate carers who teach the basics of forest life. Forest school — structured climbing, foraging, and nest-building sessions — must run daily for years. Before any release attempt, juveniles undergo a pre-release island phase to test their skills in a semi-wild environment. After soft release into a protected forest, rangers monitor individuals for up to two years. The entire process costs thousands of pounds per animal and requires purpose-built facilities that are consistently oversubscribed.

The Palm Oil Connection

Palm oil is found in roughly half of all packaged supermarket products — from biscuits to shampoo. Global demand for cheap vegetable oil has driven the conversion of millions of hectares of Bornean and Sumatran rainforest into monoculture plantations. Certified sustainable palm oil schemes exist, but enforcement is patchy and deforestation continues, so certification alone does not guarantee a deforestation-free supply chain. Consumer awareness — and pressure on supply chains — is one lever. Expanding the rescue and sanctuary infrastructure to absorb displaced animals is another. WARN focuses on the second.

Where Do Orangutans Live?

Orangutans survive in just two places on Earth. The Bornean orangutan ranges across the island of Borneo — the Indonesian provinces of Kalimantan and the Malaysian states of Sabah and Sarawak. The Sumatran orangutan is confined to the northern tip of Sumatra, mainly Aceh and North Sumatra, while the Tapanuli orangutan survives only in the isolated Batang Toru forest of North Sumatra. All are dependent on tropical lowland and hill rainforest, the same forests being cleared fastest for plantation agriculture.

Bornean vs Sumatran vs Tapanuli orangutan

Attribute	Bornean	Sumatran	Tapanuli
Species	Pongo pygmaeus	Pongo abelii	Pongo tapanuliensis
Described	Linnaeus, 1760	Lesson, 1827	2017 (most recent great ape)
Range	Borneo (Kalimantan, Sabah, Sarawak)	Northern Sumatra (Aceh, North Sumatra)	Batang Toru forest, North Sumatra
Population	~104,700 (2016)	~14,470 (2017)	Fewer than 800
IUCN status	Critically Endangered	Critically Endangered	Critically Endangered
Notable feature	Most numerous; darker, broader face	Lighter coat; longer facial hair	Frizzier coat, smaller skull; rarest great ape

What WARN Does

WARN partners with vetted rehabilitation centres in Indonesia and Malaysia to fund expanded nursery capacity, forest-school programmes, and post-release monitoring. We also support sanctuary land acquisition to provide permanent homes for orangutans who cannot be released back into the wild.

A wild female orangutan raises only four or five young in her whole life, and a rescued orphan needs years of forest school before it can go home. Your gift helps fund the nursery care, forest-school training, and post-release monitoring that our rehabilitation partners in Indonesia and Malaysia provide for one orphaned orangutan on its multi-year journey back to the wild.

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How does the orangutan compare?

Bornean orangutan vs Sumatran orangutan →Orangutan vs Gorilla →Monkey vs Ape →

How can I help save the orangutan?

There are three practical things that make a real difference for the orangutan — and the first is the one that funds everything else.

Fund frontline rescue

Back the partner-led teams, veterinary care and protection that reach orangutans where the need is greatest — WARN channels donations straight to that work.

Ease the pressures

Avoid the wildlife trade and souvenirs, never buy wild animals as pets, and choose sustainable, habitat-friendly products — the threats behind the orangutan's decline fall when demand does.

Spread the word

Share accurate, sourced information about the orangutan. Wider awareness is what turns concern into lasting protection.

Support the Orangutan Appeal Donate monthly

Orangutan: Frequently Asked Questions

How can I help save the orangutan?

The most effective way to help the orangutan is to fund the frontline rescue and habitat protection that keeps the species alive — WARN channels donations to partner-led teams working where the need is greatest. You can also ease the pressures behind its decline by avoiding the wildlife trade and souvenirs, never buying wild animals as pets, and choosing sustainable products, and by sharing accurate information to build wider support. See the ways to help below, or support WARN's Support the Orangutan Appeal.

How many orangutans are left in the wild?

The most recent IUCN Red List assessments put the Bornean orangutan at around 104,700 (last assessed 2016), the Sumatran orangutan at around 14,470 (assessed 2017), and the Tapanuli orangutan at fewer than 800 (described and assessed in 2017). All three are listed as Critically Endangered, and all show a decreasing trend — a collapse from historical population sizes.

Why are orangutans called the "gardeners of the forest"?

