ORANGUTAN TRIVIA
Click on the link above to try out some of your newly acquired Orangutan Trivia! Although not all the questions were discussed in this blog give it your best guess and see how well you think you know these awesome animals!!
ALSO be sure to check out this awesome video of how many species of animals can even be friends!
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=d79ArrL8VRg
This video shows how an elephant, orangutans, and dogs can all interact. Who knew that an Elephant riding Orangutan could be friends with a dog and take care of it. She shares all her food with her new pet dog and even takes him on walks!
Thursday, May 17, 2012
Orangutan Communication
Orangutans are the least vocal of the great apes, however they will make long vocal calls to one another to attract mates. The reason they aren't that vocal is because they are solitary creatures most of the time so they dont need to communicate with one another that often or use vocal sounds to warn other Orangutans about predators.They have been known to make a variety of grunts, squeaks, moans, and barks however. Orangutans have been known to actually laugh like a human. Apparently they enjoy being tickled and will laugh just like humans would if they were being tickled.
In a lab or zoo setting some Orangutans have been taught sign language, but one of the most interesting things recently is the Miami Zoo is actually using ipads to communicate with their Orangutans! Apparently only the younger orangutans at this zoo are only interested in the technology, the older ones have no interest in it (quite like humans sometimes!). They play games on it, draw, and learn vocabulary with it. The program was initially created for humans with autism and the screen displays pictures of various objects. Unfortunately the tablet is too small for Orangutan hands so the trainer has to hold the tablet, and they are quite fragile (as we all know apple products are!) so they are working on getting a larger one for the Orangutans with a more "orangutan-proof" cover.
How cool is technology!?
Sources:
In a lab or zoo setting some Orangutans have been taught sign language, but one of the most interesting things recently is the Miami Zoo is actually using ipads to communicate with their Orangutans! Apparently only the younger orangutans at this zoo are only interested in the technology, the older ones have no interest in it (quite like humans sometimes!). They play games on it, draw, and learn vocabulary with it. The program was initially created for humans with autism and the screen displays pictures of various objects. Unfortunately the tablet is too small for Orangutan hands so the trainer has to hold the tablet, and they are quite fragile (as we all know apple products are!) so they are working on getting a larger one for the Orangutans with a more "orangutan-proof" cover.
How cool is technology!?
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| Orangutan at Miami Zoo with ipad |
Sources:
Are you smarter than an Orangutan?
As I posted a video before of an Orangutan displaying human like skills. This post is going to go into the idea that Orangutans can really show imitation of humans and learning of skills from them quite well.
They have been seen copying some of the actions of humans by: sawing wood, hammering nails, combing hair, putting insect repellent on themselves, and trying to siphon liquid with a hose. Orangutans have also been seen trying to copy more complex human behavior, like trying to tie up a hammock between two trees, and even trying to start a fire!
Orangutans also possess insight on top of these actions. Meaning that with some learning they started to figure out what the desired result was ( A learned behavior). Orangutans also possess "self-awareness". Meaning they pass the mirror test of recognizing themselves in the mirror. This self-awareness is seen as a level of intelligence with primates. In fact some people regard Orangutans to be the smartest of all the apes!
As mentioned in a previous pose Orangutans are also frequent users and creators of tools to get what they want.
What do you think?!? Think Orangutans are pretty smart?!
They have been seen copying some of the actions of humans by: sawing wood, hammering nails, combing hair, putting insect repellent on themselves, and trying to siphon liquid with a hose. Orangutans have also been seen trying to copy more complex human behavior, like trying to tie up a hammock between two trees, and even trying to start a fire!
Orangutans also possess insight on top of these actions. Meaning that with some learning they started to figure out what the desired result was ( A learned behavior). Orangutans also possess "self-awareness". Meaning they pass the mirror test of recognizing themselves in the mirror. This self-awareness is seen as a level of intelligence with primates. In fact some people regard Orangutans to be the smartest of all the apes!
