How Many Orangutans Are Left In The World?

Smartest Animals – Orangutans
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Written by Kathryn Dueck

Updated: February 8, 2025

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Several striking orange animals populate the wild. However, none are as closely related to humans as the orangutan. Humans share 97% of our DNA with this intelligent primate. This is close behind the chimpanzee and bonobo. Amazingly, orangutans display complex emotions and even use tools. But how many orangutans are left in the world, and can we preserve them in the years to come?

What is an Orangutan?

There are three species of orangutans: Bornean, Sumatran, and Tapanuli.

Orangutans are primates in the family Hominidae. This group is otherwise known as the great apes. They share this family with gorillas, chimpanzees, bonobos, and humans. Unlike other great apes, orangutans are mainly solitary creatures.

The name orangutan means “man of the forest.” This species is also known as the red ape for its shaggy orange hair. A curious feature is its arms’ length, which is greater than the length of its legs. This makes the orangutan an excellent climber.

Wild orangutans live exclusively on the islands of Borneo and Sumatra. Because of their isolated environment, they have no way to access other parts of the world. However, they were once native to various Indonesian islands.

Orangutans inhabit tropical lowland rainforests. They prefer those in river valleys and floodplains. They live mostly in the trees, only occasionally coming down to forage for food. Areas of high humidity and abundant water ensure an abundance of fruit. Swamps and thick undergrowth render their habitats largely inaccessible.

There are three species of orangutans: Bornean, Sumatran, and Tapanuli. Let’s learn more about them.

Bornean Orang-utan

The scientific name for the Bornean orangutan is Pongo pygmaeus. It is the largest of the three orangutan species and inhabits the tropical jungles of Borneo. The species is further divided into three subspecies:

  • Northwest Bornean orangutan
  • Central Bornean orangutan
  • Northeast Bornean orangutan

Unlike Sumatran orangutans, this species often descends to forage on the ground. Socially, Bornean orangutans are not as closely knit as the other species.

Sumatran Orang-utan

The scientific name for the Sumatran orangutan is Pongo abelii. These orangutans live on the island of Sumatra. This species spends most of its time in the trees and only rarely descends to the ground. Sumatran orangutans have abundant facial hair. Though mostly solitary, they sometimes form close social bonds.

Tapanuli Orang-utan

The scientific name for the Tapanuli orangutan is Pongo tapanuliensis. They are the smallest of the three orangutan species. They were only recognized as a separate species in 2017. They also live on the island of Sumatra in the isolated Northwest. Their heads are smaller, and their faces are flatter than those of their Sumatran cousins.

How Many Orangutans Are Left in the World?

young orangutan hanging in tree

There are less than 120,000 orangutans left in the world.

Scientists estimate that there were as many as 230,000 orangutans a century ago. Unfortunately, that number has been cut almost in half. Now, there are fewer than 120,000 orangutans left in the world. The Bornean orangutan is the most numerous of the three species, with approximately 104,700 individuals. Next is the Sumatran orangutan, with a total population of nearly 14,000. The smallest group of all is the Tapanuli orangutan, with only 800 members. This makes it the most endangered of all the great apes. Additionally, around 900 orangutans live in captivity.

Are Orangutans Dangerous to Humans?

Generally, orangutans are not dangerous to humans. There are no known incidents of orangutans killing people. They are peaceful, placid primates that rarely engage in violence. Orangutans prefer loud calls rather than shows of force to express dominance at mating time.

There have been a few incidents of orangutans biting zoo workers or visitors, but these are isolated incidents. Scientists working with orangutans in the wild consider them far less threatening than chimpanzees.

Orangutan Diet and Predators

What Do Orangutans Eat
Orangutans mostly eat fruits and other plant matter.

Orangutans are omnivores, though they tend toward a frugivorous diet. They eat mostly fruit, including mangoes, figs, lychees, mangosteens, berries, and durians. They also consume other plant matter like leaves and bark. From time to time, they eat eggs, insects, and small animals.

Orangutans don’t drink much water relative to their size. This is because they consume much of their daily required intake in their food. When drinking from springs or tree holes, they use their hands to pour water into their mouths.

Because of their size, orangutans don’t have many predators. However, tigers, clouded leopards, and crocodiles occasionally attack and eat them, which is why they usually remain above the ground. Unfortunately, humans also hunt orangutans.

Orangutan Reproduction and Lifespan

Orangutans reproduce slowly, giving birth to a single infant once every eight years or so. The gestation period lasts for approximately nine months, and the mother prepares a special nest high above the ground for the offspring. They wean their young after three years, but the infant remains with its mother for another 4 to 5 years. During this time, she teaches it the skills necessary for survival. As a result, females typically only give birth every seven to nine years.

Orangutans also take a long time to reach sexual maturity, between 12 and 15 years. They can live as long as 35 to 50 years in the wild and up to 60 years in captivity. Because the whole process of reproduction takes so much time, this species cannot repopulate quickly. Any loss to the population has a serious impact.

Orangutans in Captivity

There are about 900 orangutans in captivity, mostly in zoos.

About 900 orangutans survive in captivity, mostly in zoos. They make popular and peaceable attractions. Some orangutans in zoos are overweight with insufficient muscle mass due to their indolent lifestyle. However, they are also more curious than their wild counterparts.

Are Orangutans Endangered?

The IUCN lists orangutans as critically endangered. All three species carry this label. Humans and habitat loss kill around 2,000 to 3,000 orangutans every year.

Sadly, the exotic pet trade often targets orangutans. Hunters capture adults and their young for use as pets or in zoos, sometimes killing mothers to get at their infants. Farmers also kill orangutans to prevent them from destroying crops. This can become a problem when natural food sources are in short supply. Deforestation is also a problem, and diminishing habitats means orangutans and humans clash more often.

Thankfully, we can protect these adorable animals by taking steps to preserve their habitat and by allowing them to live at peace in the wild.


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About the Author

Kathryn Dueck

Kathryn Dueck is a writer at A-Z Animals where her primary focus is on wildlife, dogs, and geography. Kathryn holds a Bachelor’s Degree in Biblical and Theological Studies, which she earned in 2023. In addition to volunteering at an animal shelter, Kathryn has worked for several months as a trainee dog groomer. A resident of Manitoba, Canada, Kathryn loves playing with her dog, writing fiction, and hiking.

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