Orangutans swallow and disperse large seeds across long distances as they travel and feed, making them a keystone species for forest regeneration. When they disappear from a forest, plant diversity declines and the ecosystem becomes less resilient.

Can all rescued orangutans be returned to the wild?

Not always. Orangutans rescued as very young infants, or those kept as pets for years, may have lost the ability to survive independently and require lifetime sanctuary care. Those rescued young enough and rehabilitated fully can be soft-released into protected forest with monitoring support.

What is the Tapanuli orangutan?

The Tapanuli orangutan (Pongo tapanuliensis) was only formally described as a distinct species in 2017, making it the most recently recognised great ape. It is found only in the Batang Toru forest of North Sumatra and numbers fewer than 800 individuals — making it the rarest great ape on Earth.

Does buying sustainable palm oil help orangutans?

Certified sustainable palm oil can reduce pressure on forests, but certification does not guarantee that no deforestation occurred. The most effective consumer action is to push brands toward stricter no-deforestation commitments while also supporting rescue and rehabilitation infrastructure for displaced animals.

What do orangutans eat?

Orangutans are frugivores: fruit makes up the bulk of their diet — roughly 60% of foraging time — supplemented by leaves, bark, flowers, honey, and insects. Because they swallow and scatter large seeds across the forest, they are vital seed dispersers.

How long do orangutans live, and how big do they get?

Wild orangutans typically live around 30–45 years, and individuals in human care can reach 50–60 years. Males are about twice the size of females, reaching roughly 90 kg in the wild (more in captivity) versus around 37–50 kg for females, with an arm span that can reach about 2 metres — longer than their standing height.

Where do orangutans live?

Orangutans live in Indonesia, Malaysia. Orangutans are Critically Endangered great apes found only in Borneo and Sumatra; all three species — Bornean, Sumatran, and Tapanuli — face extinction driven mainly by habitat loss from palm oil and logging, plus the illegal pet trade.

Are orangutans dangerous?

Palm oil expansion, illegal logging, and the pet trade are erasing their forest home at a pace that existing rescue infrastructure cannot absorb. Give wild orangutans space; do not corner or handle them.

Sources & References

Population figures, conservation status and biological facts on this page are drawn from authoritative scientific and intergovernmental sources.

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Focused answers for people searching how orangutan rescue works in high-need regions.

Borneo · Orangutan rescue

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Orangutan rescue in Borneo focuses on moving stranded or injured orangutans out of danger, rehabilitating orphans for years, and protecting forest release sites.

Borneo · Rehabilitation method

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Orangutan forest school is the long rehabilitation process where orphaned orangutans learn climbing, nest-building, foraging and social skills before any possible return to protected forest.

Malaysia · Transit routes

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UK donors · Monthly giving intent

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A monthly donation to animal rescue through WARN provides predictable income that lets the network commit to partner grants, plan veterinary clinics and respond to emergencies — across the 17-country partner network.

UK donors · Gift adoption intent

Animal Charity Gift Adoption in the UK

A UK animal charity gift adoption through WARN is a symbolic monthly or one-off donation allocated to a species rescue programme — dog, cat, elephant, tiger, orangutan, macaw, pangolin or sea turtle from £5/month, with a certificate suitable for birthdays and occasions. It is not ownership of a real animal, and Gift Aid does not apply.

UK donors · Symbolic adoption

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Symbolic animal adoption through WARN is a UK-friendly monthly or one-off donation from £5/month directed to a species rescue programme abroad — not ownership of an individual animal, and not Gift Aid eligible because WARN is a registered global not-for-profit, not a UK charity.

UK donors · International giving

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UK donors can donate to animal rescue abroad through WARN in GBP with full receipts — gifts fund vetted partner-led CNVR, wildlife rescue and working-animal programmes across a 17-country network, without Gift Aid because WARN is a registered global not-for-profit, not a UK charity.

UK donors · Wildlife rescue intent

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Habitat · Forest corridors

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You can donate to rainforest habitat protection through WARN at /appeals/habitats — gifts fund partner-led forest corridor protection, anti-deforestation patrols and community stewardship in Borneo for orangutans and jaguars, and in the Amazon and Colombia for jaguars and co-occurring species.

UK donors · Monthly sponsorship

Sponsor an Animal Monthly from the UK

You can sponsor an animal monthly from the UK through WARN from £5/month — via symbolic adoption at /adopt or monthly giving at /donate/monthly — funding partner-led CNVR, wildlife rescue and working-animal programmes across 17 countries without individual animal ownership.