As mentioned in a previous pose Orangutans are also frequent users and creators of tools to get what they want.
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| orangutan using tool |
What do you think?!? Think Orangutans are pretty smart?!
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Calm Creatures
Orangutans are pretty docile creatures. They are normally solitary creatures however the females will sometimes be social with other females as well as their own offspring. Males however are very solitary and they will show aggressive behavior to other males. When males square off they will make a lot of vocal noises sometimes physical combat can occur, females are not violent at all. Males will usually try and avoid all other males and females because they like to remain solitary. The only time they interact with others is when they are looking for females to reproduce with and somehow they encounter other males who are doing the same thing, which usually leads to fights.
They dont usually show predatory behavior to other animals because they mostly eat plants however they have been known to hunt and eat slow lorises. There also is not a lot of information regarding how they interact with other species of animals, my guess is that since they are pretty calm creatures they dont have huge issues with other animals, besides humans of course.
Sources:
They dont usually show predatory behavior to other animals because they mostly eat plants however they have been known to hunt and eat slow lorises. There also is not a lot of information regarding how they interact with other species of animals, my guess is that since they are pretty calm creatures they dont have huge issues with other animals, besides humans of course.
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| Some Orangutans just hanging out |
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Monday, May 14, 2012
This is my territory
Orangutans are not very territorial creatures. Orangutans are usually solitary creatures, or at least living in small groups. Males and females have their own home ranges which usually overlap, however males try and avoid overlapping home ranges with other males. Males have larger home ranges than the females, however females home ranges tend to be more stable and permanent than male ranges. Males have been know to travel to other home ranges and be aggressive towards the male that lives in that range (everyone always wants something better!). Females tend to stay and create a home range that is close to the one they grew up in, where as males will travel as far as they please to find a home range, either way the males want the range where they can access the most females. Remember since females are sexually unavailable for a number of years due to their reproduction and raising of the child the male is usually forced to move ranges to find more fertile females.
sources:
http://library.sandiegozoo.org/factsheets/orangutan/orangutan.htm#behavior
http://www.blueplanetbiomes.org/orangutan.htm
http://www.seaworld.org/animal-info/info-books/orangutan/behavior.htm
sources:
http://library.sandiegozoo.org/factsheets/orangutan/orangutan.htm#behavior
http://www.blueplanetbiomes.org/orangutan.htm
http://www.seaworld.org/animal-info/info-books/orangutan/behavior.htm
Save the Orangutans
These adorable apes are actually endangered in their home of Asia. They are endangered in Borneo putting their numbers at about 54,000. Unfortunately they are critically endangered in Sumatra putting their numbers at 6,500. Things like farming, logging, and burning of forests have destroyed about 80% of their home in the rainforest. Another issues is the Palm Oil plantations that are popping up and also destroying the rain forest. It was shown that about 800 orangutans are being lost a year due to habitat destruction. Also poaching is an issue with poachers kill the mothers and take the young orangutans and sell them into the illegal pet trade.
Although orangutans have been shown to be very flexible in their habitat and dietary needs their numbers are still declining. Part of that issue is the fact that their reproductive cycles take such a long time. In a previous post it was mentioned that gestation periods last about 9 months and that mother orangutans take care of their young till they are about 7 years old. This causes any repopulation to take a lot longer than it would with any other animal.
However there are many organizations that are taking the initiative to help the orangutans. For instance our own San Diego Zoo works in conservation efforts with the Orangutans. There area also many websites to be found of groups that have opened Orangutan Sanctuaries as well as groups that are trying to actively protect the Orangutan's habitat. There are many things we can do like just donating money to help the cause or even adopting your own orangutan (not literally of course), and of course just raising awareness even helps the cause.
sources:
http://www.sandiegozoo.org/animalbytes/t-orangutan.html
http://www.orangutanrepublik.org/become-aware/issues/orangutans-a-wildlife/threats-to-orangutans-mainmenu-5
http://orangutancentre.org/about-orangutan/
Although orangutans have been shown to be very flexible in their habitat and dietary needs their numbers are still declining. Part of that issue is the fact that their reproductive cycles take such a long time. In a previous post it was mentioned that gestation periods last about 9 months and that mother orangutans take care of their young till they are about 7 years old. This causes any repopulation to take a lot longer than it would with any other animal.
However there are many organizations that are taking the initiative to help the orangutans. For instance our own San Diego Zoo works in conservation efforts with the Orangutans. There area also many websites to be found of groups that have opened Orangutan Sanctuaries as well as groups that are trying to actively protect the Orangutan's habitat. There are many things we can do like just donating money to help the cause or even adopting your own orangutan (not literally of course), and of course just raising awareness even helps the cause.
sources:
http://www.sandiegozoo.org/animalbytes/t-orangutan.html
http://www.orangutanrepublik.org/become-aware/issues/orangutans-a-wildlife/threats-to-orangutans-mainmenu-5
http://orangutancentre.org/about-orangutan/
Orangutans at the San Diego Zoo!
If you haven't gotten a chance to see the Orangutans at the San Diego Zoo be sure to check them out next time you are there. I myself love going to watch these guys because they are usually right next to the observation glass so you can get a really good view of these animals. They can also be very entertaining! I watched them during feeding time once and its quite interesting to see them feed. Its clear they have favorite foods just like us. For example they seemed to ignore the lettuce being thrown at them but went directly for the fruit.
Their exhibit is quite interesting with lots of ropes to swing on and their are toys as well for them to play with. Below is a picture of the exhibit. On the right side of the picture you can see a rock like structure. This plays as a fake termite mound that the Orangutans can interact with. The keepers put barbeque sauce or ketchup or honey in the holes of the mound and the Orangutans have to get it out some way to get the treat.
Their exhibit is quite interesting with lots of ropes to swing on and their are toys as well for them to play with. Below is a picture of the exhibit. On the right side of the picture you can see a rock like structure. This plays as a fake termite mound that the Orangutans can interact with. The keepers put barbeque sauce or ketchup or honey in the holes of the mound and the Orangutans have to get it out some way to get the treat.
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Orangutan Exhibit |
Here you can see one of the female Orangutans just rolling around on the ground having a great time!
Thursday, May 3, 2012
Lets Get it On
Orangutan Reproduction:
Orangutans reproduce very slowly so there is a lot of competition between males to find females. Females are attracted to flanged males. There are two types of males in the Orangutan populations, flanged and unflanged. Flanged males are the larger of the two with cheek pads, throat pouches and longer hair. On the other hand females are still very selective in their mating process and will turn away any male that doesnt fit her fancy. Unfortunately this has led to some males forcing females into copulation. Most of the time the larger male wins and the smaller males are left with nothing. We can also define this system as short term polygyny.
The females reproductive stage lasts about 9 months, similar to humans. Females also don't show external signs of estrus or menstruation. Their reproductive cycles last about 30 days. Every 6-7 years a female will give birth to an offspring. They usually raise and stay in contact with their young for the first 7 years of its life.A female is considered to have reached adulthood when they have their first offspring. This whole process is very costly because it is so long and she is taking care of not only herself but of her infant as well.
Sources:
Orangutans reproduce very slowly so there is a lot of competition between males to find females. Females are attracted to flanged males. There are two types of males in the Orangutan populations, flanged and unflanged. Flanged males are the larger of the two with cheek pads, throat pouches and longer hair. On the other hand females are still very selective in their mating process and will turn away any male that doesnt fit her fancy. Unfortunately this has led to some males forcing females into copulation. Most of the time the larger male wins and the smaller males are left with nothing. We can also define this system as short term polygyny.