Donor intent · Rescue giving

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Animal rescue donations through WARN fund vetted partner-led CNVR, wildlife rescue, working-animal clinics and anti-trafficking triage across a 17-country network — pay in GBP or USD at /donate with full receipts, knowing WARN is a UK Community Interest Company global not-for-profit, not a registered charity and not Gift Aid eligible.

UK donors · Choosing where to give

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The best animal charities to donate to match your goal — local UK shelters for rehoming near you, registered UK charities if Gift Aid matters, or transparent international grant-makers like WARN if you want partner-led CNVR and wildlife rescue across 17 countries abroad (WARN is a UK CIC global not-for-profit, not a registered charity and not Gift Aid eligible).

US donors · International rescue giving

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US donors · Choosing where to give

Best Animal Charities to Donate To — US Guide

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US donors · Wildlife rescue intent

Donate to Wildlife Rescue from the United States

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US donors · Rescue giving

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Donor intent · Sanctuary giving

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Donor intent · Wildlife giving

Wildlife Charity Donation

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Donor intent · Save animals

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Donor intent · International welfare

Help Animals Abroad

You can help animals abroad through WARN by donating at /donate or /appeals — gifts fund vetted partner-led CNVR for street dogs, community cat TNVR, wildlife anti-trafficking and working-equine clinics across South Asia, Southeast Asia, East Africa, Southern Africa and South America.

Donor intent · International giving

International Animal Charity Donation

International animal charity donations through WARN fund vetted partner-led CNVR, wildlife rescue and working-animal programmes across 17 countries — pay in GBP, USD or EUR at /donate with full receipts, knowing WARN is a UK CIC global not-for-profit, not a registered charity and not Gift Aid eligible.

Occasion giving · Rescue gifts

Animal Rescue Charity Gift

An animal rescue charity gift through WARN is a symbolic adoption from £5/month at /adopt, a monthly sponsorship at /donate/monthly, or a one-off appeal donation at /appeals — honest programme support abroad with a gift certificate emailed on request, not ownership of an individual animal.

Legacy giving · Wills

Leave a Gift in Your Will for Animal Welfare

You can leave a gift in your will for animal welfare to WARN using the exact legal name World Animal Rescue Network CIC and company number 17298990 — your solicitor should use the registered company name and number in the will clause; WARN is a UK CIC global not-for-profit, not a registered charity.

Recurring giving · Sponsorship

Monthly Animal Sponsorship

Monthly animal sponsorship through WARN from £5/month at /adopt or /donate/monthly is recurring programme support for partner-led CNVR, wildlife rescue and working-animal welfare abroad — not naming or owning an individual animal, with cancellation anytime by email.

Occasion giving · Animal lovers

Charity Gift for an Animal Lover

A charity gift for an animal lover through WARN is symbolic adoption from £5/month at /adopt — choose dog, cat, elephant, tiger, orangutan, macaw, pangolin or sea turtle, with a gift certificate emailed on request and honest programme framing that funds partner-led rescue abroad.

Occasion giving · Christmas

Christmas Animal Charity Gift

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Occasion giving · Birthdays

Birthday Animal Sponsorship Gift

A birthday animal sponsorship gift through WARN is symbolic adoption from £5/month at /adopt — complete checkout, email WARN for a birthday gift certificate, with honest framing that funds partner-led rescue programmes abroad rather than individual animal ownership.

UK donors · Orangutan sponsorship

Sponsor an Orangutan from the UK

You can sponsor an orangutan from the UK through WARN from £5/month at /adopt/orangutan — sponsorship funds partner-led rescue, forest school and rehabilitation in Indonesian and Malaysian Borneo, not ownership of a named individual ape.

US donors · Orangutan sponsorship

Sponsor an Orangutan from the United States

You can sponsor an orangutan from the US through WARN from $5/month at /adopt/orangutan — sponsorship funds partner-led rescue, forest school and rehabilitation in Borneo, not ownership of a named individual ape.

UK donors · Symbolic orangutan adoption

Adopt an Orangutan from the UK

You can adopt an orangutan from the UK through WARN's symbolic adoption from £5/month at /adopt/orangutan — your gift funds partner-led rescue, forest school and rehabilitation in Borneo, not ownership of a named individual ape.

US donors · Symbolic orangutan adoption

Adopt an Orangutan from the United States

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Terms used on this page

Plain-English definitions, from our wildlife and conservation glossary.

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