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| Flanges Male Orangutan |
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| Orangutan baby and mother |
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Sunday, April 8, 2012
Epic Orangutan Meal Time
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| Orangutan in a zoo enjoying some lettuce |
Orangutans spend up to 6 hours a day eating or foraging for food. In fact all they really do during the day is eat, look for food, rest, and move to a different location to look for food. Orangutan diet varies over all the different populations of Orangutans.
About 90% of Orangutans diet consists of fruit. They have been known to eat over 400 different plant varieties. Since fruit is such a big part of Orangutans diets they are a big help ecologically. Some seeds in the tropical rainforest will only sprout after being passed through an animal's digestive system, making orangutans vital as seed dispersers. Orangutans don't only eat fruit, they require other nutrients from different plants and nuts as well. Most of the time Orangutans get their water intake from the fruits they eat, although they will also drink from rivers and streams.
Orangutans eat more than just fruit. They also will eat insects such as ants, termites, caterpillars,etc. In some cases Orangutans have been known to eat small animals such as slow lorises. Some Orangutans have also been seen eating figs or honey.
Some of the Orangutans favorite fruit (Nothing like we eat!)
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| Durian |
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| Jackfruit |
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| Rambutan |
Eating habits:
Orangutans are smart creatures and can memorize temporary food locations during seasonal times, they can also track the location of different food sources based on the behavior of other animals.
Orangutans are able to strip leaves from branches by dragging it through their mouths. They also consume soil to help with the digestion of plant materials. They are also able to reduce feeding competition by using their strong jaw to open the hard shells of some fruit or nuts before they are ripe. Therefore getting to the food before another species does.
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| a young Orangutan having a snack |
http://www.orangutan.org.uk/about-orangutans/diet
http://www.orangutan.nl/orangutan_behaviour.htm
http://www.seaworld.org/animal-info/info-books/orangutan/diet.htm
Scholarly article: Tool Use
The article "Intra- and interpopulational differences in Orangutans (Pongo pygmaeus) activity and diet: Implications for the invention of tool use" Written by Elizabeth A. Fox, Carel P, van Schaik, Arnold Sitompul, and Donielle M. Wright. This article was first published January 12, 2004 in the journal American Journal of Physical Anthropology.
To summarize the article:
We know that Orangutans have been known to use tools, they question that is raised is what prompts them to use these tools and why. They studied Orangutans from the Suaq Balimbing Research Station in Sumatra, Indonesia. Their initial hypothesis was that Orangutans were using tools because of a low availability of primary food sources, however they found that tools were more likely used for invention of extracting a food source (such as insects). It was found that at this research station most of the Orangutans present main diet consisted of insects that occupied tree holes and required tool use to extract them. These insects consisted of stingless bees (including their honey), ants, and termites. They found that there was no difference between male and female tool use, as well as no difference within the genders. Females in a reproductive state like pregnant or lactating, did in fact consume more energy rich insects, however their tool use to extract those insects didn't increase in those time periods. In regards to this population tool use is mainly to increase the efficiency of insect foraging. Orangutan diet varies across different populations so it's hard to come to any concrete conclusion about the idea of tool use within this species after studying only one population.
Citation
To summarize the article:
We know that Orangutans have been known to use tools, they question that is raised is what prompts them to use these tools and why. They studied Orangutans from the Suaq Balimbing Research Station in Sumatra, Indonesia. Their initial hypothesis was that Orangutans were using tools because of a low availability of primary food sources, however they found that tools were more likely used for invention of extracting a food source (such as insects). It was found that at this research station most of the Orangutans present main diet consisted of insects that occupied tree holes and required tool use to extract them. These insects consisted of stingless bees (including their honey), ants, and termites. They found that there was no difference between male and female tool use, as well as no difference within the genders. Females in a reproductive state like pregnant or lactating, did in fact consume more energy rich insects, however their tool use to extract those insects didn't increase in those time periods. In regards to this population tool use is mainly to increase the efficiency of insect foraging. Orangutan diet varies across different populations so it's hard to come to any concrete conclusion about the idea of tool use within this species after studying only one population.
Citation
Fox, E. A, van Schaik, C.P., Sitompul, A. and Wright, D.N.
(2004), Intra- and interpopulational differences in orangutan (Pongo pygmaeus) activity and diet:
Implications for the invention of tool use. Am J. Phys. Anthropol. 125:
162-174. Doi: 10.1002/ajpa.10386
Orangutans Evolution
the classification of orangutans is as follows:
Kingdom: Animalia
Phylum: Chordata
Class: Mammalia
Order: Primates
Famiy: Pongidae (which include the great apes)
Genus: Pongo
Species: pygmaeus
Modern Orangutans first originated during the Pleistocene period about 2 million to 100,000 years ago. There are debates on what species they evolved from we know however they did evolve from the great ape family (which they are still a member of today) We know that in this time period Orangutans were about 30% larger than they are today. While Orangutans were evolving in Asia at this time period, other primates were evolving into early human species.
Here is a primate evolutionary tree
Throughout the years there has been debate on if their are actually subspecies of Orangutans that evolved. One being Pongo pygmaeus pygmaeus found on the islands of Borneo and Pongo pygmaeus abelii found on the island of Sumatra. Some researchers think that these are two very different species of Orangutans because they look sightly different and live in different area. On the other hand some researchers believe that they are all the same species and just differ in physical attributes. What do you think? Pictured below is a Bornean Orangutan on the top and a Sumatran on the bottom. See the difference?
Subspecies or not they are a member of the great ape family along with Gorillas, Chimpanzees, Gibbons, Bonobos. Like other great apes, Orangutans genome has been studied and found that it is quite similar to our human genome. The reason we should study primates is because we know that humans evolved from them and by researching our early ancestors could possibly tell us something about ourselves.
Links:
Tuesday, March 13, 2012
Just like us?
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IFACrIx5SZ0
Here is a really cool video that shows Orangutans and how they can mimic human behavior. I myself have been able to witness Orangutans mimicking human behavior. I was observing an Orangutan at Busch Gardens in Tampa Bay Florida. The Orangutan took a shirt that was given to her as a form of enrichment (aka a toy) and she took the shirt and ripped it in half (orangutans are very strong) and she tied it to a branch in her enclosure and made a swing out of it. She sat there for a good 10 minutes swinging around until she got bored then untied the shirt and made a necklace out of it. It was very funny to watch. It really goes to show that if you observe these animals for a while (and they observe you back) they will pick up on human tendencies.
Here is a really cool video that shows Orangutans and how they can mimic human behavior. I myself have been able to witness Orangutans mimicking human behavior. I was observing an Orangutan at Busch Gardens in Tampa Bay Florida. The Orangutan took a shirt that was given to her as a form of enrichment (aka a toy) and she took the shirt and ripped it in half (orangutans are very strong) and she tied it to a branch in her enclosure and made a swing out of it. She sat there for a good 10 minutes swinging around until she got bored then untied the shirt and made a necklace out of it. It was very funny to watch. It really goes to show that if you observe these animals for a while (and they observe you back) they will pick up on human tendencies.
Monday, February 13, 2012
Basic Facts about the Orangutan
The word Orangutan means "people of the forest" in Malay. They are those familiar looking great apes with the reddish brown hair all over their bodies. From the family "Hominidae" their are two different species of Orangutans Pongo pygameus and Pongo abelii. These two different species are also more simply referred to as Borneo and Sumatran Orangutans, since thats where they are located.
They are the largest arboreal animals in the world, spending about 95% of their time in the trees. They spend their time eating, sleeping, and traveling. They eat mostly fruit, leaves, flowers, insects, etc. but have also been know to be carnivores and eat slow lorises. They are sexually dimorphic animals, where the males are way bigger than the females. In fact fully developed males can weigh up to 300 lbs. Even their wingspan from fingertip to fingertip can be 8ft in length.
Pictured: a mother Orangutan with her infant
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